Sir Stafford Northcote gave in substance the same account, but
called the despatch a " protest," and stated that the Govern- ment, besides refusing to acknowledge that the cases were parallel, had denied that the entrance of the ships into the Sea of Marmora justified the contemplated action of Russia in occupying Constan- tinople. This is a different form of words from Lord Derby's, and implies that Great Britain would still "not regard with indiffer- ence " the entry of Russia into the Turkish capital, but we do not know that it means very much more. The British Government is certainly not indifferent to the fate of Constantinople, but it can secure its interests there in Conference, or by war, if Conference goes wrong, without rushing into hostilities because Russian soldiers have been sent there, just as English men-of-war have been—nomi- nally to protect their subjects, and really to protect the interests of their respective countries. It is to be noted that Sir S. Northcote did not, and Lord Derby did, express a strong hope that the difficulties in the way of the Conference would still be cleared away.
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