Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/195

 BETWEEN THE CZAR AND THE SULTAN. 153 eign Prince, as to carry with it a virtual sover- chap. eignty over ten or fourteen millions of laymen. XL All this had been seen by Lord Stratford and Thenegotia- by the Turkish Ministers ; and when Prince Ment- followed ti.« schikoff pressed the treaty upon Rifaat Pasha he was startled, as it would seem, by the calmness and the full knowledge which he encountered. ' The treaty,' said Rifaat Pasha, ' would be giving ' to Russia an exclusive protectorate over the ' whole Greek population, their clergy, and their The Prince, it would seem, now began to know that he had to do with the English Ambassador, for he made the alteration before adverted to in the draft of his treaty, and on the 20th of April read it in its amended shape to Lord Stratford, and assured him that it was only an explana- tory guarantee of existing treaties, giving to the co-religionists of Russia what Austria already possessed with regard to hers. Lord Stratford on that day had approached to within forty-eight hours of the settlement of the question of the Holy Places, which he deemed it so vital to achieve ; and it may be easily imagined that, in the remarks which he might make upon hearing the draft read, lie would abstain with great care from irritating discussion, and would not utter a word more than was necessary for the purpose of fairly indicating that his postponement of discussion on the sub- ject of the ulterior demands was not to be mis- taken for acquiescence ; but all that for that pur-
 * Churches.'*
 * 'Eastern Tapers,' part i. p. 153.