Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 60.djvu/201

 Wellesley He even tendered his resignation, but did not insist on it.

In his own department Wellington had taken two steps of importance: he had brought about the transfer of the charge of barracks and stores from the treasury to the ordnance, and he had started the ordnance survey of Ireland (Desp. 1 June 1821, 17 Feb. 1824). His health at this time caused anxiety; he 'looked extremely ill, withering and drying up' (, i. 266). In 1822 he had had an operation to improve the hearing of the left ear, with the result that be became permanently deaf on that side, and was never quite well afterwards (, iii. 188;, ii. 403).

Ill-health notwithstanding, he went to St. Petersburg in 1826 as bearer of the king's congratulations to the Emperor Nicholas on his accession. Russia was believed to be on the verge of war with Turkey on behalf of the Greeks, when Alexander died; and Wellington's real mission was to ascertain the views of the new emperor, and induce him 'to forgo, or at least suspend, an appeal to arms.' He was to propose that England should offer to mediate between the Greeks and Turks, either alone or jointly with Russia; and to mention that the Turks had been warned that the barbarous scheme of expatriation attributed to Ibrahim Pacha would not be tolerated (Desp. 10 Feb.) He reached St. Petersburg on 2 March, and remained there till 6 April. In his conversations with the emperor he found him disinclined to interfere with the Porte in favour of 'rebellious subjects,' but bent on satisfaction for grievances of his own, while disclaiming all thought of aggrandisement (Desp. 5 and 16 March, and 4 April). He would not be dissuaded from sending an ultimatum to Constantinople, but he extended the term for compliance. The Russian minister, Nesselrode, showed more interest in the Greek question, and at his instance a protocol was drawn up on 4 April by which the two powers agreed to recommend the formation of a self-governing but tributary Greek state, if the Porte accepted the offer of mediation. If that offer were declined, and war should occur between Russia and Turkey, any settlement of the Greek question was to be on this footing. The other powers were to be invited to join in the recommendation.

The Porte yielded to the Russian demands, and in August the Russian government inquired what action England had taken, or proposed to take, under the Greek protocol. Canning and Wellington were here at cross-purposes. The object of the latter was to preserve peace, or at any rate restrain Russia, while Canning was eager to do something for the Greeks. He had been ill-pleased with the results of Wellington's mission, and had sent a rather captious criticism in a despatch which was afterwards cancelled (Desp. 11 and 20 April). He now carried the government a step further towards intervention by proposing that the settlement agreed upon should be pressed upon the Porte by all the powers, and, if it were not accepted, they should recall their ministers, and should recognise the independence of that part of Greece which had freed itself from Turkish dominion (Desp. 4 Sept.) Prussia and Austria declined to join in this course; but France associated itself with Russia and England, and suggested that the protocol should be replaced by a treaty, with a secret article providing for armed interference. Wellington strongly objected to this as long as he remained in office, but it was afterwards concluded in July (Desp. 20 March and 6 July 1827). It led to Navarino (20 Oct.), which was spoken of as an 'untoward event' by Wellington in the king's speech at the beginning of 1828, and which he afterwards said was 'fought by our admiral under false pretences' (Desp. 15 Aug. 1830).

It was with Wellington's full concurrence that five thousand men were sent to Lisbon in December 1826 to assist in repelling the incursions made from Spain in the interest ot Dom Miguel. He had in fact recommended it three years before, when the French troops were in Spain (Desp. 3 Aug. 1823, 13 Dec. 1826; Speeches, 12 Dec. 1827). But while he held that England should fulfil her treaty obligation to defend Portugal against invasion, he was steadily opposed to any interference in her internal disputes. He refused to leave the British troops at Lisbon when there was no longer danger from outside, and after Miguel's usurpation Wellington would not allow England to be used as a base for attacks on him (Desp. 26 Dec. 1828; Speeches, 19 June 1828, &c.;, i. 179).

On 28 Dec. he was made constable of the Tower, and resigned the governorship of Plymouth, which had been given to him on 9 Dec. 1819. The Duke of York died on 5 Jan. 1827, and the king, when he found that he could not take the command of the army himself, offered it to Wellington. He was appointed commander-in-chief on 22 Jan., remaining master-general of the ordnance. He was made colonel of the grenadier guards, instead of the horse guards, but continued to be colonel-in-chief of the rifle brigade, a post