The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-07


in the HERALD Of yesterday, the first pitched
battle Of the campaign has resulted in an over
whelming victory for the Christians. On the
9th of September at Selino, less than forty
miles from Canea, the capital of the island, the
insurgents, led on by Greek generals, attacked
the Turkish troops under the leadership of
Ismal Pacha, and completely routed them,
placing three thousand Turks hors de combat
and capturing large quantities Of munitions of
war. So complete was the victory that Ismail
Pacha and the remainder Of the Ottoman forces
surrendered after the battle. The Egyptian
contingent, which was to have acted in concert
with the Turks, seem to have taken no part
in the engagement Their sympathies, indeed,
are said to be with the insurgents and 1t is
not improbable that they may extricate them
selves from their present situation, surround
ed as they are by the revolutionists, in very
simple manner, by going over to the Christian
side. The Turks, meanwhile, are hurrying up
achievements, and the war is taking quite .
threatening aspect The whole Eastern
question, temporarily CLOSED over by the
Crimean war, is rcopened by this struggle.
But there is no likelihood of another Anglo
French alliance being formed to thwart the
natural tendencies of the Greek Christians
towards that national "agglomeration" of
which Napoleon SO strongly approves in his
recent manifesto. The aspect Of affairs is
changed now. France and England have united
with Russia in protesting against the barba-
rous retaliations with which the Turks fol-
lowed up their defeat at Selino, and it is be-
lieved they will favor the annexation of Gambia
to Greece.
The probability of this annexation being
carried out grows stronger every day. The
feeling among the Greek populations of the
East, according to the correspondence Of the
London Times, is so powerful that there is
likely to be some bloody work If no one in
terferes to check it." In Greece itself the
same authority states that the national feel
ing may be SO reused that if the King does
not consent to further the movement-or, in
other words, to go to war with Turkey-he
may very probably be dethroned." The other
Christian populations of European Turkey will
probably catch the spirit of independence. A
Mahometan government over the Greek Chris
lightened age. II has been tolerated and sus-
tanned by the great Powers of Europe only
upon the plea Of political necessity; but that
idea must give way before the progress Of
modern civilization. Russia represents and is
the natural defender of the Greek Christians.
These people have sympathy with their core
ligionists of the Russian empire, while they
hate the Mahometans. We regafd the move
ments in Greece, then, as a prelude 10 the in
evitable extinction of Turkish power in
Europe.
The most singular feature in the whole
movement is the anxiety which the Greeks
manifest to enlist the sympathies Of the United
States government on their side. This is shown
in the remarkable appeal which the Canadian
insurgents have addressed to President John
son; and probably the difficulty in which our
Consul at Cyprus has managed to involve him
self with the Turkish Porte arises from SINH
lar influence. We have here some Of the first
fruits Of the Russo American alliance, which is
destined to produce still more startling results
before the world is many years older.
AMERICAN REPuBLlCANgx AND PoLITIcAL
AGITATION IN ENGLAND.-Almost every arrival
from Europe brings us news Of the
progress Of the reform movement in Eng
land. II is pretty generally acknowledged
by all parties that the suffrage must be
extended. Even the tory aristocracy which
opposes It indirectly by political strategy
hardly ventures to oppose it directly upon
principle. Though Englishmen are slower to
move than any other people Of the European
race, they are very determined when once
moved, and it il evident they have taken the
question Of reform up In earnest. Since the
Reform bill passed, thirty-four years ago,
which was q very limited concession to the
people, which excluded still the mass of the
population from political rights, aud which
Earl Russell declared for long time was
fnalisy, little progress was made towards
more extended reform till the recent great
events in this country attracted the attention
Of the public to the character and strength Of
democratic institutions Englishmen were
learning from us-slowly, 1t is true-some-
thing Of the nature and value Of popular self.
government; but our late. war and the re-
suits Of 1t have acted with electric
power upon them. They have learned
more about the United States within
the last four or Ave years than they did il fifty
years before. They see giant REPUBLICAN en-
pire, not q century old, made up chiefly Of
people from the United Kingdom and speaking
their own language, more powerful and pros
porous than any nation in the world, and they
see that this Is the result Of free institutions,
universal suffrage and the election Of rulers by
the people. On the other hand, they know that
the mass Of their own people are stepped In
hopeless poverty, without ambition or energy.
They know that their once mighty country has
AZ IL