The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-02
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND
Tuesday Morning, October Q, 1885
The Turkish Question.
PORTLAND

The Turkish Question.
The European mails bring us a curious bit
Of Information which has not been furnished
10y the Atlantic cable. 1t is this The Greek
Chris tians of Candida the ancient Crete, WAC
lave been in open revolt against the Turkish
authorities since the middle of August, have
determined to invoke the assistance OF the
American Government Commodore Colds
l,orough's American squadron is now in the
Mediterranean, and il was rumored in Wen
ma three weeks ago, that he had granted the
protection sought. Of course this rumor is
without foundation, since neither Commodore
Goldsborough nor the President himself has
authority to offer the protection of the Amer
lean iiag to aliens. Nevertheless, there is lit
lie doubt that the sympathy and perhaps the
active assistance Of the Russian Government
may be expected by the insurgents. The re-
cent visit of Assistant Secretary Fox to the
Russian capital has unquestionably tended 10
promote cordial understanding between the
two governments. A naval station IN cue
Mediterranean would not be an undesirable
advantage for the United States, and on this
point the Atlantic cable has not been entirely
reticent, having within a week informed us of
energetic representations from France, backed
by England, to the Porte, against any acaui-
sition by the United States Of an island' in
the Medite rranean.
The disturbance in Gambia is the result of
growing dsaflection of long standing The
Turkish governor, Ismail Pasha, is extremely
obnoxious. Taxation has been excessive, and
the tax on salt has been notably oppressive
These are after all subordinate causes, OF
rather pretexts for the rebellion. At the bot
tom is the spirit of nationality and desire
or union with Greece. The insurgents num-
Der 10000, and have entrenched themselves In
the interior of the island 1t is said that they
have received arms, munitions and even mon
ey, from Greece. The ievice upon their ban
ner is "Union or Deathw The Turkish gov
ernor at first threatened to use force, offering
however general amnesty as the price of SUBJ
mission. AS he was obliged at the same time
to call for reinforcements, this proposition re-
ceiyed no attention. The Porte has since Of
tered to recall Isnal Pasha, and to remit the
btACo iOi n OiiiC3 Oub W IO pUScs l. lie CttIl-
diotes have proclaimed the annexation of the
island to Greece and decreed loan of five
millions of draehmas. 1t is difficult to beIiey.
that so determined an attitude can have been
taken without encouragement from some pow
erul ally. Disturbances have also occurred
in Thessaly, and the King of Greece has re-
ceived a petition from the Christians of Epir-
us, praying for his assistance to secure the in
corporation OF that province also into his
kingdom. At the latest dates, by mail, Turk
ish, English, French, Russian and American
ships OF war were lying in the Canadian wa
tiers, and Mustapha Pasha had just left Con-
stantinople for Gambia, with instructions to
conciliate the insurgents in every way posi-
BILE. t Hal-s asa
While European turkey is thus shiyeIing
on the brink of revolution and the Greeks are
dreaming of resuscitated Hellenic empire
with Byzaotium for it, capital, a proposition
for the practical rehabilitation of the Jewish
nation is meeting with singular favor in En-
rope and even at Constantinople. The author
of this proposition is Nj. Henri Dunant of
Geneva, Switzerland, the originator Of the ad-
Inifable scheme of neutral army-hospital a.
the great powers and rendered inestimable
service, during the late Germa war NJ Dun
dnt proposes 4',r11rrv great company, TO ne
known as the International Society OF the Or
lent The immediate object of this society
will be, to establish commercial bureau at
Constantinople and in other cities of the Turk
ish empire, construct port at Joppa, build a
railroad thence to Jerusalem, and transform
the ancient capital Of Judea into new city
Eivaling in Importance the cities OF Europe
in the sequel, to develope the resources of
Palestine, to secure its neutrality by a con-
vention to be signed by all the great powers.
including Turkey which will retain the nomi-
nal sovereignty, and to make of the Holy
Land a centre from which European civiliza-
ton may spread into and perhaps beyond the
other provinces Of Turkey. The French and
English governments are warmly interested
in this project, as a check to the Russian Doll
cy in that direction. Turkey is hardly in a
position, as we have seen, to refuse the con-
cession asked by her allies. The political as
pect OF the scheme is accordingly favorable
Its financial prospects are said to be equally |
Sc oil. The Rothschilds, Sir Moses Montefore
an other great capitalists among the Jews
are warmly interested IN a plan which looks
like the beginning of national restoration
The news from all quarters, indicates that
the Jews are ready to emigrate. They believe
the words OF prophecy point infallibly to this
conclusion. "The sons of strangers" says
Zeehariah, 'shall build up thJ walls, and their
kings shall minister unto thee" There are
more than seven millions of this strange race
in Europe and the East and their wealth is |
believed to be immense. 1t is by no means |
impossible that the little colony which sailed |
from .Ionesport for Joppa this summer, may
find Itself in the path of the most singular
migration the world has yet seem
The Eastern question, as it is called, is the
only one which now perceptibly and seriously
threatens the peace of Europe. Even if there
were no danger of a European war, ques-
ton involving two such possibilities as a new
Greek Empire on the one hand and restored |
Jewish nation 90 the other, would fully iusti- |
fly the interest with which it is regarded.
The ADVERTISER ON THE MAINE ELECTION.
We corrected part of the Advertisers errors |
in discussing the election returns last week.
IN 49, ~