The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-09 00:00:00

GREEK PROVINCES OF TURKEY.

According to news received at Athens, a severely con-
tested engagement was fought on Friday last at Ghiatas, in
Epirus, between 1,500 Albanian Turks and a force of
insurgents, in which the latter were victorious and
succeeded in carrying off much booty. Eighty Turks were
killed. In another engagement at Karalimpel the in-
surgent forces defeated the Turks, killing seventy, taking
ninety-two prisoners, and capturing three colours and 400
breechloaders. The insurgent's loss is reported to have
been trifling.

The Daily News correspondent in Thessaly says that the
insurgent bands are in full possession of the country, and
are well armed and resolute. Their leaders are men of
good position, each of whom has much to lose.

ST. PETERSBURG, March 2, Evening.—The Agence .Russe of
this evening says that the news published by a London morn-
ing Journal, according to which Lord A. Loftus was to be re-
called if the Russians occupied Constantinople, referred to
a past phase of the crisis, for the Russians have since occu-
pied San Stefano with the sanction of the Sultan.

Sr. PETERSBURG, March s.—The Agence Busse announces
that the English League for the Protection of Christians in
Turke) has sent the Czar an address, bearing 400 signatures,
congratulating him on the accomplishment of his liberal
and Christian work, and praying him not to allow himself to
be turned aside from its achievement. The address fitrther
begs his Majesty to assure to the Bulgarians of the south,
from Vasilika upon the Black Sea to Adrianople and
Thessalonica, the same religious and civil liberty as that ac-
corded to the Bulgarians of the North. Otherwise, it is
added, it would soon be necessary to begin the work anew.

The semi-official Agent Busse of Monday, publishes the
following :—" We feel bound to warn the European public
against the exaggerated reports current respecting the
amount of the indemnity demanded by Russia from the
Porte. The Russian Government, on the contrary, has re-
solved to take into account the financial position of the
Turkish Gevernment and the interests of its European
creditors."

The Vienna correspondent of the Cologne Gazette states
that Prince Gortschakoff has quite recently made an effort
to obtain the assent of the German Government to the sub-
stitution of Berlin for Baden-Baden as the place where the
Conference is to meet, his object being to make sure of
Prince Bismarck's attending the sittings in person. Prince
Bismarck has, however, firmly declined. Count Andrassy is
likewise opposed to the suggestion.

We understand that the Emperor Francis Joseph has
received an autograph letter from the Czar, in which the
latter proposes that his august ally should let him do as he
pleases (laiser in main fibre) on the lower Danube and in
Bulgaig,i, in exchange for which the Emperor of Austria
mightTo as he pleases in Bosnia, Servia, and on the Save.—
Vanity Fair.

The latest idea from St. Petersburg Is that England would

not have sent her fleet to the Dardanelles, would not have
made war preparations, and would not have assumed so
firm an attitude, had she not been encouraged by Austria.

General Ignatieff, In military uniform, accompanied by
Madame Iguatieff, visited Constantinople on Tuesday.

"The vicinity of the Russian army ddes not appear to
have in the slightest degree disturbed the ordinary tran-
quility of the population of Stamboul or Pera. The day of
their arrival being Sunday, a holiday here, and the weather
unusually fine, the streets presented a gayer and more holi-
day aspect than usual, and a few sightseers rude or drove
out to try to get sight of the Russians. There has been a
daily increasing crowd going out to trade and try to make
money out of them—in fact, the only unpleasant fact which
the vicinity of the army appears to have produced is the
marked rise in the price of provisions."—Pera Correspondent
of The Tunes.

It is rumoured that Russia is by no means pleased at
finding the latest and best of the armoured ships built for
the navy which it intended to annex being appropriated
for the purpose of strengthening the British fleet. It is
even said that some slight attempt at remonstrance has
been made in an indirect manner; but Russia has little
ground for any effective objections, as in this matter there
can be no breach of neutrality.. It is only reasonable that
Turkey should now be willing to be relieved of these new
ships and have the instalments already paid to the builders
returned to her.—Whitehall Review.

It is reported from Belgrade that there is general dissatis-
faction in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the insurrection
still continues. They have addressed an appeal for help to
Servia and Montenegro, representing the Czar as acting the
part of not liberator, but of stepfather.

The J.Nord ridicules the idea that the armaments of England
and Austria have had any effect in inducing Russia to make
concessions in the course of the negotiations at San Stefano.
Russia has proposed to herself the task of the liberation of
the Christians of the East; this end she is resolved to
attain.

It is said that there is no intention of permanently with-
drawing Lord Napier of Magdala from Gibraltar. Imme-
diately the present crisis is over it is proposed that his lord-
ship should return to that fortress and resume his appoint-
plant as Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

The Grand Duke Nicholas is now the virtual commander
at Constantinople. Nothing is done without his consent
haying previously been obtained, and no despatch is for-
warded Wore he has seen it —Vanity Fair.

