latter route very few
turnings and windings are necessary; for a straight line drawn from
Milan to Kustendji on the Black Sea, the point of embarkation for
Constantinople, almost touches Venice, Trieste, Belgrade, and the
Danube.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

The Foreign Agents.

So much for the native government. The foreign agents in Belgrade are
few in number. The most prominent individual during my stay there was
Baron Lieven, a Russian general, who had been sent there on a special
mission by the emperor, to steer the policy of Russia out of the
shoals of the Servian question.

On calling there with Mr. Fonblanque, I found a tall military-looking
man, between forty and forty-five years of age. He entered at once,
and without mystery, into the subject of his mission, and concluded by
saying that "Servia owed her political existence solely to Russia,
which gave the latter a moral right of intervention over and above the
stipulations of treaties, to which no other power could pretend." As
the public is already familiar with the arguments pro and contra on
this question, it is at present unnecessary to recur to them.

Baron Lieven had in the posture of affairs at that time a difficult
part to play, inasmuch as a powerful party sought to throw off the
protectorate of Russia. The baron, without possessing an intellect of
the highest order, was a man of good sound judgment, and in his
proceedings showed a great deal of frankness and military decision,
qualities which attained his ends in all probability with greater
success than if he had been endowed with that profound astuteness
which we usually attribute to Russians. This was his fifth mission
into the Turkish dominions; so that, although not possessing the
language, he was yet well acquainted with the Turkish character and
Eastern affairs in general. His previous mission had for its object to
announce to the Sultan that, in accordance with the stipulations of
the treaty of the 15th of July, 1840, the military and naval forces of
the Emperor of Russia were at the service of his Highness.

Baron Lieven was accompanied to Servia by his lady, a highly talented
person, who spoke English admirably; and the evenings spent in his
hospitable house were among the most agreeable reminiscences of my
residence at Belgrade.

The stationary Russian consul-general was M. Wastchenko, a stout
middle-aged gentleman, with the look of a well-conditioned alderman.
M. Wastchenko had b