d from the Ambassador's own notes. He was told
that he was to proceed first to Paris, and then to Vienna, in order that
he might know the minds of France and Austria on the issues at stake.
Napoleon III. was to be assured that England relied on his cordial
co-operation in maintaining the integrity and independence of the
Turkish Empire. The young Emperor of Austria was to be informed that her
Majesty's Government gladly recognised the fact that his attitude
towards the Porte had not been changed by recent events, and that the
policy of Austria in the East was not likely to be altered. Lord
Stratford was to warn the Sultan and his advisers that the crisis was
one which required the utmost prudence on their part if peace was to be
preserved.

The Sultan and his Ministers were practically to be told by Lord
Stratford that they were the authors of their own misfortunes, and that,
if they were to be extricated from them, they must place the 'utmost
confidence in the sincerity and soundness of the advice' that he was
commissioned to give them. He was further to lay stress on palpable
abuses, and to urge the necessity of administrative reforms. 'It
remains,' added Lord Clarendon, 'only for me to say that in the event,
which her Majesty's Government earnestly hope may not arise, of imminent
danger to the existence of the Turkish Government, your Excellency will
in such case despatch a messenger to Malta requesting the Admiral to
hold himself in readiness; but you will not direct him to approach the
Dardanelles without positive instructions from her Majesty's
Government.' The etiquette of Courts has to be respected, especially by
Ambassadors charged with a difficult mission, but Lord Stratford's
diplomatic visits to Paris and Vienna were unduly prolonged, and
occupied more time than was desirable at such a crisis. He arrived at
Constantinople on April 5, and was received, to his surprise, with a
remarkable personal ovation. In Kinglake's phrase, his return was
regarded as that 'of a king whose realm had been suffered to fall into
danger.'

The Czar's envoy, Prince Menschikoff, had already been on the scene for
five weeks. If Russia meant peace, the choice of such a representative
was unfortunate. Menschikoff was a brusque soldier, rough and impolitic
of speech, and by no means inclined to conform to accepted methods of
procedure. He refused to place himself in communication with the
Foreign Minister of the Porte; and this was