Make France Great Again

March 30, 1853, British Embassy in the Ottoman Empire.

"Your Excellency Ross, now the Ottoman Empire needs the support of you and the British Kingdom behind you! If you are not willing to support us, then which country in Europe can make the decision for the Ottoman Empire!"

On this day, the former Ottoman Empire Foreign Minister Fouad Efendi came to the British Embassy in the Ottoman Empire to discuss countermeasures with the British Charge d'Affaires, Colonel Ross, as he had done a few days ago. During the deliberations, Fuad Effendi conveyed the current situation of the Ottoman cabinet to Chargé plenipotentiary Ross "in tears".

"Prime Minister Muhammad Ali has planned to move closer to the Russian Empire. All cabinet members who are close to Britain and France will be kicked out by Prime Minister Ali, and then replaced with ministers close to the Russian Empire..."

Colonel Ross, the acting military attaché sitting on one side of the sofa, listened to Fouad Effendi's description without saying a word, and couldn't help but weigh the current situation of the Ottoman Empire repeatedly in his heart.

Since Canning, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, left the Ottoman Empire and returned to Britain to report on his duties on December 18, 1852, all British affairs in the Ottoman Empire were fully entrusted to the acting military attaché, Colonel Ross.

Three months passed in a flash, and Colonel Ross also served as Charge d'Affaires for three months.

During his time as Charge d'Affaires part-time, Colonel Ross fulfilled his duties by sending the latest news from the Ottoman Empire via telegraph to London, thousands of miles away, and making insinuations about the selection of the new British Ambassador.

However, the British Center, thousands of miles away, never responded to the message he had sent in a reasonable manner, and it also did not send a new British ambassador.

This made Colonel Ross passive to a certain extent. Although the charge d'affaires he served as had the power to cooperate with the special envoy in handling diplomatic affairs and to make decisions on his behalf during the envoy's absence, he always lacked the most important one of the special envoys. This power is the right to dispatch the Mediterranean fleet for support.

This power was specially approved by the cabinet during Canning's tenure as ambassador in order to prevent delays in information from damaging British interests in the Ottoman Empire.

From an administrative point of view, the commander of the British fleet in the Mediterranean must obey Canning's orders unconditionally.

After Canning left the Ottoman Empire and returned to Britain, the position of ambassador became vacant, and the right to dispatch the Mediterranean fleet for support was naturally taken back by the British cabinet.

As a colonel, Ross has no authority to dictate to the vice-admiral commander of the Mediterranean Fleet in terms of administrative system or military rank.

No matter how much Colonel Ross hoped in his heart that Britain could intervene as soon as possible, he had no right to order the fleet to defend the Dardanelles Strait.

Colonel Ross, who was unable to force the Mediterranean Fleet to support, could only choose to weigh it repeatedly before deciding whether to go to the Mediterranean Fleet headquarters in Malta to state his interests to Sir James Dundas in person, and then obtain the support of Sir James Dundas before taking action.

"Is your Prime Minister really going to succumb to Menshikov? To the Russian Empire?" Colonel Ross asked the former Foreign Minister Fouad Effendi in front of him. He emphasized again: "Excuse me! If you If your government surrenders to the Russian Empire, then you are likely to completely lose the most important thing as a country-sovereignty!"

"Mr. Ross, the Ottoman Empire has no possibility of defeating the Russian Empire! Rather than letting us face the humiliation of defeat, it is better to agree to the Russian Empire's conditions in advance! Let the empire suffer less humiliation and retain some vitality!" Fuad .Edifen spread his hands and said helplessly.

"Aren't you worried that the lion of the Russian Empire will take Constantinople as its own?" Colonel Ross frowned slightly and asked urgently.

For Colonel Ross, the issue of the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire is no longer just a problem for the Ottoman Empire itself, but a problem for the entire Europe.

Once Constantinople is occupied by Russia, the door to the Mediterranean will be open to the Russian Empire. The 1841 "London Straits Convention" will become a dead letter. The small Mediterranean has occupied the first and second navies in Europe. There is no room for a third naval power. After the Russian Empire enters the Mediterranean, the entire Mediterranean will inevitably face the risk of destroying the balance of power.

The Ottoman Empire was Britain's shackles that restricted the Russian Empire's fleet from entering the Mediterranean. This is why Colonel Ross seemed more eager than Fouad.

"The Ottoman Empire is no longer able to resist the invasion of the Russian Empire alone!" Fouad still made a show-off attitude and said to Colonel Ross: "The Balkans are full of voices against the Ottoman Empire now, and it is like a powder keg. As long as there is a spark to ignite, an explosion will immediately occur and the Ottoman Empire sitting on the powder keg will be blown to pieces!"

