I make it one of my charges against the foreign policy of Her Majesty’s Government, that, while they have completely estranged from this country—­let us not conceal the fact—­the feelings of a nation of eighty millions, for that is the number of the subjects of the Russian Empire—­while they have contrived completely to estrange the feelings of that nation, they have aggrandized the power of Russia.  They have aggrandized the power of Russia in two ways, which I will state with perfect distinctness.  They have augmented her territory.  Before the European Powers met at Berlin, Lord Salisbury met with Count Schouvaloff, and Lord Salisbury agreed that, unless he could convince Russia by his arguments in the open Congress of Berlin, he would support the restoration to the despotic power of Russia of that country north of the Danube which at the moment constituted a portion of the free State of Roumania.  Why, gentlemen, what had been done by the Liberal Government, which, forsooth, attended to nothing but pounds, shillings, and pence?  The Liberal Government had driven Russia back from the Danube.  Russia, which was a Danubian Power before the Crimean War, lost this position on the Danube by the Crimean War; and the Tory Government, which has been incensing and inflaming you against Russia, yet nevertheless, by binding itself beforehand to support, when the judgement was taken, the restoration of that country to Russia, has aggrandized the power of Russia.

It further aggrandized the power of Russia in Armenia; but I would not dwell upon that matter if it were not for a very strange circumstance.  You know that an Armenian province was given to Russia after the war, but about that I own to you I have very much less feeling of objection.  I have objected from the first, vehemently, and in every form, to the granting of territory on the Danube to Russia, and carrying back the population of a certain country from a free State to a despotic State; but with regard to the transfer of a certain portion of the Armenian people from the government of Turkey to the government of Russia, I must own that I contemplate that transfer with much greater equanimity.  I have no fear myself of the territorial extensions of Russia in Asia, no fear of them whatever.  I think the fears are no better than old women’s fears.  And I don’t wish to encourage her aggressive tendencies in Asia, or anywhere else.  But I admit it may be, and probably is, the case that there is some benefit attending the transfer of a portion of Armenia from Turkey to Russia.

But here is a very strange fact.  You know that that portion of Armenia includes the port of Batoum.  Lord Salisbury has lately stated to the country, that, by the Treaty of Berlin, the port of Batoum is to be only a commercial port.  If the Treaty of Berlin stated that it was to be only a commercial port, which, of course, could not be made an arsenal, that fact would be very important.  But happily, gentlemen,