Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/152

 110 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1S53 CHAP, said the Grand Vizier, 'that the object of his VIL ' (Prince Mentschikoffs) mission is to make a ' secret treaty of alliance with us. He has not ' demanded it officially, but he has told some ' persons in his confidence, who (he knows) are in ' communication with us, that we do wrong to ' rely on the English and French Governments, ' for experience should at length have proved to 1 us that we have lost much and gained nothing ' by following their policy and advice. Py this • language he seeks to gain their support, and to ' insure their concurrence in the work of the ' secret treaty which he is seeking to conclude. ' His policy is most confused. At one time he ' would attract us to Russia by mildness, spreading ' abroad a report that the intentions of his Govern- ' ment are pacific. At another time he seeks to ' gain us over by pointing out the disadvantages ' and inutility of our reliance upon England and ' France, and how wrong we are in following the ' advice of those two Towers, to whom we ought ' not to be attached, especially if we consider that • the nature of their Constitution differs from that ' of ours, which, on the contrary, resembles that ' of Russia and Austria. Prince Mentschikoff ' had a conference with Pifaat Pasha two days ' a He told him that before communicating ' to the Sublime Poite the nature of his mission • and the demands of his Government, and before ' giving any explanation, he required from Pifaat ' Pasha the formal promise of the Porte, that it ' would not communicate to the representative