On Monday night the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the
vote of credit for six millions in the House of Commons. He made a long statement of the delays in the negotiations and the manifold conjectures and suspicions to which these delays gave rise ; declared that the Fleet was secretly ordered to the Dardanelles on account of the rapid Russian advance, and recalled on the news of the signature of the bases of peace, under the false impression, however (as on Monday, at least, he regarded it), that the question of the Straits would not be discussed between Russia and Turkey alone, but would be reserved for a European Conference ; explained the terms of peace, so far as he knew them, and pointed out how destructive they were for Turkey and how gravely they would alter the map of Europe ; repudiated warmly the idea of securing the European equilibrium at the expense of any territory which Russia might leave to Turkey ; and declared that the present Government must go into Conference with the full confidence of the country, or had better not go into Conference at all. He asked the vote of six millions as a mode of indicating this W Europe, as well as for the sake of making any preparations which the Government, in their discretion, might think right, to strengthen England for the possible emergencies of the European delibera- tions. The debate was adjourned, on the Marquis of Hartington's suggestion, to Thursday night.
