request of the Grand Vizier, and subsequently
retracted; and the notification by the Turkish Ministers to LORD
STRATFORD, in April, that certain propositions had been made to them to
which they were unwilling to accede. 'I should say,' continued he, 'that
up to this time the Government of HER MAJESTY at home, and Her Majesty's
Minister at St. Petersburg, had always understood that the demands to be
made by Russia had reference to the Holy Places; and were all comprised,
in one form or another, in the desire to render certain and permanent
the advantages to which Russia thought herself entitled in favour of
persons professing the Greek religion. LORD STRATFORD understood from
the Turkish Ministers, that it had been much desired by the Russian
Ambassador that the requests which were made on the part of Russia
should be withheld from the knowledge of the representatives of the
other Powers of Europe; and these fresh demands were as new to the
Government of France as they were to the Government of HER MAJESTY.' The
propositions were changed from time to time, until PRINCE MENSCHIKOFF
gave in his ultimatum, and left Constantinople. 'I consider that this
circumstance was one very greatly to be regretted. It has always
appeared to me, that, on the one side and the other, there were
statements that would be admitted, while there were others that might be
the subject of compromise and arrangement. The Russian Minister
maintained that Russia had, by certain treaties (especially by the
treaties of Kainardji and Adrianople) the right to expect that the
Christians in the Turkish territory would be protected; and he declared
at the same time, that Russia did not wish in any manner to injure the
independence or integrity of the Turkish Empire. The Sultan's Ministers,
on their part, maintained that it was their duty, above all things, to
uphold the independence of the Sultan, and to require that nothing
should be acceded to which would be injurious to his dignity or would
derogate from his rights; but at the same time, they declared that it
was the intention of the Sultan to protect his Christian subjects, and
to maintain them in the rights and privileges which they had enjoyed
under the edicts of former Sultans. Such being the statements on the two
sides, I own it appears to me that the withdrawal of the Russian mission
from Constantinople, accompanied as that measure was by the preparation
of a large Russian force, both military and na