Аннотация: Disraeli becomes the Lord Beaconsfield. In the prime minister's chair. A literary note.
Disraeli becomes the Lord Beaconsfield. In the prime minister's chair. A literary note.
The third part of the book by André Maurois "Disraeli".
Suddenly, a stream of historical and political details begins.
Disraeli becomes Lord Beaconsfield. He is an energetic prime minister.
The idea of the Empire parliament, the title of Empress for the British Queen, the acquisition by Britain of shares of the Suez Canal (Rothschild among Disraeli's acquaintances. Rothschild gives money at a low interest on the purchase of shares).
Together, Britain and the Russian Empire stopped Bismarck (1875) - a brief mention.
July 1875. The crisis in the Balkans. Russia, Germany and Austria jointly draw up a memorandum against the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottoman Empire is under an attack. Together with her - (at least) the Suez Canal, a sea- and a land routes to India. (A 2nd (?) not a very clear reference in this book about the Crimean War (1853-1856) - a lesson should be learned from this war).
A British public opinion objects against the "atrocities of the Turks." The fact of atrocities is confirmed by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain.
A strange an idea appears on page 194 - some British parliamentarian was of the opinion that if the Russians enter Constantinople, then this will not threaten Britain ...
An interesting thought ... But who knows? How the situation can to turn?
So after all, the construction of the Suez Canal (1859-1869) by the French Ferdinand de Lesseps seemed dangerous - for communications, for routes to India. But a fears remained a fears. Did the Suez Canal hurt India?
Disraeli is not going to fight Russia, but makes warnings to Russia for the purpose to protect the Ottoman Empire.
(India did not cease to be part of the British Empire because the 'Russians' occupied Constantinople (they never occupied it). A situation in the British India changed after the Second World War. The united (after 1871) Germany began both the First and Second World Wars).
Russia declares war to the Ottoman Empire [1877].
Lord Beaconsfield warns Russia. Russia promises (retreats slightly?) ...
Difficult military operations. At last, the Russian army is not far from Constantinople.
A treaty is being prepared between the Ottoman Empire and Russia.
Bismarck diplomatically changes the vector - an agreement between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire should be discussed at an international conference. In the Berlin.
Under a threats from Britain, Russia cannot neglect the opinion of Germany.
If not to go into details, then - Russia is retreating, not wanting to enter the war with the European powers because of the Ottoman Empire.
(At this point, the reader can feel ambivalent emotions. On the one hand, is it appropriate to comment skeptically after 150 years? On the other hand, there is a desire to ask a question - before the war with the Ottoman Empire wasn't clear that Russia would recieve a coalition of European powers against herself in case of a victory? The question is formulated and is written down. But from the depths of history, a figure of the respected diplomat Gorchakov comes, who recalls that it all started with the joint position of Russia, Austria and Germany ... Germany made it clear that she would support Russia ... Russia counted on Germany's obligations ... What can you say about this? "Siberia and the Far East is not enough?" "Alaska was not enough?" After 150 years, questions can be asked endlessly ...).
'The party is won, the game is won in whole and without losing [even] a one man, without a single gunshot,' - commented André Maurois to the activity of Lord Beaconsfield. André Maurois quotes Gorchakov: 'We sacrificed a hundred thousand soldiers and a hundred million rubles for a nothing [for a zero result]!'
Britain acquires Cyprus ...
It seemed that the main plot of world politics was in Europe, in the confrontation between the great European powers ...
Where are they now? Cyprus, Suez Canal, Kars? ..
So, the Berlin Congress [1878] ... A difficult game ... Events developed in the direction of 1918 and 1945 ...
The theme of Disraeli's debt in the book does not seem to appear anymore.
André Maurois wrote a biography of Disraeli in 1927 ... The First World War was left behind, but a world history was moving forward ...
December 22, 2019 18:21
Translation from Russian into English: December 24, 2019 22:39.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Дизраэли - лорд Биконсфилд. В кресле премьер-министра. Литературная заметка'.