JOURNAL OF A TOUR IN THE PRINCIPALITIES, CRIMEA, AND COUNTRIES ADJACENT TO THE BLACK SEA IN THE YEARS 1835-36 BY LORD DE ROS LONDON JOHN W PARKER AND SON WEST STRAND 1855 203.b 1107 PREFACE. (ONSIDERABLE jealousy having arisen in this CON country, in the years 1834 and 1835, as to supposed designs of Russia against the Porte, and rumours having reached the Government of preparations for war in the neighbourhood of the Black Sea, it was determined by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to fathom the truth of these reports by sending two officers-one naval and the other military-to make a tour in those regions, personally to ascertain whether unusual preparations were perceivable in fortresses, military stations, ports, and arsenals. The consent of the Emperor himself was absolutely necessary for the attainment of these objects; and there was good ground for an application to the Emperor to this effect, because the British Government had recently, at his request, permitted a complete inspection of all our naval establishments and arsenals by a captain of the Russian navy. The Earl of Durham was at this time (July, 1835) leaving England in a frigate to visit Constantinople, and then to proceed by Odessa and Moscow to Petersburg, as our Ambassador. This appeared a favourable opportunity for the mission of these officers, who were to remain in his suite till he should reach Odessa, the seat of government of Count Woronzow, Viceroy of Southern Russia. They were then to receive from his Excellency any further instructions he might deem necessary after conference with Lord Ponsonby, the Ambassador at Constantinople. Captain Drinkwater and I were appointed for this service. He had already left England to meet Lord Durham at Constantinople, and I accompanied Lord Durham from England in the Barham. I did not fail to keep a regular journal of so interesting a voyage and journey, independent of official reports which I sent home from time to time. The manuscript lay for eighteen years in a drawer, nor would it now have seen the light but for the interest revived as to those countries by recent events. The reader will find it pretends to no merit beyond a faithful and plain narrative of the expedition. My companion was an officer of much general observation and talent in his own profession, and assisted me much, by comparing his notes with my own, during the most interesting parts of our journey. A JOURNAL, ETC. ETC. JULY 27th, 1835.—Sailed from Southampton in H.M.S. Barham, with a fair wind, our party consisting of Lord Durham, Hon. A. Kinnaird (Lord Durham's secretary), Right Hon. Edward Ellice, going out for pleasure, and myself. July 30th.-We got out of the Channel yesterday, and are now, twelve o'clock, half way across the Bay of Biscay, having had a fine north-east wind since yesterday, and going at eight or nine knots an hour, straight for Cape Finisterre, which is considered. to be rather more than two hundred miles from us. To-day I learnt from Lord Durham that we are to visit King Otho, at Athens, but that we are not to stop anywhere else, as the season is so late, and he is anxious to arrive at Petersburg before the approach of winter. Aug. 1st.-To-day we are off Oporto, but at the distance of one hundred miles out at sea, for fear of losing our wind, which continues steadily from north B |