ABSTRACT
The Anglo-French naval entente at the Straits was the chief result of the news of Menshikov's ultimatum diplomacy, and the Turks were now assured of defensive support. On the other hand, most Western leaders saw no reason to promote a war, if Russia could be induced to back down without one. Armed conflict against Russia in defence of Turkey might last a very long time with unforeseen effects. It could interrupt commerce, stimulate a fresh round of revolutionary outbreaks, and end up willy nilly by destroying Turkey in Europe and toppling the regimes that started the wars. Moreover, English conservatives and naval men had no desire to weaken Russia and strengthen Bonapartism. Palmerston argues that the Western powers and Turkey had nothing to fear from a war with Russia, that the Anglo-French fleets needed to be inside the Dardanelles if not at the Bosphorus, and that the Four Powers should convene in London to coordinate diplomacy.
