Note 77 — PART II. THE EASTERN QUESTION.

“Sir H. Elliot was directed to give a ‘general support’ to the Andrassy Note. It will be seen that in the mode of giving this ‘general support’ to the action of the European Powers, Her Majesty’s Government here contrived to reduce the value of it to the lowest possible amount, and expressly to negative the significance of it.... But more than this—it is distinctly implied that any such meaning, if it were entertained, would be a violation of the Ninth Article of the Treaty of Paris. The Turks were thus encouraged to claim under that treaty a licence and immunity which it never was intended to afford. It is evident, therefore, that the British Cabinet only joined the other Powers, first, because it was impossible to deny the justice of the demand made on Turkey; secondly, because it would be inconvenient to stand alone against the united opinion of all the other Cabinets of Europe; thirdly, because Turkey herself saw some advantage in accepting the communication” (Ibid. vol. i. p. 166).