The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 690 - 335 Restless Air

In the melodious strains of music, Viscount Palmerston enjoyed a small reunion with his lover after a long separation.

But even when he wished to revel in a moment of leisure, it was almost impossible within the bustling walls of the Foreign Office.

Before the waltz had even finished, Under-Secretary Schneider knocked on the drawing-room door, gesturing urgently with the documents in his hand toward his superior.

"Your Excellency, there are some urgent documents that require your immediate attention."

Upon seeing this, Palmerston had no choice but to release Lady Liven’s hand with an apologetic expression, "I apologize, my dear, we shall continue the rest at the salon in Almack’s Club tonight."

Lady Liven seemed somewhat dissatisfied, "Henry, can’t whatever it is be discussed here?"

Though the beauty was charming and adorable, Palmerston certainly hadn’t forgotten just who she really was.

While Viscount Palmerston didn’t mind exchanging some diplomatic intelligence with the daughter of the third head of the Russian Imperial chancellery, he first had to confirm whether the new intelligence was actually tradable.

Even if it were, he must also understand whether the trade would be advantageous or detrimental to his career prospects.

"Dorothea, there is still plenty of time today; we can spend the entire night together—it won’t matter if we miss a little now."

After vaguely placating his lover, Viscount Palmerston finally managed to extricate himself from the troublesome Russian woman and slip out of the drawing-room.

Waiting outside, Schneider, not daring to delay, reported the latest news to him.

"Your Excellency, Sir Stratford Canning has just formally replied that he is willing to accept the Foreign Office’s appointment to serve as Britain’s ambassador to the Ottoman Empire for the second time. However, as for the Prime Minister..."

Upon hearing this, Palmerston immediately understood where the problem lay.

Looking at Stratford Canning’s surname, it was clear he and the former Prime Minister, Sir George Canning, came from the same family and were closely related as first cousins.

After George Canning’s parents separated, he was sent to live with his uncle, and Stratford Canning was the son of that uncle.

Owing to this relationship, Sir George had always taken good care of his cousin during his lifetime. As soon as his cousin graduated from Cambridge University, Sir George, who was then serving as Foreign Secretary, used his influence to appoint his 24-year-old cousin as Britain’s full plenipotentiary at Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire.

However, perhaps because he had lived under the protection of his cousin for a long time, with a father who was a banker and a life of affluence since childhood, without ever worrying about promotions, Stratford also developed an assertive character, was lacking in patience, and was always direct and outspoken.

This blunt temperament might not be a problem in other professions, but it could cause many issues in diplomacy.

For instance, the reason why Palmerston had transferred Sir Stratford from his position as ambassador to Russia to being the ambassador to Constantinople was due to his temperament.

Last year, when Palmerston had just taken up the post of Foreign Secretary, he began the usual practice of rewarding those who had supported him in the past.

In this process of exchanging favors, he naturally did not forget to take care of the cousin of his old boss, Sir George Canning.

Palmeston did so firstly because although Sir George had passed away, the Canning faction’s influence in Parliament was still not to be underestimated, and Sir George’s legacy remained influential.

Secondly, it was because Palmeston had some affection for his former superior who had provided him with much support, and it also allowed him to cultivate a reputation for being grateful and not forgetting his roots. This proved that Palmeston was not an ungrateful man.

Thirdly, of course, he was setting an example for his successors, establishing a tradition. If one day Palmeston also passed away, the tacit rule of looking after one’s connections must continue, extending patronage to his descendants too.

Moreover, Palmeston did not just reinstate Stratford as an ambassador, but as one of the top three important positions, the ambassador to Russia.

With this move, who could say that Viscount Palmeston was not a man of integrity?

If things had continued to develop in this way, appointing Stratford as ambassador to Russia would have been a joyous occasion for all involved.

But the problem lay in Stratford’s loose tongue.

Previously, when Stratford had served as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, he often filled his letters to his cousin with scornful and insulting remarks about the Ottomans.

Upon his arrival, he claimed that his mission was to prevent the degenerate Ottoman state from destroying itself, and his dislike for the locality of Constantinople only grew stronger.

This was reflected in the family correspondence he sent to his cousin.

—My secret wish is to kick these Ottoman Turks out of Europe, along with all their belongings.

—I curse the Foreign Office’s policy of continental balance, because of which these despicable Turks have received the protection they do not deserve.

Fortunately, Stratford’s animosity was not reserved for the Turks alone—he was even more disdainful of the Russians.

During his studies, he frequently expressed anti-Russian sentiments at Cambridge University and, as he grew older, would often publish hate-filled editorials against the Russians in newspapers.

Unfortunately, the Russian people were clearly not as isolated from news as the Ottomans, and the Tsar was not as indulgent as the Sultan.