418 Mr. Bell on the growing power of Russia. 
if we believe either Mill or Buckingham ; and therefore, on every 
moral consideration, on every principle of benevolent feeling, we 
are bound to wish the liberation of Western Asia, even though it 
' should not be accomplished in the way we wish it. Even on sel- 
fish commercial principles, it will eventually be better for us that 
Russia should possess the whole of Turkey, than it should remain 
asitis. By the opening of the Bosphorus to the Black Sea, we shall 
enjoy, in common with others, the commerce of that sea. By means 
of it, and the mouth of the Phasis, our manufactures will obtain a 
shorter, quicker, easier, and consequently cheaper passage into in- 
terior Asia, than by the round-about-way of India and the Persian 
Gulf. In proportion as the Russian conquests advance to the south, 
and in proportion as a strong and vigorous government is establish- 
ed, and elflicient protection given to the industry of the native po- 
pulation, the means of subsistence will undergo a reciprocal in- 
crease, and create a greater demand for European goods, and ours 
amongst the rest. If Russia gain possession of Turkish Asia, the 
result will be the same, and caravans and travellers will no longer, 
as at present, be exposed to plunder, extortion, and robbery, by 
bands of robbers, Toorkmans, and Koords. Every Turkish pasha 
is a kind of privileged robber in his own district, and caravans and 
travellers are always liable to successive extortions in their way 
through the pashalicks that lie successively in the road to the place 
of destination. The firmans of the sultan are of no avail to the one 
or the other, as they are secure of impunity from the weakness and 
avarice of the government. Under a Christian government like 
that of Russia, all these inconveniences will be done away, and 
travellers, whether commercial, literary, or scientific, will be at 
full freedom to explore every part of those regions which have 
long been interdicted ground to Europeans. 
Respecting Persia a similar fate to that of Turkey is awaiting 
her. The people and government, if some travellers may be 
credited, are if possible worse than those of Turkey ; and I would 
desire the reader of this, to consult Frazer’s work, where he will 
find ample proof of both facts. The late contest has completely 
exposed the weakness and misrule of the Persian government. The 
boasted improvement of Abbas Mirza in the army, by means of 
English officers, have vanished into air, and it is now found that 
the Persians will no more learn military discipline than the Turks, 
and that all our efforts to teach them, and render them fit to resist 
the increasing encroachments of Russia, have been equally unavail- 
ing, and our subsidies have gone merely to increase the coffers of 
an old, avaricicus, mean-spirited prince. If at present Persia is 
no match for Russia, the case will soon be much worse, on the de- 
mise of the present worthless royal incumbent. A struggle for 
the carcase of a ruined monarchy amongst his numerous sons will 
take place, and that miserable region be again involved in all the 
horrors of a civil:war. It is the great source of the ruin of all ori- 
ental dynasties, that the rights of primogeniture are not known in 
