I cannot omit noticing a ground of confidence which has recently; for the hundreth time, presented itself as a novelty; it is, "The Emperor has no money." The same thing was said in 1847, when he came forward to support the Bank of England, as he had already supported the Bank of France, £6,000,000: "were vested in English and Frenchi securities, £22,000,000. of bullion were then held in deposit. She receives nearly £5,000,000. yearly from her mines, and actually her stock is quoted at 16 per cent. above par. She offers to remit a claim of 80,000,000 roubles for a province, being between the Caspian and Little Thibet, and to pay the difference; yet, according to diplomatic report, "The guards, the crack corps at Zarskoi Zelo, are destitute of clothes and everything." Well then they can be clothed as well as fed in the Principalities-Napoleon believed Europe to be in danger from the poverty of Russia-she preserves the appetites of poverty, while knowing how to employ the seductions of wealth. It is her gold you have to fear, and not her steel. She makes a little go a long way, and she takes it from yourselves.

"The evacuation of the Principalities is," says Lord Clarendon, "a sine qua non preliminary to a settlement." But will an evacuation of the Provinces be a settlement? Not unless it be unconditional, as far as Russia is concerned, and provision be made against present injury and future aggression. First, then, the evacuation, must take place without any engagement entered into by Turkey. Secondly, an indemnity to Turkey for pecuniary loss, and to the

trade of all nations on account of the accidents at the mouth of the Danube, resulting from her neglect. Thirdly, the abrogation of all existing Treaties between Russia and Turkey, and consequently of any pretence of interference with the subjects of the latter country. Fourthly, the abrogation of the Treaties of 1840 and 1841, equally violated by her act, and the consequent admission of men-of-war of all nations to the Black Sea. Fifthly, the modification of the English Treaty of Commerce of 1838, so as to obtain the free exportation of Turkish grain. Sixthly, the renunciation of all claims upon Persia, whether pecuniary or territorial. Seventhly, the abrogation of the Treaty of the 8th of May, 1852, and the consequent restoration of the succession and constitution in Denmark.

This is the only settlement. This, if you are in earnest, is what you will obtain; there is no more difficulty in obtaining all, than in obtaining one. If you do not you are, in the words of Lord Clanricarde,

parties to the present act of piracy, as you are to all the previous steps that led to it." Of the seven points which I have indicated, the essential are the admission of our vessels to the Black Sea, and the exportation of Turkish grain; no one will pretend that there is the slightest difficulty in obtaining cither. They have even nothing to do with Russia, but only with Turkey. So long as you suffer a Russian Ambassador to reside in London you will not obtain them, for England is governed from Ashburnham House,

xvii

THE CROSSING OF THE PRUTH, AND THE PASSING OF THE DARDANELLES.

"Catherine perceived that she could not continue her aggressivo system against Turkey without the aid and co-operation of the other Powers."-WELLESLEY POLE.

THIS volume, though not written with a view to the actual crisis, may not on that account be the less acceptable: its interest lies not in the immediate facts, but in the motives and position of the parties to which this volume addresses itself. The actual alarm which affords so favourable a conjuncture for its appearance may be thus of importance for averting future dangers-there are actually none in the sense that the people of this country understand; they may rest perfectly assured that there will not be now, and that there never will be hereafter, collision between England and Russia. Who can set other powers by the ears, need not fight them. As to England, the question is one of balance, the tongue of which vibrates through the Straits which separate Europe and Asia, transferring to the one side or the other absolute supremacy and absolute subjection.

It was deemed an act of unexpected and almost startling courage when an ex-Chancellor of Englanda man pre-eminent for his intellectual powers, and

who, had Russia had the good fortune of possessing him, might have already reared the banner of the azure cross on the flagstaffs of Calcutta and the Dardanelles-pronounced the pretensions of the Czar to be "fallacious, offensive, illogical, and insulting." The pettiest attaché of every Russian Embassy smiled with a contempt derived from position alike at the capacity and the feeling of that great lawyer. Crude ingenium cannot of itself prevail in human affairs, and toil and labour will ever bear away the palm. The genius of Lord Lyndhurst is practised in detecting fallacy-the genius of Russia in conquering men; she requires no lessons in logic; you need some instruction in conduct: if it was worth Lord Lyndhurst's while to think upon a foreign matter, it was surely the acts of the members of the English, not the Russian Cabinet, which deserved his animadversion.

You have long been in a slumber, and she has profited by your security; you have long confided in her honour, she has profited by your friendship; your eyes are at length opened, and your indignation aroused-does she suffer retribution, do you regain character? You discover that she is illogical-in rhetoric which has convulsed an Empire; you denounce her to be insane-in marching with your aid on the Bosphorus; you send your men-of-war to the Dardanelles she seizes the Sound; she grasps the Danube; you send-no, you do not send, a noteshe usurps the vastest plain of Europe, and you do

send an apology.* When she has overrun a province you convoke a conclave; you prevent war by removing landmarks; and stop a burglar by opening the door. And all this is peace; two campaigns and a dozen fortresses are offered up for the sake of the tranquillity of Europe; and two Empires (Turkey and Austria) are stripped of their arms in the interest of their defence.

There remains, however, another discovery to be made not that you are cowards, but that you are impostors. Was there ever imposition compared with that of your pretending to cope with Russia? She can be met only by men with minds equal to herself; equal to her in cunning, or at least superior to her in honesty; you neither have the last, nor do you form the first. While she perverts truth and justice through love of power, you sacrifice right and power by fatuity. This is your struggle with Russia, or rather your confederacy.

The prophetic year 1853, closing the millenium of Russia's delay from her first entrance of the Golden Horn, has beheld the purposed excitation of the fanatic frenzy of the Muscovite race, and the direct

* The Russian note of the 2d July, calling England and France to account for sending the squadrons to the coast of Turkey, was answered by the French Cabinet by one which it published on the 15th, and which Lord Clarendon declared to be the counterpart of a note transmitted by England. The French Minister therein exculpates France from the charge of having interfered with the plans of Russia; he says:-"No, sir, I say it with all the power of conviction, the French Government in this grave discussion, has no reproach to make to itself."