of the
Montenegrins and other Christian subjects of Turkey were warmly espoused by
Russia. Czar Nicholas, as the pontiff of the Russian-Greek Church, claimed
a protectorate over the Greek Christians in Turkey. The pending
difficulties concerning the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem became part of the
controversy. On the pretext of legalizing the predominant position of the
Greek Church as one of the guardians of the Holy Sepulchre, the Czar
assumed a threatening attitude toward Turkey. For a while Lord Stratford
Canning, the British Ambassador at Constantinople, succeeded in mediating
between Russia and France. A temporary agreement was effected. At this
point the appearance of a French fleet in Turkish waters gave great offence
to Russia, making it appear that the concessions to France had been
extorted by a menace. Already Sir Hamilton Seymour, the British Ambassador
at St. Petersburg, had been sounded by the Czar. It was on that occasion
that Nicholas uttered the historic phrase that "the sick man was dying,"
meaning the Ottoman Empire. It was then, too, that tentative offers were
made to England to let her take Egypt and the island of Candia, provided
Russia could make herself mistress of the Balkans.

[Sidenote: International concern]

The traditional aspirations of Russia toward Constantinople were well
understood in Europe. With the exception of Prussia, the European Powers,
contrary to the Czar's expectations, were resolved to preserve the
integrity of Turkey.

[Sidenote: Austria's timely measures]

[Sidenote: Menzikov's mission]

[Sidenote: French-English naval demonstration]

The Continental Powers diplomatically met the Czar on his own religious
ground. Protestant England, on the other hand, with no pilgrims to defend,
could protest only on the score of preserving the balance of power. A
deeper reason for British opposition lay in the possible opening of the
Black Sea to Russian commerce, and the consequent loss of oriental trade to
English merchants. Louis Napoleon, who could hardly begin his imperial
reign in France more auspiciously than by avenging the disasters of his
immortal uncle and of the Grand Army in Russia, entered the lists as the
champion of the Roman Catholic Christians of the Orient. Austria, though
she took no active part against her recent ally, ingeniously frustrated the
plans of the Russian autocrat by bringing the Sultan to terms in his
attempt to crush the insurgent Montenegrins, who