ff and hostilities
ensue. The main point of dispute as to Bolgrad threatened to form a
_casus belli_ with even a new arrangement of the Powers, as France
gave up the case, and thus encouraged Russia to prove more obdurate.
But England and the other Powers stood firm, and Bolgrad was included
in Moldavia.

The following extracts give a tolerably complete account of what was
done. Writing from Kichenief on 9th January 1857, Gordon said:

"We are now settled as to the frontier question. Russia has given
up Bolgrad and received a portion of territory in exchange equal
to that surrendered, both as to number of inhabitants and also as
to extent of land. This mode of compensation will give us more
than half our work to do over again. I had almost finished my
plans, and one-half of these will have to be redrawn. However, it
is a consolation to know that the thing is settled. We heard all
this by telegraph from Paris, and by the same message learnt that
we are to proceed at once to work on the frontier in order to get
it finished by 30th March, and thus allow of the ceded territory
being handed over to the Moldavians on that day. You may imagine
what a hurry they are in to get this finished. The Russians
pretend to believe that they have got the best of the dispute,
but it will be difficult to persuade the world to be of the same
opinion. Although so cold, there is not much snow, and it is
beautifully clear weather, capital for sledging. The new frontier
leaves Tobak and Bolgrad in Moldavia, and gives a piece of land
near the Pruth in exchange to Russia.... The territory will be
given over in two parts. The southern consists of Ismail, Kilia,
Reni, and Bolgrad, as well as the delta of the Danube. The
northern part consists of the land between the Pruth and
Yalpukh.... We have finished our work, everything has been
signed, and the total number of the plans we have made is upwards
of 100. For my part, I have had enough of them for my whole
life."

This wish was not to be gratified, for before Colonel Stanton's
Commission was dissolved orders came for him to hand over his officers
and men to Colonel--now Field-Marshal Sir Lintorn--Simmons, for the
purpose of settling the boundary in Armenia, where a dispute had
arisen about the course of the river Aras, the ancient Araxes. Gordon,
who had now had two and