“And so the despatch was sent off, formally bringing the correspondence to a close, and concluding with the grandiose announcement that, in the opinion of the British Government, Russia had forfeited the title to Poland which she had acquired by the Treaty of Vienna. But even this modest attempt to escape from disgrace was not destined to succeed. When the despatch reached St. Petersburg, it was shown to Prince Gortchakoff before being formally presented. ‘You had better not present this concluding sentence to me,’ is reported to have been the Prince’s brief but significant observation. The hint was taken, the despatch was sent back to England and submitted anew to the Foreign Secretary. Doubtless with disgust, but bowing to his inexorable destiny, he executed this new act of self-abasement. The offending sentence was erased by its author with the resolution of a Christian martyr. In this form it was sent back to Russia; and it still bears, as published to the world, in the bald mutilation of the paragraph with which it concludes and in the confusion of its dates, the marks of its enforced and reluctant revision.” The confusion of the dates is very significant. The despatch was originally dated in September and refers to the despatch of August 11th, as _of the 11th ultimo_. As accepted by the Prince it was dated _in October_, but still refers to the August despatch as _of the 11th ultimo_. The humiliation of England was complete. We had threatened and we had not performed. We had encouraged the Poles to believe that they might count upon our protection, and when we found that something more than brave words would be needed, we deserted them. That was the view taken abroad of Lord Russell’s policy. It was treated with derision and contempt. In Russia there was at that time a very strong feeling of friendliness towards the English. But it was a social friendship, not a political appreciation, and I believe that was largely, perhaps one might say entirely, due to the great personal charm and popularity of Lord and Lady Napier. As a power to be reckoned with we had ceased to exist. I remember upon one occasion my old friend, the Marquis de Montebello, who was afterwards French Ambassador at St. Petersburg (as his father had been before him) saying, “Autrefois lorsqu’il s’agissait d’une guerre en Europe on vous consultait. Aujourd’hui on vous dit—zut!” My answer to him was, “Don’t be too sure—Lord Russell is not England.” * * * * *