England and the other five Powers, including Russia herself, were pledged, — they having signed treaties guaranteeing the Sultan's independence and the integrity of his dominions. In these circumstances, the Grand Vizier wished to know what Colonel Rose was prepared to do, as agent for Her Majesty's Government, to assist the Porte. He replied that it was for the Porte to specify the assistance required, but that he would immediately send off an express message to Belgrade or Vienna, or a steamer to Malta, with the intelligence to Her Majesty's Government.
'Oh,' replied the Grand Vizier, 'special messengers and steamers are too late. We must sign the Secret Treaty by sunset this evening, or Prince Menschikoff will demand his passports. We wish to see the British Fleet in Turkish waters.'
Colonel Rose rejoined that as Chargé d'Affaires he had no right to demand the appearance of Admiral Dundas and his Fleet in Turkish waters; his powers only allowed him to point out to the Admiral, as quickly as possible, the gravity of the situation at Constantinople, and the serious responsibility which would devolve on him were he to decline to appear, as requested, with the Fleet. The Grand Vizier observed that the Sultan's Ministers would be quite satisfied if Colonel Rose wrote a letter to the Admiral in that sense, and to this the Chargé d'Affaires assented[1].
- ↑ The letter was dated March 8th, 1853. Admiral Dundas, on the
