BETWEEN THE CZAR AND THE SULTAN. 177 advisable mode of proceeding. Early the next Ci ^ p - morning, Lord Stratford ascertained that, in the — : opinion of Eeshid Pasha, the altered form of the llussian demands left them as objectionable as ever.* The Russians imagined that Eeshid Pasha was willing to give way to them, and that he even entreated Lord Stratford to let him yield, but that the English Ambassador was inexorable. There was no truth in this notion.-}* Lord Stratford's counsels had cut so deep into the mind of the Turkish Minister that he was well able to follow them without wanting guidance from hour to hour. The English Ambassador assembled the represen- tatives of the three Powers, and found that they unanimously agreed with him ' in adopting an ' opinion essentially identical with that of the ' Turkish Ministers.' J They all signed a memo- randum declaring that ' upon a question which so ' closely touched the freedom of action and the ' sovereignty of His Majesty the Sultan, His Higli- ' ness Eeshid Pasha was the best judge of the ' course which it was fitting to take, and that they ' did not consider themselves authorised to pro- ' nounce an opinion.' § Prince Mentschikoff had caused it to be under- its rejection stood that this his last demand was only to be accepted by being accepted in full. It was re- jected ; and on the 21st of May the Prince was preparing to depart, when he heard that the Porte
- ' Eastern Papers,' part i. pp. 219, 220.
+ It is clearly disproved. Ibid. pp. 336-8. I Ibid. p. 220. § Ibid. p. 222. VOL. I. M.
