TO ТHЕ EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—Out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh, and I should like to express to you my gratitude for the wise and noble leading article in your issue of the 2nd inst. Such support is thrice welcome in the difficulties we are now about to face.

I am not behind the scenes; am ignorant of Cabinet secrets. But I know my own mind, and under that guidance I venture to address to you a few words upon the difficult problem which once more confronts us. If the Balkan allies successfully finish their work—as pray God they may—that problem seems likely to be, What is to be the future of Constantinople?

“The last word of the Eastern Question,” said Lord Derby 35 years ago, is, “who is to have Constantinople?” About the same time—namely, on May 18, 1877—our distinguished Chancellor, Prince Gortschakoff, defined the position of Russia towards that city. He wrote:—

“As far as concerns Constantinople. . . . the Imperial Cabinet repeats that the acquisition of that capital is excluded from the views of his Majesty the Emperor. They recognise that in any care the future of Constantinople is a question of common interest which cannot be settled otherwise than by a general understanding.”

In the many pages I then wrote on this vexed question I ventured (what then met with the approval of some of my English friends) the following suggestion—namely, “the conversion of Constantinople into a free city under the guarantee of Europe, governed by an International Commission.”

Would not that be a solution of what now seems likely to be the question of the day?

Yours faithfully,

OLGA NOVIKOFF. née KIRÉEFF.

4, Brunswick place. Regent’s Park, Nov. 4.