provinces　of　Asia　Minor　would　have　proved　to　the　various　races　our
  positive　determination　to　uphold　their　rights；　and　to　defend　them　from
  the　oppression　and　extortion　to　which　they　had　been　subjected。　Such　a
  position　would　have　given　England　the　control　that　is　absolutely
  necessary　to　effect　the　reforms　in　the　administration　of　Asia　Minor；
  without　which　the　result　will　be　anarchy　and　revolution　within　a　few
  years；　fostered　by　Russia　precisely　in　accordance　with　the　policy　that
  has　terminated　in　the　disruption　of　Turkey　in　Europe。
  In　the　same　despatch　of　30th　May；　1878；　Lord　Salisbury　continues：
  〃Her　Majesty's　Government　intimated　to　the　Porte　on　the
  occasion　of　the　Conference　at　Constantinople　that　they
  were　not　prepared　to　sanction　misgovernment　and
  oppression；　and　it　will　be　requisite　before　they　can
  enter　into　any　agreement　for　the　defence　of　the　Asiatic
  territories　of　the　Porte　in　certain　eventualities；　that
  they　should　be　formally　assured　of　the　intention　of　the
  Porte　to　introduce　the　necessary　reforms　into　the
  government　of　the　Christian　and　other　subjects　of　the
  Porte　in　those　regions。　IT　IS　NOT　DESIRABLE　TO　REQUIRE
  MORE　THAN　AN　ENGAGEMENT　IN　GENERAL　TERMS；　FOR　THE
  SPECIFIC　MEASURES　TO　BE　TAKEN　COULD　ONLY　BE　DEFINED
  AFTER　A　MORE　CAREFUL　INQUIRY　AND　DELIBERATION　THAN
  COULD　BE　SECURED　AT　THE　PRESENT　JUNCTURE。〃
  The　italics　are　my　own；　for　the　weak　point　of　the　Convention　is
  exhibited　by　this　sentence。
  No　〃general　terms〃　should　ever　be　mentioned　in　a　communication　with
  Orientals；　and　no　convention　should　have　been　concluded　with　the　Porte；
  unless　every　detail　had　been　previously　considered　and　specially　agreed
  upon　between　the　contracting　parties。　When　this　Convention　was　made
  public；　I　concluded　that　the　British　government　contemplated　the
  official　employment　of　a　certain　number　of　their　own　officers　to　carry
  out　the　spirit　of　the　agreement；　without　which　the　Convention　would　be　a
  farce；　at　the　same　time　I　was　convinced　that　the　suspicions　of　the
  Turkish　government　and　the　stubborn　pride　of　the　race　would　resist　any
  such　direct　interference　upon　the　part　of　England。　Under　these
  conditions　Asia　Minor　would　remain　exactly　where　it　was。　A　grand　scheme
  which　would　have　had　immense　political　results；　had　the　Turks　accepted
  our　interference　in　the　honourable　spirit　of　our　intentions；　has　been
  frustrated　by　their　want　of　confidence；　and　the　Convention　remains；
  containing　an　agreement　of　stupendous　importance；　by　which　England　is
  committed　to　a　military　undertaking　of　the　first　magnitude；　while　Turkey
  risks　nothing　except　her　〃PROMISES　OF　REFORM　in　the　administration　of
  her　Asiatic　provinces。〃
  〃British　interests〃　in　this　transaction　are　represented　by　Cyprus；　which
  we　occupy　as　tenantspaying　96；000　pounds　a　year　for　the　ruined　house；
  and　leaving　ourselves　no　balance　from　the　revenue　for　the　necessary
  repairs。
  There　is　no　more　difficult　political　associate　than　the　Turk；　his
  defensive　weapon　is　delay；　and　in　moments　of　the　greatest　emergency　his
  peculiar　apathy　or　patience　never　forsakes　him。　Proud　and　haughty　to　a
  superlative　degree；　in　his　heart　he　detests　all　extraneous　counsel　and
  interference；　and　would　rather　glide　onward　to　destruction　than　grasp
  the　hand　stretched　out　to　save　him。　Turkey　has　expected　much　from
  England；　and　has　made　a　poor　return　for　our　sacrifice　of　blood　and
  treasure　during　the　Crimean　war。　She　obtained　an　ephemeral　financial
  reputation　through　the　aid　of　France　and　England　in　becoming　guarantees
  for　a　public　loan；　upon　this　false　position　she　traded　until　the
  inevitable　bankruptcy　plunged　her　into　ruin；　and　opened　the　gate　for　the
  entrance　of　her　enemies；　at　the　same　time　that　dishonesty　entailed　the
  severance　of　friends。　England　has　from　mutual　interests　endeavoured　to
  preserve　her　from　absolute　dissolution；　and　the　Protectorate　of　Asia
  Minor　was　a　step　of　political　audacity　in　her　favour　that　surprised　the
  world。　This　extraordinary　offer　of　material　aid　has　been　met　by　the　same
  want　of　confidence　that　has　marked　the　decline　of　the　Turkish　Empire；
  the　only　extra　interference　in　Asia　Minor　has　been　the　appointment　of　a
  few　additional　British　consuls。　These　gentlemen　will　report　long　lists
  of　abuses；　and　the　general　mal…administration　of　the　Turkish　officials；
  they　will　be　hated　accordingly；　and　being　absolutely　powerless　for　good；
  they　will　simply　keep　the　Foreign　Office　informed　of　what　was　thoroughly
  well　known　before。　Remonstrances　upon　our　part　will　be　made　to　the
  Porte；　who　will　deny　the　accuracy　of　the　consular　reports；　and
