Ravensrock, June 24, 1876.
Thanks for your good wishes on my entering the shady side of sixty—bright side I ought to say, for thanks to God I am as hearty and strong as I was twenty years ago, though I have no longer the speed of youth. Yesterday we had all the foreign society to play at lawn-tennis, and I flatter myself, though only my third trial at the game, on having been the best amongst the youngsters who joined the fun.
Eastern affairs boded ill for peace in 1876, and Sir John, always deeply interested in matters connected with Turkey, writes in July:—
The cloud in the East looks very threatening. I hope we shall not do more than insist on fair play. If the Christian races are able to hold their own, we ought not to interfere so long as they are not placed under the sway of Russia or other Power antagonistic to us. If the Turks succeed in quashing the insurrection, I hope our influence will be exerted to prevent outrages being committed by the Mohammedans. I do not believe in the resurrection of the ‘sick man,’ but I am convinced that Russia has done her best to hurry him to death’s door. When the Blue Books are published, we shall have much to learn, especially if our Foreign Office has to defend its present menacing attitude before the British Parliament and public. If England had looked on passively, we should probably have been forced into war.
But the crisis was averted.
‘Lord Derby’s policy in the East,’ he writes, ‘has astounded the foreigners. They all without exception appear pleased to see the old Lion growl and bestir itself, and Russia “reculer” (“pour mieux sauter”). The policy of the latter was evidently the system of administering slow poison. I don’t think we can prevent paralysis of the patient, or his final demise, but we have done right well in showing that we cannot allow a doctor, who prescribes poison, to play the part of chief adviser to the patient. Let him live awhile, and the course of events may prevent the balance tipping in favour of our opponents in the East.’
Of Lord Derby Sir John entertained a high opinion. ‘I believe him,’ he says in one of his letters at this time, ‘to be a far better man and more thoroughly English than any of his Whig predecessors—except dear old Palmerston.’
In the following year Sir Henry Layard, Sir John’s former fellow-worker in Sir Stratford Canning’s time, was appointed Ambassador at Constantinople, and he thus writes to congratulate him on the appointment:—
April 5, 1877.
I rejoiced to hear that you go to Stambul pro tem.; for I have no doubt the appointment will be hereafter confirmed, and the right man will be in the right place.