"The constant reinforcements which are still being sent
into Roumania are sought to be accounted for, first, by the
enormous losses suffered in crossing the Balkans; more than
20,010 men, it is said, having perished by cold and fatigue;
whole &tachments were quite lost in the gorges of the
mountain,s, and single regiments are stated to have lost 400
and 600 men in one night. Detides this, a large mumber of

troops are absorbed in maintaining the long line of com-
munication and for garrison duty. Thirdly, the newly-
arrived troops are to relieve those which have taken part
in the war, and who will leave after the signature of peace,
while the new-corners will remain in the districts occupied
by the Russians."—Vienna Correspondent of The Times.

The Agence Russo Is not aware whether the treaty of peace
will contain a clause in favour of the Turkish bondholders,
but it points out that General Ignatieff, during the last sit-
tings of the Constantinople Conference, had called the
Porte's serious attention to the necessity of satisfying its
European creditors.

The Times of Monday, in a leader, thus comments
on the signing of peace :
The Peace of San Stefano has at last been signed. It was
completed yesterday. Thus a great war is formally as well
as really at an end, and Europe is freed from the immense
danger which would have attended any renewal of the hos-
tilities now that the Ruivn troops are virtually in Constan-
tinople. In the Camp of San Stefano itself there has been
great enthusiasm, and the event has been celebrate.' by a
re Deurn and the review of 31,000 troops. Our Correspondent
iu St. Petersburg telegraphs that the news of peace has been
received with equal enthusiasm in the Russian capital. Yes-
terday an immense crowd assembled in front of the Palace,
and sang with uncovered heads their national anthem.
Rarely, it is said, have the people of St. Petersburg ex-
hibited such fervour. It is no wonder that they should thus
abandon themselves to transports of joy, for no sooner had
Turkey been crushed that they seemed to be di-Wing to-
wards a war with au incomparably more powerful foe.
Nay, they themselves were beginning to make formidable
Additions to the difficulties which barred the way of peace.
Their temper was rising, and they Were replying to impru-
dent ohallenges with equally imprudent heat. '1 he TurLs, it
was feared, might draw new hopes of assistance from these
rising passions. Had the negotiations failed at:the last mo-
ment and the Porte made one other desperate eflort to
resist, it is but too possible that the flames of war would
have spread far and wide. Whatever might have been the
result, it could not have failed to bring irreparable
disasters to the Russian people, who have already
suffered much, and who have still to feel the real
pressure made by the waste of the national resources
on the battlefields of Bulgaria. It will now be said,
perhaps, that there was never any danger of a rupture
of the negotiations. One theory is that they have
from end to end been a comedy, played to hide the friend-
ship which has sprung up between Russia and Turkey. At
last the two armies in the suburbs of the capital have been
in a marvellous state of amity with each other. Still, we
may do both the late belligerents the compliment of be-
lieving that they are perfectly sincere, and that the real
cause of thedelay was the reluctance of the Turks to make
an immense surrender of territory and power. It would
have been wonderful if such masters of diplomacy had not
battled over each clause in the long list of conditions.

It would, of course, be a mistake to suppose that all
danger is past because Russia and Turkey have agreed to
settle their differences. The Porte has done so by a sur-
render of power which was sanctioned by Europe, and of
territory in which the other Governments take a lively
Interest. It may have abandoned more than they will
sanction, and at least no compact in defiance of the Treaty
of Paris can be made formerly valid without their consent.
Now that Russia has settled her account with Turkey, she
must settle it with Europe, and if she has been wantonly
extreme, she may be only on the threshhold of her trials.
Yet the Russian people have some right to think
that the worst part of the danger is passed. No Power will
fight for the independence and the integrity of the Ottoman
Empire. That figment of diplomatic imagination already
belongs to ancient history. Nor will any Government
resist plans for improving the condition of the Christian
communities, however much they may be cut loose from
their old moorings to the Porte, if Russia does not seek
to plant her own power in the liberated communities.
Everybody agrees that the administrative changes in
Turkey must be immense. Everybody will soon agree
that, for the sake of Europe itself, the freest scope for
development ought to be given to the Christian Provinces.
It may also be admitted that, if the demands of Russia do
not substantially pass the limit of the conditions with which
she acquainted our Government last June, resistance must
be confined to diplomatic pressure. had the Cabinet
believed those terms to be vitally injurious to the interests
of England, it wont(' have been bound to give clear warning
of the fact, and, indeed, it would have armed long ago. In a
day or_two, at latest, we shall be formally made acquainted
with the conditions which have been exacted, and it
ought not to be difficult for Englishmen to keep calm in the
interval. They may do so the more easily because it is now
clear that there was gross exaggeration in the list of con-
ditions which was published a week ago, in another column
a telegram from San Stefano gives what is believed in that
place to be a more correct version. The Turks will forgive
us if we look, in the first place, at those conditions which,
directly or indirectly, affect the interests of this
country. Last week one of the chief fears was
that Russia would insist on the immediate surrender
of the best Turkish ironclads— an act to which we could
not have been indifferent when our own fleet was in
the Sea of Marmora and the future custody of Coustan-
tinope was in question. It is satisfactory to hear that, if
such a demand was made, it has been abandoned. Uneasiness
was also caused by the report that the tribute from Egypt to
the Porte was to be made the security for the payment of
part of the interest on the money indemnity to be exacted -
from Turkey. Thus Egypt would virtually have been made the
tributory of Russia, and such an arrangement would have
been totally inadmissible. It is true that this country could
have easily put an absolute veto on the plan without going
to war, for it could have given the Khedive a polite hint,
which would have furnished ample guidance to a man of his
quick perceptions. A diplomatic gesture of surprise, and a
slight reference to the fact that even Mehemet Ali never
deemed it prudent to defy England, would have
removed Egypt from the field of contention. Neverthe-
less, it would have been highly ominous to have found
Russia even proposing to extend her influence over a.
country through which the Suez Canal runs. Such a sugges-
tion would have betrayed a spirit anl thing but conducive
to the settlement of the delicate questions which must come
before the Conference, It is satisfactory to hear, then, that
the Treaty says nothing about the Egyptian tribute. The
bondholders will eagerly look for a confirmation of the
kindred report that no attempt is made to appropriate any
other funds which are already hypothecatd. It is repeated,
on the other hand, that most of the indemnity is to be
paid in territory, since Turkey is unable to pay in
Coin, and that Batoum and Ears are to be trans-
ferred to Russia. That is a matter about which all
the Powers, and especially England, will have a
word to say; but it can be said with the calmness of those
who have the consciousness of power. It is satisfactory to
hear that the new Bulgaria is not to include Salonica. That
fact will please Austria, am? it will be peculiarly gratifying
to all who befriend the Greeks. No doubt, some hazardous
conditions may not have been made known. Possibly the
Ressi, t,nat tney Lino= DO per-
mitted to make a formal entry into Constantinople with a
body of troops, in imitation of the German parade
along the Champs Elysees in Paris. The dread of such a
ceremony has been a good deal blunted, however, by the
fact that, being in San Stefano, they are virtually in Con-
stantinople already. It would be absurd to let mere for-
malities stand in the way of the Conference after we have
permitted the military power of Turkey to be destroyed.
All the influence and the force of England ought to be re-
served for the defence of realities, if any such should be
attacked. We may hope that, although Russia has made
Immense changes, she will abide by no propositions which
this country cannot sanction.

