Grossbrit.,

they had accepted without remonstrance the changes which had taken No. 4246. place in Germany in 1866 by the extinction of the German Confederation 16. Novbr. and the Kingdom of Hanover. ¶ I have, &c.

1870.

Andrew Buchanan,

GROSSBRITANNIEN.

-

No. 4247.

Botschafter in Constantinopel an den Königl. Min. des Ausw. Erster Eindruck der Russischen Depeschen auf die

Grossbrit.,

1870.

[Extract.] I saw Aali Pasha this morning, and found his High- No. 4247. ness deeply impressed by the news of the denunciation by Russia of portions 14. Novbr. of the Treaty of 1856, of which he had been informed by the Austrian Ambassador. No communication whatever upon the subject has, however, as yet been made directly to the Porte by Russia, and even the nature of that which has been made to the other Powers is still very imperfectly known. When the communication shall be made to the Porte, which he supposes it will be upon the return of General Ignatieff, who is expected at the end of the week, he will answer that Turkey and Russia have no right, separately, to come to any agreement upon a matter which was decided at an European Congress, not only in the interest of the Ottoman Empire, but in that, as was believed, of the peace of Europe, in which all were interested.

H. Elliot.

GROSSBRITANNIEN.

No. 4248.

Min. des Ausw. an den Königl. Botschafter in Berlin. - Unterredungen mit dem Grafen Bernstorff; anfängliche Nichtbefriedigung von der Preussischen Aufnahme der Russischen Depeschen; Möglichkeit einer Conferenz.

Foreign Office, November 24, 1870.

Grossbrit.,

1870.

[Extract.] Count Bernstorff did me the honour of calling on me No. 4248. yesterday. During his visit the telegram from Mr. Odo Russell arrived 24. Novbr. reporting Count Bismarck's proposal for a Conference at St. Petersburgh, and stating that his Excellency was in favour of a revision of the Treaty of 1856 in the sense of the Russian demands. I read the telegram to Count Bernstorff and expressed disappointment at its terms, but without going into any details. ¶ M. de Bernstorff made a friendly observation inculcating moderation, and expressing a hope that no further complications would be added to the great ones now afflicting Europe. This morning Count Bernstorff repeated his visit. His Excellency informed me that he

No. 4248. had received a similar message from Count Bismarck, who instructed him to Grossbrit.,

24. Novbr. 1870.

use all his influence in the sense of conciliation, and who advised the
avoidance of polemical despatches circulated in the press. 9 I told his
Excellency that I was glad to see him: that I expected to see Mr. Glad-
stone and several of my colleagues this afternoon, and that there would be
a Cabinet to-morrow. He had probably observed that I had received the
telegram from Mr. Russell with disappointment. Prussia had declared that
Prince Gortchakoff's Circular was a perfect surprise to her. That Circular
appeared to us to contain a principle subversive of all international engage-
ments. It was defended by the Russian Ambassador on the ground of the
examples which Germany had set. ¶ Although Prussia was in a different
position from some of the parties to the Treaty of 1856, yet she had
signed it, and the pretension of Russia to denounce its provisions without
concert with the other co-signataries appeared to be necessarily offensive
against Prussia, who was included among them. But no condemnation
was expressed by Count Bismarck. He only stated that if we would ask the
Prussian Government, they would ask Russia to agree to a Conference to
be held at St. Petersburgh, whence the Circular that had caused so pain-
ful an impression had emanated, with a view apparently of giving, with the
support of Prussia, to Russia all she desired. ¶ I was glad to have an
opportunity of asking M. de Bernstorff to show me in what way I could
place any opposite arguments before my colleagues. ¶ M. de Bernstorff
said it was not a fair assumption to suppose that Prussia countenanced the
Circular. ¶ It had been a great surprise to the Government of the King
and had placed His Majesty's advisers in considerable embarrassment. But
in the same way as they recommended moderation to us, so they had done
at St. Petersburgh; that the proposal for a Conference at St. Petersburgh
was Prince Gortchakoff's, that the place had not been selected by Count
Bismarck, and that it was the sincere desire of the Prussian Government
to hasten a satisfactory conclusion of this question. I thanked his Ex-
cellency for the friendliness and frankness of his communications. ¶ I
begged him to consider that the questions I had put were hypothetical;
that I could not anticipate the judgment of my colleagues as to the possi-
bility of a Conference in the present state of affairs; that supposing my
colleagues were in favour of one, St. Petersburgh appeared to be out of
the question; that it would be necessary to consult the other Parties to
the Treaty; and that the Conference could not be agreed to subject to any
foregone conclusion as to its results. ་ Count Bernstorff desired me to.
understand that what he had said was not the communication of precise
instructions. He merely, in pursuance of the general directions to which
he had already alluded, informed me of facts which he knew. etc.

