Hotel du Louvre Wednesday March 12 1856
Private
My dear Walewski,
I have a dispatch from Palmerston urging in the strongest terms that we should not consent to the establishment of vigils in the Black Sea as he considers it is only a pretence for having a certain number of ships in disguise capable of being armed and equipped whenever they are wanted and such I have no doubt is the intention.
Orloff says that they will be des vieilles (?) carcases which will not leave the ports & they perhaps would be so at first but what guarantee should we have that in a year or two they would not be powerful ships & very rémuants (?) ?
I need hardly tell you that the pospect ot the Circassian forts being rebuilt & the concession made to Russia respecting the frontier have caused an unfavourable impression in England & if we do not make a proper arrangement about the number of lignt … to be maintained for purposes … … il will be impossible … …. becoming tone in defence of the conditions of peace.
I have endeavoured not to raise difficulties & I have given up my own opinions in order to meet the views of the Emperor but it is of vital importance to my government (& I might add to myself personally) that the separate convention should be such a one as will satisfy public opinion in England.
If the intentions of Russia are honest there need be no difficulty about the matter for we need not insist upon more ships than are required for the special service they will have to perform & if her intentions are not honest we are all the more bound to resist them. We will be much better to settle it privately & to avoid any angry discussion in the Conference & I hope therefore you will speak to Orloff before we meet & tell him how important it is that the negotiations should not close by his throwing suspicion upon the future policy of Russia which will be the inevitable consequence of his demanding an unnecessary number of ships, but pray have the goodness to speak to him in the name of France as well as of England otherwise if he thinks we are divided he will be encouraged to resist. No armed vessel can be necessary at any port in the Black Sea.
Ever yours
Clarendon