Diplomatic Initiative
15th August 1914, Constantinople.
The British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Sir Louis Mallet had managed to get back to Constantinople faster than expected, on the instruction of the Foreign Secretary he had cut his leave short. They had agreed to his precipitate return, given that with Churchill’s provocative seizure of the Reşadiye and the Sultân Osmân-ı Evvel, the Turks would be gravely insulted, and the position of the pro-British faction weakened. Both ships had already been paid for, the insult worsened by the fact that the crew of the later was standing by to take over the ship on the completion of her sea trials.
Sir Louis had also heard of the arrival of the Goeben and the Breslau, their successful flight making a laughingstock of the world’s most powerful navy. The Germans wanting to improve their already excellent relations, had then donated the ships to the Ottomans by way of adding insult to injury.
Recognising his work was cut out for him Sir Louis had requested audiences with the Sultan and the Grand Vizier, with them he would apologise and flatter, if that failed, he would deploy that other useful tool to try to restore the harm.
All he needed to do was preserve Ottoman neutrality, he was prepared to bribe his way to peace. Having already communicated that the British Government was prepared to increase the usage and retention subsidy from 1000 pounds per day, he would try to negotiate an amount that the Ottomans would be satisfied with. He was authorised to go as high as 2500 pounds per day for every day the ship was retained, plus the building of replacement vessels at the end of the war should either ship be damaged. He felt personally that direct payments to a number of key players would also be required and would explore that as well.
The German crew remained aboard Goeben and Breslau, they were a risk to peace, he would see what he could do to disrupt their smooth relationship with the Turkish people, perhaps a scandal could be brewed.
The British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Sir Louis Mallet had managed to get back to Constantinople faster than expected, on the instruction of the Foreign Secretary he had cut his leave short. They had agreed to his precipitate return, given that with Churchill’s provocative seizure of the Reşadiye and the Sultân Osmân-ı Evvel, the Turks would be gravely insulted, and the position of the pro-British faction weakened. Both ships had already been paid for, the insult worsened by the fact that the crew of the later was standing by to take over the ship on the completion of her sea trials.
Sir Louis had also heard of the arrival of the Goeben and the Breslau, their successful flight making a laughingstock of the world’s most powerful navy. The Germans wanting to improve their already excellent relations, had then donated the ships to the Ottomans by way of adding insult to injury.
Recognising his work was cut out for him Sir Louis had requested audiences with the Sultan and the Grand Vizier, with them he would apologise and flatter, if that failed, he would deploy that other useful tool to try to restore the harm.
All he needed to do was preserve Ottoman neutrality, he was prepared to bribe his way to peace. Having already communicated that the British Government was prepared to increase the usage and retention subsidy from 1000 pounds per day, he would try to negotiate an amount that the Ottomans would be satisfied with. He was authorised to go as high as 2500 pounds per day for every day the ship was retained, plus the building of replacement vessels at the end of the war should either ship be damaged. He felt personally that direct payments to a number of key players would also be required and would explore that as well.
The German crew remained aboard Goeben and Breslau, they were a risk to peace, he would see what he could do to disrupt their smooth relationship with the Turkish people, perhaps a scandal could be brewed.
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