BETWEEN THE CZAR AND THE SULTAN. 175 ties, the English Ambassador assembled the rep- chap. resentatives of Austria, France, and Prussia. Tt then appeared that there was no essential differ- u r n ^ ni, ] lit y 11 of the lour once of opinion between the representatives of the t^.' e r s eseilU four great Powers. None of them questioned the soundness of the Porte's views in resisting the extreme demands of Paissia ; all acknowledged the spirit of conciliation displayed by the Sultan's Ministers ; all were agreed in desiring to prevent the rupture; all desired that the Emperor Nicholas should be enabled to recede without discredit from the wrong path which he had taken, and were willing to cover his retreat by every device which was consistent with the honour and welfare of other States. This union of opinion, followed close by concerted action, was surely a right example of the way in which it was becoming for Europe to regard an approach to injustice by one of the great Powers. It was arranged that the Their , measures. Austrian Envoy should call upon Prince Mentschi- koff, should apprise him of the sorrow with which the representatives of the four Towers contem- plated the rupture of his relations with the Porte ; should express the lively gratification which a friendly solution, if that were still possible, would afford them ; and, finally, should ascertain whether the Prince would receive through a private chan- nel the Torte's intended Note, and give it a calm consideration.* This appeal from the representa- tives of the four great Powers produced no effect on the mind of Prince Mentschikoff,f and Lord
- ' Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 205. t Ibid. p. 219.
