The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-13 00:00:00

FOREIGN NOTES,

THE EASTERN DIFFICULTY.
Very dangerous has been the Ministerial crisis at
Athens, and very narrow has been the escape from war.
In fact, King George's necessity has been the Greek's
Opportunity ; the young sovereign has avoided the loss of
his crown only by yielding up some of his privileges.
Zaimis, the new Premier, is unknown to fame, Ebut
he appears to be a personage of whom Europe is likely to
hear more. When the King first sent for him, he accepted
the task of forming a Ministry, and succeeded ; but " at
half-past nine in the evening" he received a letter
informing him that the sovereign declined his services.
It now transpires that the astute Zaimis laid down as
indispensable conditions that the Chamber of Deputies
should be dissolved if it still disavowed adhe-
sion to the protocol, that the Administration
should be carried on free from all Court influence, that a
proclamation should be issued to the people justifying the
Ministry in yielding to the Great Powers, and that a
memorial should be addressed to the various Courts
proving that Greece had received scant justice at the Con-
ference. The King declared that he could not accept
these terms. Nevertheless, a Zaimis Ministry has been
the only resource, and it remains to be seen whether
Georgos I. had to give way after all. The excitement at
Athens has been intense. Those who had the courage to
oppose the current opinion were threatened. Bodies of
troops constantly patrolled the streets.
The Times publishes an important document—a minute
of the Ministerial Council at Athens, dated Dec. 1, 1864
which singularly exemplifies the radical change that has
come over Greek policy during the last four years. Then
Bourdoures and Comoundouros were in power, and
at the meeting of Ministers the latter made a statement
to the effect that the Cretans had offered to take up
arms in the coming spring. They hoped to effect one of
three objects : union with Greece, Cretan autonomy, or a
reduction of their taxes by the Porte. The Greek Cabinet
refused to support this movement. They recommended
the Cretans not to take up arms, but confine their
demands to petitioning the Sultan and the Great Powers
that the promises given to them concerning the diminu-
tion of their taxes should be carried into execution.
There can now be no doubt, Boudoures says, that the
Cretan insurrection was a spontaneous movement, not
fomented either by Russia or France. The annexation of
Crete, according to the ex-statesman, is the constantaspi-
ration of Cretan patriots, as well as many sincere though
reckless politicians in Greece. But if the attempt was
imprudent in 1864 it is not less imprudent in 1869, and
where are the statesmen who formerly declined the "policy
of rashness ?" Comoundouros has no party in Greece, and
Boudoures emerges from obscurity only to publish this
document. _ _ _

The Pesth correspondent of the Temps says that the
sympathies of the Servians are all on the aide of Greece.
It is little likely that the Danubian State would remain
neutral in case of war, and the Porte is fully aware of this.
It has sent a commission, at the head of which is a German
officer of great ability, to carefully examine all the passes
which lead from Servia into Montenegro. This latter State
is even more ready for insurrection, and Roumania could
be counted upon in case a reverse befel the Turks. The
writer concludes that a war would almost infallibly result
in the destruction of the Ottoman power by the disaaffected
races.