"You still want to evacuate the Balkans!!! No! No! Absolutely not! You can't do this!" At this time, Colonel Ross became even more unable to sit still, and he said to Fouad in a commanding tone.

Once the Ottoman Empire completely abandons the Balkans and Constantinople, it will inevitably leave a power vacuum in this region.

By then, Nicholas I, as the Tsar, only needs to eat hot pot, sing songs, and lead his army to fill the power vacuum left by the Ottoman Empire. Then the Russian Empire will be able to extend its bear paws to the Mediterranean from all directions, and Greece will also Will completely fall to the Russian Empire.

Britain's hegemony in the Mediterranean will also be shaken. After all, Constantinople is closer to Cairo than Malta.

"Your Excellency Ross, what I said are things that may happen under the most extreme request! I believe that Menshikov will not be too harsh on the Ottoman Empire!" Fouad responded lightly, "I know that hope will It is unreasonable to rely on the mercy of the enemy, but now the Ottoman Empire has no way to avoid humiliation."

"Where is France?" Colonel Ross asked Fouad word by word: "You should not only seek help from the British family!"

"You are right! We did ask France for help!" Fouad nodded and admitted: "The French envoy told me that their fleet needs to be prepared for a long time! The Ottoman Empire is likely to make some Irrational choice!”

Cunning Frenchman!

Colonel Ross cursed fiercely in his heart. He understood that the French were testing their attitude towards the Ottoman Empire.

However, Colonel Ross did not know that the information he got from Fouad had certain deviations from the real information, and the information obtained by Russia also had a large number of deviations from the real news.

Under the premise of information error, the conclusion obtained must be far from the true conclusion.

Just like Menshikov believed that the French Empire would not hesitate to fight for the Ottoman Empire, Colonel Ross came to the conclusion that France should keep pace with Britain, or make a choice after Britain.

However, the real situation is: France immediately launched an attack on the Russian Empire after fully preparing everything. By that time, the British Kingdom will inevitably be involved in the war.

Of course, if Ross and Menshikov could stop focusing on the Near East and turn their attention to the interior of the French Empire, they could easily guess the French Empire's war intentions.

Or, if Colonel Ross and Prince Menshikov can exchange information with each other, they can also come to a completely different true conclusion.

However, no one is paying attention to the movements of the French Empire now.

How can it be possible for Britain and Russia to communicate openly and honestly!

Two countries in a quasi-hostile state will only think that the other side is intentionally leading them into misunderstandings, and they are only willing to believe in the intelligence they have "learned".

This was also the reason Fuad dared to use means to deceive Britain.

Fouad's tactical fraud was obviously successful. Colonel Ross immediately assured the Ottoman Empire that he would do his best to persuade the Mediterranean Fleet to provide the Ottoman Empire with the help it could and maintain the relationship between Britain and the Ottoman Empire established during the reign of Ambassador Canning.

"I hope Sir Ross won't keep us waiting too long, otherwise I really don't know how much pressure the Prime Minister can withstand!" Fouad said to Colonel Ross.

On March 31, Colonel Ross, the British Charge d'Affaires in the Ottoman Empire, left Constantinople on a steam clipper and arrived in Malta, the headquarters of the Mediterranean Fleet, on the evening of the fifth day.

In Malta, Colonel Ross met with Vice Admiral James Dundas, who was in charge of commanding the Mediterranean Fleet.

Colonel Ross, who had just met, said straight to the point: "Your Majesty, Lieutenant General, I hope your fleet can send a squadron to the Urda sea area near Izmir!"

"I'm very sorry! The Mediterranean Fleet cannot act without authorization before receiving orders from the cabinet or Ambassador Canning!" Sir James Dundas was not as reasonable as Colonel Ross imagined. On the contrary, he was Some foods remain unchanged.

"Your Excellency, the Ottoman Empire needs our help! The Russian Imperial Fleet is gathering in the Black Sea, and their troops are also making final preparations in the Principality of Wallachia! If we do not take action, Britain's interests in the Ottoman Empire will be lost. Do it! Isn’t the purpose of the Mediterranean Fleet’s existence to protect Britain’s interests in the Mediterranean?” Colonel Ross tried to make James Dundas understand the importance of protecting the Ottoman Empire.

"It's a pity! Colonel Ross, although what you said makes sense, I cannot implement it! The Mediterranean Fleet can only take action after receiving accurate orders from Ambassador Canning and the cabinet!"

James Dundas still rejected Rose's suggestion.

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