  ultimately　a　special　commission　will　be　sent　out；　which　will　prove　their
  correctness；　the　Porte　will　again　promise　amendment；　but　will　not
  sanction　the　appointment　of　British　officials。　In　this　old…fashioned
  course；　so　thoroughly　understood　by　all　who　have　any　knowledge　of
  Turkey；　the　affairs　of　Asia　Minor　will　be　conducted；　until　revolution
  shall　bring　Russia　upon　the　scene　at　the　most　favourable　opportunity；
  and　England；　who　has　been　thwarted　by　the　Power　she　has　endeavoured　to
  save；　will；　by　the　terms　of　the　Convention；　be　compelled　to　appear　in
  arms　as　the　defender　of　the　remnant　of　the　Turkish　Empire。
  Common　sense　would　suggest　the　absolute　necessity　of　special　and　clearly
  defined　conditions　in　concluding　an　alliance　with　Turkey　which　may　at
  any　moment　demand　our　military　interference。　If　we　are　bound　to　assist
  by　force　of　arms　in　the　defence　of　Asia　Minor；　it　is　equally　necessary
  that　Turkey　should　be　bound　to　qualify　herself　for　resistance　to　an
  attack　from　Russia。　It　should　have　been　distinctly　agreed　that　Turkey
  should　raise　a　territorial　army　of　an　estimated　strength　for　the
  protection　of　Asia　Minor；　and　that　a　certain　number　of　British　officers
  should　hold　important　commands；　to　ensure　the　regular　payment　of　the
  troops　and　to　maintain　the　necessary　discipline。　Had　such　conditions
  been　defined；　and　the　civil　courts　been　placed　under　the　supervision　of
  British　officials；　the　Protectorate　of　Asia　Minor　would　have　become　a
  practical　combination　that　would　have　been　an　effectual　check　to　Russian
  encroachments；　but　as　the　affair　now　stands；　the　alliance　is　fraught
  with　extreme　danger　to　ourselves。　I　cannot　conceive　the　possibility　of　a
  credulity　that　would　induce　experienced　statesmen　to　believe　in　the
  assurances　given　either　by　Turkey　or　by　Russia。　The　history　of　the　past
  is　sufficient　to　prove　the　utter　fallacy　of　assertions；　promises；　and
  treaties；　Turkey　will　persist　in　mal…administration；　Russia；　who　is　now
  marching　upon　Merv　in　spite　of　former　assurances；　as　she　advanced　on
  Khiva　under　similar　pretexts；　will　at　the　moment　of　her　own　selection
  assuredly　break　through　her　boundaries　in　Asia　Minor。　The　position　of
  England　will　be　contemptible。　We　have　thrown　down　the　gauntlet　to　Russia
  by　an　ostentatious　alliance　with　Turkey；　but　we　hesitate　to　insist　upon
  the　overwhelming　necessity　of　British　official　and　military　officers
  to　organise　the　civil　administration　and　an　army　of　defence；　thus；　when
  the　sudden　emergency　shall　arise；　Turkey　will　be　totally　unprepared；　the
  various　races　that　comprise　her　Asiatic　dominions　will　already　have　been
  poisoned　by　intrigue；　and　the　only　defence　that　can　be　offered　to　a
  Russian　advance　will　be　afforded　by　Turkish　neglect；　which　has　left　the
  country　devoid　of　roads。
  Under　these　inevitable　circumstances；　England　will　probably　accuse
  Turkey　of　neglecting　to　fulfil　the　conditions　of　the　defensive　alliance；
  and　the　〃back…door〃　will　offer　a　convenient　exit　from　the　difficulty；
  in　which　case；　Turkey　will　be　compelled　to　make　terms　with　Russia　that
  will　probably　terminate　in　a　Russo…Turkish　alliance　AGAINST　England；　who
  will　be　accused　of　having　treacherously　deserted　her　after　breaking　a
  solemn　engagementand　obtaining　Cyprus。
  This　may　be　a　gloomy　prospect；　but　it　is　not　one　shade　darker　than　the
  reality　of　the　position；　unless　the　Porte　will　sanction　the　assistance
  of　a　British　administration　that　would　entirely　change　the　political
  aspect。　A　reform　of　administration　in　Asia　Minor　to　be　effective；　should
  be　based　upon　the　judicial　system　pursued　by　the　English　in　the　courts
  of　Cypruswhere　the　Turkish　laws　remain　undisturbed；　but　they　are
  administered　under　the　supervision　of　specially　appointed　officers。　For
  the　most　part　Turkish　laws　are　based　upon　pure　equity；　and　leave　little
  to　be　desired　beyond　their　faithful　execution。　The　oppression　and
  extortion　prevalent　throughout　the　Turkish　dominions　are　directly
  contrary　to　the　laws；　and　are　the　result　of　personal　tyranny　on　the　part
  of　the　authorities。
  In　the　event　of　a　rupture　with　our　ally　that　would　result　in　a
  Russo…Turkish　combination；　Cyprus　would　exhibit　its　importance　as　a
  strategical　position　that　would　entirely　command　the　coasts　of　Syria　and
  the　approach　to　Egypt。　As　I　have　already　stated；　the　value　of　the　island
  is　conditional　upon　the　permanence　of　the　Turkish　alliance；　should
  Turkey　and　England　remain　friends　and　allies；　Cyprus　is　quite
  unnecessary　as　a　British　military　station；　but　our　possession　will
  probably　ENTAIL　THE　ABSOLUTE　NECESSITY　OF　TURKISH　GOOD　FAITH；　as　the
  restored　arsena