Granville.

No. 4249.

GROSSBRITANNIEN. Min. des Ausw. an Mr. Odo Russell in Versailles.
Geneigtheit, auf den Preussischen Conferenzvorschlag einzugehen.

Foreign Office, November 25, 1870.

Grossbrit.,

1870.

Sir, I have received and laid before the Queen and my col- No. 4249. leagues your telegrams of the 21st and 22nd instant reporting the results of 25. Novbr. your two conversations with Count Bismarck. In the former you state that Count Bismarck had expressed himself as taken by surprise by the Russian Circular; that he regretted it, but could not interfere or return an official answer to it at present; and that he showed the greatest anxiety to prevent the matter leading to hostilities. From the second it appears that his Excellency offers, with the consent of Her Majesty's Government, to take the initiative in proposing a Conference at St. Petersburgh, which he understands Prince Gortchakoff would be ready to accept; that he strongly recommends St. Petersburgh as the place of meeting with a view to the speedy settlement of the question; and begs that Her Majesty's Government, if they agree, will invite the French Government to join. I understand from you that his Excellency is not indisposed to a revision of the Treaty in a sense favourable to the views of Russia. ¶ You will inform Count Bismarck of the pleasure with which Her Majesty's Government have learned that a communication which had made so painful an impression on themselves has not been received without surprise and regret by the Government of Prussia. ¶ It is with pleasure also that they recognize the desire shown by his Excellency to bring to a satisfactory issue the differences between. Russia and the other Powers parties to the Treaty of 1856. ¶ Speaking for themselves, Her Majesty's Government have no objection to enter into a Conference for the purpose of considering any adequate statement of the grounds on which Russia may wish to bring before the co-signatary Powers a proposal for the revision of the Special Convention between herself and Turkey, annexed to and embodied in the Treaty of 1856. ¶ Her Majesty's Government could only join in such a Conference on the express understanding that it should be in no way prejudiced by any previous assumption as to the result of its deliberations.. They would, however, feel bound, in concert with the other Powers, to weigh with fairness and without bias any claims which Russia might advance and any proposals which she might make. ¶ As regards the place of meeting of the Conference, there seems to be an obvious objection to Count Bismarck's suggestion of St. Petersburgh, and equally so to Constantinople: the same reasons do not apply to Berlin; but, during the unhappy continuance of the present war, it would be impossible for France to send a Representative to the Prussian capital. Her Majesty's Government would be willing to accept Vienna, Florence, or London as the place of meeting; or, should it be thought preferable to choose the capital of some State which was not a party to the Treaty under

Grossbrit.,

25. Novbr. Berne.

No. 4249. discussion, they would consent to the selection of the Hague, Brussels, or ¶ On hearing from you that Count Bismarck concurs in the views set forth above, I shall be ready to communicate with the French Government.

1870.

| I am,

&c.

No. 4250.

Granville.

No. 4250. Grossbrit.,

1870.

GROSSBRITANNIEN.

-

- Min. des Ausw. an Mr. Odo Russell in Versailles. Constatirung des Einverständnisses über die Conferenzbasis.

Foreign Office, November 27, 1870.

Sir, I received late last night your telegram announcing that 27. Novbr. Count Bismarck agreed to the basis laid down by Her Majesty's Government for the proposed Conference, and to London as the place of meeting, and that he would telegraph to St. Petersburgh and Florence accordingly. ¶ In compliance with his Excellency's request, conveyed in your telegram, I have communicated his assent to the Austrian and French Governments with a view to obtaining their concurrence in the Conference, and I will at once make a similar communication to the Porte. I have also informed Her Majesty's Representatives at St. Petersburgh, Berlin, and Florence of what has passed. I am, &c.

Granville,

No. 4251.

No. 4251.

Grossbrit.,

1870.

GROSSBRITANNIEN. Min. des Ausw. an den Botschafter in St. PetersUnterredung mit Baron Brunnow bei Uebergabe der Russischen Depesche vom 20. November 1870 [No. 4231].

burg.

Sir,

Foreign Office, November 28, 1870.

Baron Brunnow read to me on the 25th instant, and gave

28. Novbr. me a copy of, the inclosed despatch from Prince Gortchakoff, in reply to my despatch to your Excellency of the 10th instant, on the subject of the denunciation by Russia of the Treaty arrangements of 1856 for the neutralization of the Black Sea. On receiving it I stated to his Excellency that I could not make any observations on it without consulting my colleagues, but that I should be glad to ask his Excellency a question as to a matter of fact. In the despatch it was stated that Russia would not have demanded anything better than to arrive at the result by an agreement with the Powers who signed the Treaty of 1856, but that all the attempts which had been made at different times to assemble the Powers in common deliberations, in order to avert the causes of the complications which disturb the general peace, had constantly failed. I asked Baron Brunnow whether he could tell me when Russia had made any propositions to this country for the revision

No. 4251.

1870.

of the Treaty of 1856. His Excellency answered that Russia had never Grossbrit., done so; but that on certain occasions, when certain contingencies were 28. Novbr. discussed, he himself had stated both to Lord Malmesbury and to Lord Clarendon that if they were realized, Russia would reserve to herself the right of calling in question some of the provisions of the Treaty of 1856. I asked whether any of the events to which he referred had come to pass? He replied in the negative. He referred also to proposals for Congresses on European matters not connected with Turkey. I then observed that this reply was hardly an answer to my question, upon which his Excellency said that he had no authority to discuss the despatch with me; that if I wanted explanations I should address myself to your Excellency. I obག served that surely when in a despatch an appeal was made to my knowledge of a fact, I did nothing unusual in asking the Ambassador who brought me the despatch to tell me what were the facts alluded to. I added, "Have you any objection to tell me whether, during the last twelve years which you have passed in this country, there has ever been any proposition from Russia to Great Britain for the revision of the Treaty of 1856?" He answered, "No." I said, "I may quote this as your answer?" To which he answered in the affirmative, and added that if I wanted further explanations I must address myself to your Excellency.

I am, &c.

Granville.

No. 4252.

GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Botschafterin Constantinopel an den Königl. Min. des Unterredung zwischen dem Grossvezier und General Ignatieff nach des Letzteren Rückkehr von St. Petersburg.

Ausw.

Therapia, November 20, 1870.

Grossbrit.,

1870.

My Lord, General Ignatieff returned to Constantinople late last No. 4252. night and called upon the Grand Vizier this morning. I saw his High- 20. Novbr. ness immediately afterwards, when he informed me that the Ambassador had spared no pains to induce him to take a favourable view of the step that had just been resorted to by his Government. The abrogation of the neutralization clause was the removal of the only impediment to the perfect understanding and cordiality of relations between Russia and Turkey, and after it there would no longer remain an "Eastern question" to threaten the repose of the world. The Emperor had felt that clause to be a blot upon his reign which he could not leave to his successor to wipe out, and the Porte ought to be sensible of his having abrogated it in the manner the least calculated to produce inconvenience. His Majesty might have demanded its repeal under a menace of extreme proceedings if it was refused, but he had abstained from placing the Porte in the embarrassing position which such a proceeding would have given rise to, and had confined himself to a simple declaration that he had resumed the natural sovereign