thout even consulting Nicholas, settled some troubles in Turkey. The
czar sent Menzikoff as special envoy to Constantinople to demand a new
treaty whereby Russia's rights as Protector of the Greek Christians
should be recognized. Supported as he was by France, the sultan
refused. Nicholas then had a plain talk with Sir Hamilton Seymour, the
British Minister at St. Petersburg, wherein he revealed his designs
upon Turkey. As to Constantinople, he said, he might establish himself
there as a trustee, but not as a proprietor. Sir Hamilton, as in duty
bound, notified his government, and England hastened to join France in
opposing Russia.

Pretending that all he wanted was a recognition of his rights,
Nicholas, on the 3d of July, 1853, sent an army under Gortchakof
across the Pruth. At this an allied British-French fleet took up a
position near the threatened point, but did not cross the Straits,
which would have been a violation of the treaty. Nicholas stormed; he
declared that "This was a threat" and would lead to complications.
Austria proposed a conference at which Russia, Great Britain, France,
Austria and Prussia assisted. It seemed as if peace would be secured,
when the sultan demanded that the Russian forces should withdraw,
whereupon Admiral Nakhimof, on the 30th of November, 1853, destroyed
the Turkish fleet at Sinope. The British-French fleet then sailed into
the Black Sea, and the Russian ships sought shelter in the ports.

In January, 1854, Napoleon III made a last attempt at maintaining
peace, but Nicholas was thoroughly angry at the publication of
Seymour's dispatches, claiming that the conversation with the (p. 215)
British Minister was entitled to secrecy as between "a friend and a
gentleman." Austria and Prussia resented the contempt which the czar
had expressed for them, and on the 10th of April England and France
entered into an offensive-defensive alliance. Ten days later Austria
and Prussia arrived at a written agreement providing for the
possibility that the Russians should attack Austria or cross the
Balkans. Nicholas had aroused all Europe against him.

The Russian fleet was unable to cope with that of the allies, and thus
condemned to inactivity in the ports. After heroic efforts, the
Russians were compelled to raise the siege of Silistria, and to retire
from the Danube, while Austria occupied the evacuated territory. But
Nicholas was dismayed when, after a conference on July 21, 1854, the
all