ting their houses on fire. The
massacre lasted three days; after which the marauders, laden with booty,
took refuge in the mountains.

While Turkey was thus shorn of one of her European provinces, she was
doomed to see a rebellious, but victorious vassal make himself master
of her Asiatic territories. Ibrahim Pacha, who had during the last year
opened a way across Mount Taurus, lost no time in descending into the
plains of Caramania. Here he fought a great battle with the Turkish
troops, under the command of the grand vizier, Redschid Pacha, whom he
utterly defeated and took prisoner. Constantinople was almost at his
mercy; there was no obstacle between Ibrahim and the shores of the
Bosphorus; and he seemed to be only waiting for the arrival of fresh
troops, which were on their march through Syria to join him, to traverse
Anatolia and assail the capital. The danger, however, was averted by
the exertions of the British government, assisted by that of France. The
Egyptian army retired from Asia Minor; and the Russians, whom the Sultan
had called in for its defence, and from whom he was in no less danger
than from the sword of Ibrahim, left Constantinople. By a treaty which
was concluded between the Sultan and Mehemet Ali, the former gave up
the whole of Syria, granting at the same time an amnesty to all its
inhabitants for the conduct which they might have followed during the
expedition of Ibrahim. The Pasha of Egypt became by this treaty more
powerful than the master from whom he had revolted; his rule extended
from the limits of Asia Minor to the mouth of the Nile. A treaty was
subsequently concluded between the Porte and Russia, in which the
preponderating power of the latter was fully established. Russia was
to aid the sultan in repressing all disturbances, and the sultan was
to shut the Dardanelles, in particular circumstances, against all other
nations. Both England and France complained that such a treaty had been
concluded without their concurrence, and each of them had a fleet near
the Sea of Marmora; but their remonstrances were unheeded, and their
fleets returned. The popular and prophetic belief of the Byzantines,
namely, that "the Russians in the last days should become masters of
Constantinople," seemed to be rapidly approaching its fulfilment.

The Belgian question had its origin in events antecedent to the
formation of the present British cabinet, so that ministers were
compelled to follow a course which