eforms.

"3. The union of Bulgaria and Roumelia, with a port.

"4. The increase of Greece.

"5. Constantinople, a State, under European guarantees.

"6. Increase of Montenegro, and Italy, on that coast.

"7. Annexation of Egypt by England, _either directly or by having
paramount and entire authority_.

"8. Annexation of Syria by France--ditto--ditto--ditto. (By this
means France would be as interested in stopping Russian progress
as England is.)

"9. Italy to be allowed to extend towards Abyssinia.

"10. Re-establishment of the Turkish Constitution, and the
establishment of a similar one in Egypt (these Constitutions, if
not interfered with, would soon rid Turkey and Egypt of their
parasite Pashas).

"I daresay this programme could be improved, but it has the
advantage of being _definite_, and a definite policy, however
imperfect, is better than an unstable or hand-to-mouth policy.

"I would not press these points at once; I would keep them in
view, and let events work themselves out.

"I believe, in time, this programme could be worked out without a
shot being fired.

"I believe it would be quite possible to come to terms with
Russia on these questions; I do not think she has sailed under
false colours when her acts and words are generally considered.
She is the avowed enemy of Turkey, she has not disguised it. Have
_we_ been the friend of Turkey? How many years have elapsed
between the Crimean war and the Russo-Turkish war? What did we do
to press Turkey to carry out reforms (as promised by the Treaty
of 1856) in those years? _Absolutely nothing._

"What has to be done to prevent the inevitable crash of the
Turkish Empire which is impending, imperilling the peace of the
world, is _the re-establishment of the Constitution of Midhat,
and its maintenance, in spite of the Sultan_. By this means, when
the Sultan and the ring of Pashas fall, there would still exist
the chambers of representatives of the provinces, who would carry
on the Government for a time, and at any rate prevent the foreign
occupation of Constantinople, or any disorders there, incident on
the exit of the Sultan and his Pashas."

Having partially explained how General Gordon declined one post for
which he appeared to be well suited, I have to describe