In noticing the rumours that have been current
respecting the terms of peace, The Times (in a leader
on Tuesday), remarks
. . "As to the course of the late negotiations between
Russia and Turkey, we are not yet perfectly enlightened.
We shall, perhaps, never know the full details, or the
degree in which the alarming tumours of the past few days
had a substantial basis in fact. That there was some
exaggeration we may well believe. The secret was one
which halt the world was doing its utmost to penetrate,
and which was guarded with no less care by the parties
who were really acquainted with it. Something
was certain to leak out in spite of all precautions,
and in such a case the fortunate discoverer was likely
to make the best of his knowledge. It may have been the
policy of the negotiators, too, to seem to allow their secret
to be surprised at the very moment when they were keep-
ing it most closely. The sources of information have been
thus doubly trustworthy, and there has been more than
usually ample room for something beyond mere exaggera-
tion. But whatever we may believe Russia to have been
asking for, we must look now to the result which is the
practical outcome of her demands. If she has consented
to make peace on terms which the rest of Europe
can accept as permissible, this we may consider as
enough, and may pass over any impossible conditions which
she has been wise enough not to insist upon. The
harder terms from which she has now withdrawn,
if indeed, she ever asked for them, might possibly
have been less injurious to her neighbours than they were
believed to be. This, however, is not in such a case the only
point to be considered. Injurious or harmless, they were
terms which her neighbours view^d with disapproval, and
no State, however powerful, or however flushed with suc-
cess, can venture to disregard the resolution of powerful
and alarmed nations. As for some of the more alarming
rumours which have been flying about freely, and which
have found a congenial nitlus in the state of the public
mind both in this country and elsewhere, we find
it difficult to believe that they can ever have
represented the deliberate purposes of Russia. That
Russia may have done her best to get possession of the
Turkish 41eet, and that she would gladly have obtained a
larger indemnity than that she has at last agreed to, is
credible enough. These demands are supposed to represent
the policy of General Ignatieff as distinct from the more
cautious action of Prince Gortchakoff and his colleagues.
But that Russia was determined to close the entrance of the
Black Sea to the ships of the other European Powers
and to keep it open for her own or that she hoped
to be permitted quietly to lay 'her laud on Egypt
by way of a material guarantee for any part of the
debt due to her, is not easily to be imagined. We
• can say only that the occasion has been favourable
for reports of every kind, and that it has brought them
forth abundantly. If they have been in any way unjust to
Russia, she has chiefly herself to blame for them. She has
been keeping Europe in the dark about matters in which
Europe was very deeply interested. That negotiations were
In progress was about the only fact suffered to be known.
The rest of the play was left to the imagination of the spec-
tators, and there is no cause for wonder if the faculty thus
left in undisturbed possession has gone to work in its own
way to act the part assigned to it. The news we are now in
possession of has come from a more trustworthy source,
and ills satisfactory to find how very considerably it differs
from the disturbing rumours which preceded it.