These were the first consequences of the disaster at Chisemé; and every day brought on others still more distressing to the Porte.
The Russian fleet, now unopposed, was enabled to attack every part of the Turkish coast in the Adriatic, the Archipelago, and the Mediterranean; and, although the troops they had on board were but few, yet, from the facility with which they were transported from place to place, the Turks were obliged to detach a very large part of their grand army to oppose their different attacks.
But this was not all. Many of the soldiers employed to the north, were volunteers from the southern provinces, who, hearing that their own homes were attacked, deserted in large corps. These desertions, and the detachments sent to the south, weakened and discouraged the northern army so much, that the Russians gained repeated victories, and at last compelled the Porte to sue for peace.
The Treaty of Cainardgie was highly humiliating in itself, and was rendered still more so by the haughty manner of the Russians, which seemed entirely calculated to provoke the Turks to hostilities, in which they have at last succeeded.
Monsieur Bulgakow, the Russian Envoy, who had been sent for by the Empress, to assist at the conferences between her Majesty and the Emperor of Germany, and probably to give the Confederate Powers information of the disposition, and the measures most likely to be pursued by the Porte, had no sooner returned to Constantinople, than the Turkish Ministry, convinced of the oppressive and aspiring views of the Court of Petersburgh, made the Envoy a formal representation of the many causes of complaint his Court had given to the Porte.
This representation was followed by a second; but the Envoy, in conformity, I suppose, to the plan agreed upon at Cherson, gave no manner of satisfaction, and the hostile views of his Court becoming every day more notorious, the Porte summoned him to a conference on the 16th of August, and there demanded a categorical explanation of the intentions of the Empress towards the Turks.
M. Bulgakow's answers appearing vague and unsatisfactory, the Divan determined to have recourse to arms, and in conformity to the Turkish custom on such occasions, the Envoy, with part of his suite and attendants, were sent to the Seven Towers, where, though state prisoners, they have every indulgence but liberty. And such is the pacific disposition of the Sultan, that he declares his only motive in going to war, is to inforce the conditions imposed by the Treaty of Cainardgie--a treaty, which, though the most disadvantageous the Turks ever signed, he declares himself still ready to renew.
The manifesto published by the Porte states, that ever since the year 1774, the Court of Russia has been constantly infringing the Treaty of Cainardgie, and disturbing the harmony which that treaty was intended to secure. That she has even seized on the Crimea, and raised up Prince Heraclius, who was an acknowledged vassal of the Porte. That not content with endeavouring to drive the Oczakowians from their own salt-pans, and many other attacks, she proceeded so far as to order her Envoy to make a demand of several dangerous and humiliating concessions from the Porte, and to threaten, that in case of a refusal, Prince Potemkin, with 70,000 men, had orders to advance to the frontiers. That since the Porte could not with any safety agree to these conditions, she was obliged to declare war. And submits her motives to the equity of her friends.
So vigorous a step was not immediately expected by the Empress; and had the Turks been in any degree prepared for the hostile measures they were compelled to adopt, the surprise in which they took the Russians, would probably have given them a decisive advantage.
The fact is, the Court of Petersburgh did not expect hostilities to commence before the ensuing spring, and the Turks never thought of them till M. Bulgakow's return from the Crimea. Thus both parties were equally surprised.