The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-25 00:00:00

THE

ciple of perfect identity. If England, as the principal mat4tfine
power, acts is coewert, with there, it is to be supposed that France
will find herseU obliged to act in confonnuy with the course
agreed upou between St. Petersburg, London, and Vienna.
" Conflict between the great powers being thus obviated, It is
to behoved that the peace of Europe will be maintained even in
the midst of such serious eireuinstoncei. It is to secure this
object of common interest, if the ease occurs, that, as the EM-
peror agreed with her Britannic Majesty's ministers diving his
residenee in England, the previous anaemia/Piing which
Russia and England shall establish between themselves must
be directed."
The next, paper, No, 1 of the series, is dated
nearly nine years afterwards (Jan. 11, 1553), and
contains Sir H. Seywour's account of a conversation
held with the C;ar, in which the latter cautiously
broke ground on the subject of the possible partition

of Turkey :
" The Emperor came up to me, in the most gracious
manner, to sag, that he haul heard with great pleasure of
her Majesty's Ctoverument having Leen definitively
formed, adding that he trusted the blinistry would be of
long duration. His Imperial Majesty desired me particu-
larly to convey this assurance to the Earl of Aberdeen,
with whom, he said, he had been acquainted for nearly
forty years, and for whom he entertained equal regard and
esteem. His Majesty desired to be brought to the kind
recollection of his lordship."
After congratulating himself that there were very
few points on which the two countries had disagreed,
and complimenting the British Ambassador by the re-
mark that so long as England and Russia were
" d'accord " it. was immaterial what other countries
in Europe might think or do, his Majesty added in
a cursory kind of way
" As to Turkey, that is another question ; that country
is in a critical state, dud may give us all a great deal of
trouble."
Sir H. Seymour begged to have these words more
fully explained, wishing to obtain some assurance
which might " tend to calm the anxiety with regard
to the affairs of Turkey, which passing events are so
calculated to excite on the part of her Majesty's
Government."
The Czar then replied, with some hesitation in
his tone :
" The affairs of Turkey are in a very disorganised condi-
tion ; the country itself seems to Le falling to pieces
(menace runie); the fall will be a great misfortune, and
it is very important that England and Russia should come
to a psifectly good understanding upon those affairs, and
that neither should take any decisive step of which the
other is not apprised."
" I observed (says Sir H. Seymour) in a few words that
I rejoiced td hear that his Imperial Majesty held this len-
gnage; that this was certainly the view I took of the
manner in which Turkish questions are to be treated."
" Stay," the Emperor said, as if proceeding with his
remark. " Listen ; we have on our bands a sick man—a
very sick niau ; it will be, I tell you frankly, a great inis.
ftirtune if one of these days he should slip away from ns,
especially before all necessary arrangements were made.
But, however, this is not the time to speak to you on that
matter."
" It was clear that the Emperor did not Intend to prolong
the conversation : I therefore said, Your Majesty is so
gracious that you will allow me to make one further ob-
servation. Your Majesty says the man is sick—it is very
true—but your Majesty will deign to excuse me if I remark,
that it is the part of the generous and strong man to treat
with gentleness the sick and feeble man;
" The Emperor then took leave of me in a manner
which conveyed the impression of my having at least not
given offence, and again expressed his intention of sending
for me on some future day."
At a subsequent interview the dying state of the
Turkish empire was again alluded to. "We cannot
resuscitate what is dead," said the Czar, and there
would be great danger, he argued, if the death
should take place before proper arrangements had
been taken. He repeated more than once a wish to
discuss the question with the English Minister in
the spirit of a "friend and a gentleman," adding :
" If England and I arrive at an understanding of this
matter, as regards the rest it matters little to me; it is
indifferent to me what others du or think. Frankly then,
I tell you plainly, that if England thiuks of establishing
herself one of these days at Constantinople, I will not
allow it. Ido not attribute this intention to yon, but it is
better on these occasions to speak plainly ; for my
part I am equally disposed to take the engagement not to
establish myself there, as proprietor, that is to say, fur as
occupier I do not say; it might happen that circum-
stances, if no previous provision were made, if everything
should lie lett to chance, might place me in the position of
occupying Constautinople."
In reporti •g this conversation in a despatch,
doted Jan. 2.1., to Lord John Russell, Sir H. Seymour
thus terminated his letter :
" A noble triumph would be obtained by the civilisation
of the nineteenth century if the void left by the extinction
of 'Maliominedau rule in Europe ooidd be filled no without
an interruption of the general peace, in conacquence of
the precautions adopted by the two principal tioveruments
the moat interested in the destinies of Turkey."
The despatch was received on February 6, and on
the 9th the following reply—on which the Tinwa pro-
nounced so warm a panegyric—was transmitted from
the Foreign Secretary :
, " have received and laid before the Queen your secret
I and confidential despatch of the 22nd of January.