The tone adopted by Russian agents in Bulgaria is perhaps
best exhibited in a letter from M. Nekliudoff, Consul at Sofia, and supposed to be made rather more polite by his instructions, as well as his temperament, than General Kaulbars. The Government of Sofia having good reason to expect foreign interference in the elections, issued a circular to all foreign agents, requesting them to warn their countrymen that such interference would be punished by expulsion. The other Consuls only recorded the circular ; but M. Nek- lindoff sent it back with this commentary :—" I return you the circular, and consider it my duty to inform you that the Russian Agency will know how to defend the Russian sub- jects under its protection against any attempt on the part of the Administration, as also that Russian subjects have known how to keep themselves within legal bounds. I have the honour to inform you that until I receive instructions from General Kaulbars, all correspondence between the Government and the Russian Agency is suspended." It is of a piece with this proceeding that the Consul was compelled two days after to resume correspondence with the Government. He had broken off diplomatic relations out of his own head.
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