Page 284 - Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed

General Sebas-
tiani and French
officers as they
are showing Sul-
tan Selim and se-
nior officers de-
fense plans for
Istanbul.

working in liaison with the Russians, issued an ultimatum to the Ottomans,

demanding that Sébastiani be removed from Istanbul, a peace treaty be signed
with Russia, an alliance treaty with the British be renewed, and British and

Russian navy fleets be allowed to freely pass the Straits. Following this ulti-
matum, the British supported the Russians when they entered Moldavia and

Wallachia, and then demanded that Dardanelles forts be surrendered to
Britain. Ambassador Arbuthnot said that unless those demands were met, he

would go to Bozcaada and come back with the British fleet to start bom-
barding Istanbul.

Arbuthnot on board, the British navy in Dardanelles sank four Turkish
ships, with ten large galleys, and entered the Sea of Marmara to advance to-
wards Istanbul. When the British fleet anchored at Istanbul, there were new

demands on the list and the British insisted the Turkish navy be entrusted to

the British. This attitude sparked immense outrage, first in the military and
then among madrasah students. The people of Istanbul and, finally, the gov-
ernment decided to fight back. Key positions along the shore were arranged

as defensive positions and some 300 cannons were placed. At the same time,

Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed