Yesterday week the discussion as to the Vote of Credit
came on in Committee, and on that occasion a somewhat stronger minority opposed it than on the previous day, when the division was on the question whether the House should go into Committee or not In the interval, moreover, the true nature of the Armis- tice conditions had been made known, and the House had learned that the occupation of the Tchataldja lines was one of the conditions of the armistice, and that Russia had not occupied Constantinople itself. Hence the discussion on the principle of the vote was resumed with some animation, and gave Mr. Gladstone an opportunity, while delivering a most conciliatory speech in relation to Sir Stafford Northcote's state- ment of the wish of the Government to see the Christian provinces of Turkey well administered, to protest most eloquently against the policy of an affiance with Austria in relation to the liquidation of the Ottoman Empire, and to point out that Austria had steadily opposed the creation of independent States like Roumania, only because she held such creations dangerous to the stability of her own composite and heterogeneous empire. Ho urged on the Government the frank adoption of the principle that it would not consent in any way to curtail the liberty and independence which Russia and Turkey might consent to grant to the Christian Provinces of Turkey,—and to repel any Austrian overtures in that direction. On that understanding, he would gladly give any support he could to the Government during the negotiations of the Conference.
