The Times' correspondent at Berlin was on Wednesday admitted to
an interview with Prince Bismarck, who told him that he himself had desired peace, and had, in the interest of peace, borne the fatigue of the deliberations of Congress. He considered that England had achieved "a magnificent success," having covered Constantinople by the Balkans, and settled the question of the Straits to her own satisfaction. It must, however, be remem- bered that there is a limit to the Russian desire for peace, that Count Schouvaloff might find himself au pied du mur, and that more concessions must not be asked of him than he is pledged to give. As to Greece, the Greeks are interesting and preferable to the Turks ; but they are little, and the Turks will not yield to them. As to Batoum, the Russians have two bonds for that place in their pockets—namely, the Treaty and the Agreement—and they would not, if they possessed it, make of it a Sebastopol. The Turks always fancy a quarrel between England and Russia is to their interest, and forget that it is at their cost the question between the nations must be settled. If the Turks withdrew from the Congress, he should simply "have their chairs kept vacant, as for persons who are late." Clearly, Prince Bismarck means that Russia should have Batoum.
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