Important and urgent news from Constantinople then forced the Prince to bring his tour to an end, and Cotroceni, near Bucharest, was reached on September 7, after some 920 miles had been traversed in seventeen days by means of about 3000 post-horses. The result of the journey was altogether favourable, for not only had the Prince gained a clearer insight into the affairs of Moldavia, but the Separatist faction had been considerably weakened by the intercourse of Prince Charles with the leading men of the Principality. The following day the Prince received the English and French Consuls, who came to advocate compliance with the demands of the Sublime Porte, which, though couched in far more moderate language, still contained the disputed clauses of the former project. The Ministry thereupon decided to send Ministers Stirbey and Sturdza to Constantinople to negotiate better terms for Roumania. The Prince received a letter from his father on September 14, 1866, containing the following significant paragraph: "The political horizon is still very overcast; a war with France is unavoidable, although it will not take place this year. The 'chauvinism' of the French Press is colossal, and the Emperor, who is personally inclined for peace, will probably have to give way to the pressure!..." The news from Constantinople now became more favourable, as both General Ignatieff and the Marquis de Moustier brought pressure to bear on Ali Pacha in favour of Roumania. Moreover, the condition of Crete, where an insurrection had broken out, aided and instigated by Greece, was in itself a reason why the Porte should come to a definite settlement with Roumania. Negotiations, however, suffered further delays owing to the departure of the Marquis de Moustier and the renewal of impossible demands by Ali Pacha, who was now supported by England and France. The last named believed that Prussian influence caused the Prince's reluctance to comply with the Emperor Napoleon's advice and proceed to Constantinople before receiving recognition by means of a firman, and the relations of Roumania to France became consequently cooler. The whole affair turned upon the words, "_partie intégrale de mon Empire_," which the Roumanian Ministry refused at first to accept, but now sought to modify by the addition of "_dans les limites fixées par les capitulations et le Traité de Paris_." This addition was at last agreed to by Ali Pacha, and the long struggle ended on October 20. An exchange of letters, as recommended by the French Ambassador, then took place between the Grand Vizier and Prince Charles, who announced his intention of proceeding to Constantinople to receive the firman from the hands of the Sultan.