The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-02 00:00:00

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

"We have authority to say that it has been decided
to employ Lord Napier of Magdala as Commander-in-
Chief of any expeditionary force that may be sent out
in case of war, with Sir Garnet Woleley as Chief of
the Staff."—Wednesday's Pall Mall Gazette.

The Daily News of Monday publishes the following from
their Correspondent, under date Syra, Sunday :--
The capital is still filled with the wildest rumours. It is
difficult to reject the conclusion that some are deliberately
manufactured for telegraphing to Europe. For three days
it has been widely believed that Russia has demanded the
cession of the Turkish fleet, the expulsion of the Moslem
population from Bulgaria within two years, and that
Bulgaria should have a port on the Sea of Mar-
mora. To-day it is reported that Russia claims six
ironclads. This report may be disposed of by the
statement which I am enabled to make that the
Russians do not now intend to demand the surrender of any
of the Turkish war vessels. There is no truth in the rumour
that the Moslems in Bulgaria are to be expelled the country.
The difficulty about the limits of Bulgaria is probable,
though authentic information about the demand is wanting.
It is not desirable in the interest both of the Greeks and of
future arrangements that Bulgaria should shut up Constan-
tinople in a narrow peninsula. There is a general feeling of
uneasiness on account of the delay in signing peace, and it
may probably be taken for certain that the conditions are
hard.

RUSSIAN CONDITIONS OF PEACE.
CONSTANTINOPLE, FEB. 21.

The principal points of the fresh conditions of peaoe de-
manded by Russia are as follows (says the Daily News
Correspondent) :

"The Poincipality of Bulgaria to be created will comprise
the country between the Danube and the Balkans (with the
exception of the Dobrudscha) and that portion of Roumelia
comprised between the Black Sea and Servia, including all
the Valley of the Maritza, with the exception of Adrianople.
Thus Sofia, Philippopor.s, and the gzeater part of Thrace
and Macedonia will be comprised in the Principality. An
assembly of notables will elect a Sovereign Prince, whose
nomination will be submitted to the sanction of the Porte
and the Powers. The tribute to be paid by Bulgaria to the
Porte will correspond with the net revenue derived from
that province cf Bulgaria by the Porte. A Russian Com-
mission will superintend the new Bulgarian Government for
a period of two years, during which time the Principality
will be occupied by 60,000 Russian troops.
" Podgoritza and Antivaria will be annexed to Monte-
negro in addition to other accessions of territory on the
north-east and west.

"It is stipulated that Russia shall have the faculty of
ceding the Dobrudscha to Roumania in exchange for the
Roumanian portion of Bessarabia.
" Servia acquires considerable accessions of territory in
Bosnia and towards .Nisch.

"ml passage of the Straits is prohibited to all war vessels
except in isolated cases. The navigation of the Straits to be
absolutely free for merchant shipping even in time of war.
" The indemnity to be paid to Russia is fixed at 1,400,000,000
roubles, to cover which Turkey will cede to Russia Batoum,
Kars, Bayazid, Ardahan, and the territory comprised within
that zone; the Porte also to cede six Turkish ironclads,
to be chosen by Russia. Turkey further to pay to Russia
£40,000,000 sterling in bonds, the interest and sinking fund
of which are guaranteed by the Bulgarian and Egyptian
tributes and the revenues of Anatoli and the mints of
Heraclea. Ten million roubles are to be paid immediately to
Indemnify Russian subjects having establishments at Con-
stantinople. The integral reimbursement of Russian capital
invested in Turkish bonds is also stipulated for. The Porte
to defray the cost of the maintenance of Turkish prisoners of
war in Russia, and the expense of the reopening to naviga-
tion the Sulina mouth of the Danube. Peace will be signed
at San Stefano, to which the Russian headquarters have been
advanced with the consent of the Porte."

CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. 22.
The draft of the Russian peace conditions contained a
stipulation to the effect that the six principtil Turkish iron-
clads should be ceded to Russia, on the ground that other-
wise the Porte might sell them to England. The Sultan,
however, objected, stating that he would prefer the vessels
to be destroyed, and promising not to give them up to any
foreign Power. The incident terminated by the Sultan
undertaking not to cede the ironclads to England, in con-
sideration of which Russia withdrew her demand for the
immediate cession of the vessels.

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb 23.

The Golos of to-day publishes an article strongly animad-
verting upon the delay in the signature of the peace condi-
tions. It says:—" It is time to bring these long protracted
negotiations to an end. Either the British Squadron should
withdraw to Besika Bay or the Porte should receive a
tangible proof that it reckons in vain upon the presence of
the British ironclads in the sea of Marmora. Turkey
should be informed that in the event of peace not being
signed at the earliest praoticable date hostilities will be
resumed."

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 23, Evening.

The Agenee .Russe publishes an article this evening in
which it confirms the opinion that the political situation
has become more satisfactory in consequence of the under-
standing arrived at between England and Russia in con-
formity with which the latter will not occupy Gallipoli or
Boulair while England will not effect a landing of troops on
either bank of the Dardarialles.

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 24.

The Agence Rune this evening asserts that the reports
which have reached England from Constantinople relative
to the intention of the Russians to march upon the Turkish
capital in consequence of the Porte having rejected the peace
conditions refer to a phase of affairs already past. The
latest direct news, it is added, states that the negotiations
are making progress. The AgPnee proceeds: "The intelli-
gence that the Grand Duke Nicholas has withdrawn his
claim for six of the Turkish ironclads, on the Sultan engage-
ing not to cede them to any other Power, is not yet officially
confirmed, but it is probable."