338 Mr. Bell on the growing power of Russia. 
sian conduct towards the unoffending Turks was arrogant, cruel, 
and unjust, was the prevailing sentiment. But we have ourselves 
to blame for the disastrous issue. By the battle of Navarin we 
played the game into her hands, without the least provocation, at 
the desire of our friend the Russian admiral, in coneert with the 
French, we attacked and destroyed the whole of the sultan’s fleet, 
peacefully moored in one of his own harbours, not in the least ex- 
pecting such a visit from his quondam allies. ‘This battle, this un- 
provoked attack, will remain as a memorable sample of British sim- 
plicity and Russian dexterity. We, the generous friends of Greece 
and liberty, imagined we had done a glorious feat in the cause of 
humanity, whilst by that very action we had completely served the 
views of Russian ambition. Never did Russia play so deep a game, 
—never did she so dexterously gain her end, as by making the 
fleets of Britain and France the unconscious instruments of achiey- 
ing her grand object, by paralyzing her foe. But for that battle 
the Turks might have been successful in their contest with the 
Greeks. It was actually the very thing that saved them. This, 
however, was but a small section in the chapter of events. By it 
the sultan was deprived of a fleet to protect his own capital from 
the Russians. But for the destruction of his fleet, the Russians 
could not have taken Varna, and laid open the road to Constanti- 
nople. But for it the Russians could not have brought a fleet up 
the Danube, to assist their military operations. And but for it 
the march up and across the Balkan would never have been at- 
tempted, and the Turks might have got time to improve themselves 
in European tactics. The issue of the contest, and the conse- 
quences of the battle of Navarin, have proved us to be shallow poli- 
ticians in the eyes of all Europe, and evinced a clear proof of the 
_ rapid march of Russian political intellect. 
Tt will be asked, Will the Ottoman empire be subverted in con- 
sequence of late events, and become an integral portion of an em- 
pire now reaching from the Bothnic Gulf to the eastern extremity 
of Asia, and from the frozen regions of a polar climate, to the fer- 
tile plains of the Araxes and the genial climes of Middle Asia? I 
have no hesitation to answer the question in the affirmative, but 
do not venture to predict the exact time. But the thing is in pro- 
gress, and will assuredly take place, and must do so, as the ele-. 
ments of political dissolution have been long in a train of develop- 
ment, and are now, from the increasing power of Russia, and a 
multitude of other concomitant circumstances, rapidly hastening to 
a crisis. These elements existed at the very commencement of the 
Othman power ; and nothing for a time prevented their operation, 
but the warlike character and military talents of a succession of 
sultans of great energy of mind, and the military enthusiasm of the 
Turks, stimulated and fed by repeated victories. 
But when the tide was checked, and began to roll back in con- 
sequence of the political changes in the state of Europe,—when the 
Turks were no longer headed by sultans as formerly, but by a 
