76 RUSSIA, TURKEY, AND BULGARIA. 



left under the Sultan's Government, to have brought the frontiers of a 

 vast Russian State close to the Turkish Capital, to have turned the 

 Egean and the Euxine seas into huge Russian lakes, and thus to have 

 secured for Russia a preponderating influence in the Balkan States, 

 from the Danube to the Dardanelles, and by the violation of every 

 Treaty solemnly contracted, to have set Europe at defiance. 



Against these exorbitant demands, Europe and the Government of 

 England vehemently protested, despatch succeeded despatch, courier 

 after courier followed one another in quick succession to St. Petersburg, 

 the British Fleet was ordered to move into the Dardanelles, the Indian 

 troops were summoned to Europe, the Parliament voted six millions 

 to prepare for an emergency, and for a time a great crisis arose which 

 seriously threatened to involve England and Russia into a tremendous 

 War. 



Throughout this prolonged crisis it must be acknowledged that the 

 Statesmen of both Nations did their utmost by their diplomatic skill, 

 their forbearance and patience, to secure a pacific settlement, honorable 

 alike to England and Russia, and satisfactory to Turkey and the 

 provinces under her sway. 



Happily, at this serious junction of affairs Russia was represented in 

 England by a diplomatist of conspicuous merit. Count Schouvaloff, who 

 with a great devotion to his country and the Government from which he 

 was accredited, combined in a remarkable degree a spirit of concilia- 

 tion, of moderation, of wisdom in counsel, and of energy in action, 

 which largely helped to secure a solution of the delicate and difficult 

 causes in dispute. 



Finally, after three months of anxious negotiation, and subtle 

 diplomacy, Russia yielded to the will of Europe by consenting to an 

 European Congress to be held at Berlin, to which the Treaty 

 of San Stefano was to be unreservedly submitted for consideration 

 and revision by all the Great European Powers. 



In the month of June this important Congress assembled at Berlin 

 under the presidency of the Chancellor of the German Empire, Prince 

 Bismarck : a great assembly of the leading statesmen of Europe, 

 Prince GortchakofT for Russia, Count Andrassy for Austria, Count 

 Corti for Italy, M. Waddington for France, Caratheodori Pasha for 

 Turkey, and last, but not least, the venerable and astute Lord 

 Beaconsfield, as the representative for Great Britain. 



For several weeks this Congress of the Ambassadors of the Great 

 European Powers, deliberated earnestly and anxiously on all the 

 supremely important questions submitted to them for the pacification 



