YESTERDAY. b. The Crimean War 



The Duke of Cambridge to Queen Victoria. 



Constantinople, i3th May, 1854. 



MY DEAR COUSIN, I have not as yet announced to you 

 my safe arrival here, as I was anxious first to see the Sultan 

 and the general state of things before giving you a report 

 of what was really going on. ... 



I found a great proportion of the Infantry arrived, a 

 portion of the Artillery, but as yet no Cavalry. Lord 

 Raglan is well and in good spirits, Lord Stratford de Red- 

 cliffe ill in bed with a bad fit of the gout most miserable 

 to see in every respect. The Sultan 1 received me at once on 

 the day of arrival, and made his return visit to me yester- 

 day. I confess I was not much impressed with either his 

 appearance or general ability. He is. to say the truth, a 

 wretched creature, prematurely aged, and having nothing 

 whatever to say for himself. A few commonplace civilities 

 was all the conversation which passed between us. I said 

 everything I could think of to make a conversation, among 

 other things messages of civility from yourself ; but though 

 he appeared pleased and expressed his satisfaction at our 

 being here, I could not get him to enter into anything, and 

 I was not sorry on both occasions when our interview was 

 at an end. As to his Ministers, and in fact the whole popu- 

 lation and country, with the exception of Redschild Pasha, 2 

 they are all a most wretched and miserable set of people, 

 and far, far worse than anything I could possibly have 

 imagined or supposed. In fact, the ''sick man " is exces- 

 sively sick indeed, dying as fast as possible ; and the sooner 



1 Abdul Medjid, born 1823, who had succeeded to the throne at the time of 

 the Syrian War. 



2 Minister of Foreign Affairs, born 1802, died 1858. 



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