But it seemed to us the time had come when we ought to consider whether certain efforts should not be made to put an end to these perpetually recurring wars between the Porte and Russia, ending, it may be, sometimes apparently in comparatively insignificant results; but always terminating with one fatal consequence—­namely, shaking to the centre the influence and the prestige of the Porte in Asia and diminishing its means of profitably and advantageously governing that country.  My Lords, it seemed to us that as we had now taken, and as Europe generally had taken, so avowedly deep an interest in the welfare of the subjects of the Porte in Europe, the time had come when we ought to consider whether we could not do something which would improve the general condition of the dominions of the Sultan in Asia; and, instead of these most favoured portions of the globe every year being in a more forlorn and disadvantageous position, whether it would not be possible to take some steps which would secure at least tranquillity and order; and, when tranquillity and order were secured, whether some opportunity might not be given to Europe to develop the resources of a country which Nature has made so rich and teeming.  My Lords, we occupy with respect to this part of the world a peculiar position, which is shared by no other Power.  Our Indian Empire is on every occasion on which these discussions occur, or these troubles occur, or these settlements occur—­our Indian Empire is to England a source of grave anxiety, and the time appeared to have arrived when, if possible, we should terminate that anxiety.  In all the questions connected with European Turkey we had the assistance and sympathy sometimes of all, and often of many, of the European Powers—­because they were interested in the question who should possess Constantinople, and who should have the command of the Danube and the freedom of the Mediterranean.  But when we came to considerations connected with our Oriental Empire itself, they naturally are not so generally interested as they are in those which relate to the European portion of the Dominions of the Porte, and we have to look to our own resources alone.  There has been no want, on our part, of invitations to neutral Powers to join with us in preventing or in arresting war.  Besides the great Treaty of Paris, there was the Tripartite Treaty, which, if acted upon, would have prevented war.  But that treaty could not be acted upon, from the unwillingness of the parties to it to act; and therefore we must clearly perceive that if anything could be effectually arranged, as far as our Oriental Empire is concerned, the arrangements must be made by ourselves.  Now, this was the origin of that Convention at Constantinople which is on your Lordship’s table, and in that Convention our object was not merely a military or chiefly a military object.  Our object was to place this country certainly in a position in which its advice and in which its conduct might at least have the advantage of being