se and Glatz were still beset by French
troops, but the siege of Kolberg was abandoned, and still further
reinforcements thus became available. In the daily skirmishes which
occurred at the outposts the fighting was sharp; but the Cossacks were
as saucy as ever, and the French light horse could bring in little
news. Meantime Russia's difficulties, of which Napoleon remained
ignorant, kept her from reinforcing her army to the proper size. Her
credit was so low that she could raise no money on her own account,
and when she applied to England for a subsidy, it was refused. The
Czar was consequently furious, and strained Russia's resources to the
utmost; but he could give Bennigsen no more than enough funds and men
to restore his original strength.

The arms of Russia had been fairly successful on the lower Danube, for
the Turks had been paralyzed by an unforeseen danger. Great Britain
had sent a fleet to Constantinople, and the Sultan, though he
immediately declared war against England, was terrified. But
Napoleon's emissary, Sebastiani, engaged the English admiral in
negotiations until the shore batteries were sufficiently strengthened
to compel the British fleet to retire. Filled by this success with new
enthusiasm for his Eastern projects, the Emperor of the French devised
and set on foot a scheme for the alliance of Turkey and Persia in
order to checkmate the ambitions of either Russia or Austria. About
the end of April an envoy from the Shah arrived at Finkenstein. He was
received with great demonstrations, and France was delighted to see
the kings of the East seeking, as she believed, her Emperor's favor.
Napoleon's information with regard to the Orient was detailed and
accurate; his knowledge of the Eastern character was fraternally
instinctive. A treaty was easily negotiated in which France promised
to drive Russia from Georgia and to supply Persia with artillery; in
return the Shah was to break with England, confiscate British
property, instigate the peoples of Afghanistan and Kandahar to
rebellion, set on foot an army to invade India, and in case the French
should also despatch a land force against India, he was to give them
free passage along a line of march to be subsequently laid out,
together with means of sustenance. None of the Emperor's achievements
during this eventful winter shows more clearly than this how he could
rise above the discouragements of a doubtful situation, and how
sanguine his disposition