Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 6.djvu/321

A.D.1807.]

and general Andreossi, to destroy the English influence, and to engage the sultan in war with Russia, so as to act as a most effectual diversion of the Russian forces, whilst he himself was engaged with the czar in the north. The French agents had completely succeeded in their plans against Russia. The sultan assumed an attitude which compelled Alexander to keep a strong army on the Lower Dan beDanube [sic], thus weakening his force against Napoleon, and distracting his attention. There appeared every probability that the English influence would be equally swamped in Turkey by the French, and it was determined to send a naval squadron to Constantinople to overawe the sultan Selim, and to compel the removal of the French intriguants. Had this expedition been committed to such a man as Sir Sidney Smith, there is little doubt but that it would have been entirely successful; but it was altogether most miserable