CHAPTER IX.
THE BALKAN SETTLEMENT New hopes should animate the world; new light Should dawn from new revealings to a race Weighed down so long, forgotten so long.
ROBERT BROWNING, _Paracelsus_.
The collapse of the Turkish defence in Roumelia inaugurated a time of great strain and stress in Anglo-Russian relations.

On December 13, 1877, that is, three days after the fall of Plevna, Lord Derby reminded the Russian Government of its promise of May 30, 1876, that the acquisition of Constantinople was excluded from the wishes and intentions of the Emperor Alexander II., and expressed the earnest hope that the Turkish capital would not be occupied, even for military purposes.

The reply of the Russian Chancellor (December 16) was reserved.

It claimed that Russia must have full right of action, which is the right of every belligerent, and closed with a request for a clearer definition of the British interests which would be endangered by such a step.

In his answer of January 13, 1878, the British Foreign Minister specified the occupation of the Dardanelles as an event that would endanger the good relations between England and Russia; whereupon Prince Gortchakoff, on January 16, 1878, gave the assurance that this step would not be taken unless British forces were landed at Gallipoli, or Turkish troops were concentrated there.
So far this was satisfactory; but other signs seemed to betoken a resolve on the part of Russia to gain time while her troops pressed on towards Constantinople.