Russian Wars With Turkey #262241

Man of the South.' The Eastern question will still be unanswered, and there will still be a dormant volcano which one day will convulse Europe. Ever since the year 1453, when the Turks conquered Constantinople, it may be said that they have been in almost a chronic state of dissension or war with their Christian neighbours. Up to 1683, when Mahomet the Fourth besieged Vienna, the tide of their conquest was advancing; since then it has been slowly but certainly receding. On three successive occasions their naval power has been destroyed by the combined fleets of other nations, and twice has England participated in this de struction. In 1571, at Lepanto, the fleets of Spain, Genoa, Malta, Venice, and Pius V., combined to destroy their navy; again in 1770 they were defeated by the fleet of Russia aided by Englishmen, in the passage of Scio; once more, fifty-seven years later, in 1827, at N avarino the Turkish navy was annihilated by the united fleets of England, Russia, and France. The Turks have not un frequently been called our ancient allies; it will be found on referring to history that they might with greater truth be called 'our ancient enemies,' as up to 1840 we were nearly always allied against them.