The sudden death of Count Mouravieff, while still only fifty-
five, which occurred at St. Petersburg on the morning of the 21st inst., removes a great obstacle to cordiality between Great Britain and Russia. A patriot in his own way, the Count had contracted in his diplomatic career a strong dis- like of British diplomatists, and a fixed belief that the interests of the two countries were inherently opposed. He delighted, therefore, in outwitting us, and during the time of our African disasters sounded all the Courts of Europe with a view to forming a coalition for intervention. His proposals, which were purely tentative, as he cannot have had his master's full support, were declined, but there was a moment when his suspected action caused mach anxiety in this country. As regards China he had a straighter policy to pursue, and he pursued it ; but he could never have been a cordial ally, or have abandoned the double hope of benefiting Russia, which was his duty, and tripping up England, which was not. He was an able man, and we have no doubt sin- cerely devoted to Russia, but he was so incurably ruse that he often raised suspicions of his master's designs for which there was no ground.
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