Kronstadt–Toulon naval visits
[4] The Russian Emperor Alexander III, although known to be unenthusiastic about closer relationships with France, agreed to stand to attention during the singing of the anthem.
[7] Many notable people travelled to visit the port from the national capital, Saint Petersburg, just 31 kilometres (19 mi) away and crowds on the quayside cheered "Vive la France".
Some 600 guests attended and entertainment included the singing of both countries' national anthems and the performance of the second act of the French-language opera La fille du régiment.
[4] During the visit an agreement was reached, via an exchange of letters from the countries' foreign ministers, that if war was threatened in Europe then the two nations would agree on a joint response.
[11] The British prime minister, Lord Salisbury, responded to the Kronstadt visit by inviting the French squadron to call at Portsmouth on its return journey to demonstrate that "England has no antipathy to France".
[13] The strength of the squadron sent was an indication of the political importance of the visit, which served to seal the mutual defence pact signed by the countries.
[9] Numerous speeches were given by admirals, ministers and diplomats, commemorative plates were produced, celebratory songs performed and poems read by schoolchildren.
[13][18] After the Toulon visit Avellan took his squadron to the Eastern Mediterranean in an attempt to pressure Greece and Turkey into granting Russia a naval base on their territory.
Avellan's ships lay off Piraeus for three months, keen to secure a coaling station on the isles of Poros where the Russian government owned land.
British diplomatic pressure prevented this from happening and afterwards the Russian Navy, distracted by the 1894 outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War, shifted its focus to the Pacific and Arctic.
[21] These fears were not unfounded, as after the 1915 Treaty of London the Italians declared war on Austria in the hope of gaining territory in the Alps and on the Adriatic Coast.
