126 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 c it A ?. ' impending by some of the great European Powers. L_ 'Your Excellency will explain to the Sultan that ' it is with the object of pointing out these dangers, ' and with the hope of averting them, that Her ' Majesty's Government have now directed you to ' proceed to Constantinople. You will endeavour ' to convince the Sultan and his Ministers that ' the crisis is one which requires the utmost ' prudence on their part, and confidence in the ' sincerity and soundness of the advice they will ' receive from you, to resolve it favourably for their ' future peace and independence.' Then (and probably at the suggestion of Lord Stratford him- self) the Ambassador was to press upon the Porte the adoption of the reforms width his intimate knowledge of the affairs of Turkey enabled him to recommend ; and next, plainly disclosing the effect already produced upon the mind of the Govern- ment by the challenge to winch our accustomed policy in the East had just been subjected by the press, the despatch went on : — 'Nor will you dis- ' jniise from the Sultan and his Ministers that ' perseverance in his present course must end in ' alienating the sympathies of the British nation, ' and making it impossible for Her Majesty's ' Government to shelter them from the impending ' danger, or to overlook the exmencies of Christen- 1 dom, exposed to the natural consequences of ' their unwise policy and reckless maladminis- ' tration.' Finally, the Ambassador was told that, in the event of imminent danger to the existence of the Turkish Government, he was to despatch
