The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-26
THE STATE OF THE SICK MAN.

From the ". T. Times.
Whatever may be the results of the present
difficulty between Russia and England, it is
clear that before the advances of vigorous
organizing empire, like the Russian, feeble
and dtSorganizing rival, like Turkey, must
yield. 1t is impossible for England to inter-
pose forever between the two. The point
must be reached when her interests will not
support the strain, and then Turkey must
yield to civilization.
English writer's and statesmen too often
insist on representing Turkey as progressive,
and Russia as a barbarous or effete power.
The capacity for development of the Ottoman
is the burden of most English commentaries
on the Eastern question, and a species of
morbid sentiment has been created in favor
of the fungoid civilization of the dying en-
pire.
Turkey is Constantinople, even more fully
than Paris is France. In that city wise
and experienced statesman, Ali Pasha-
assisted by two or three able subordinates of
his own race, educated in European capitals,
and number of European assistants, who,
under service more or less efficient are
dearly paid-holds head against the internal
attacks of Ottoman barbarism as we'll as the
external menaces of the diplomacy of Eu-
rope, and manages to impress the Western
average mind that Censtantinople is a
charming place in spite of everything, and
the Turks really most tolerant and amia-
BILE race. Yet, before the American war,
there were streets in Pera, even, where
Christian could not go save at the risk of his
life, and at this day there is not Pashalik
where the forms of law are respected an
instant longer than it pleases the Pasha to
follow them. The innate bias Of the Mus
sulman against education by letters is as great
as in any Roman Catholic country at any time
within the past century; and his unconquer-
able aversion to a Christian cannot be un-
known even to those who have seen
only Stamboul. Even where the same
race embraces both religions, the
distinction between the Christian and
his compatriot Mussulman is too striking to
leave room for the question In the Christian
portion there will be the greatest eagerness
to attend schools, and the utmost indifference
to them in the Mohammedan. 1t is an in
disputable fact that the els inertiG of the
Mohammedan element of Turkey is against
all advance in civilization, and to such a
degree that no force but conquest can over
come it. If Stamboul could move it would
only be the motion of the head without the
body.
More than this, the innovations on the
Moslem law have seriously demoralized the
faithful. 1t is not at all uncommon to hear
even the common soldiers say that now that
the law is broken by the Padischah the end
the Cretan insurrection in favor of the
Christians, the Sultan's visit to Paris, etc.,
were received by the army in Crete as the
sign of that long g-ago-foretold expulsion of
their empire from Europe which forms the
subject of an universal credence among Mus
sulmans, and produced an immediate and re-
markable decentralization.
The army, nominally four hundred thou
sand strong, is composed of excellent ma
terial, but with the worst conceivable dis
cipline and offering The best officers are
European adventurers, the most capable OF
whom now in high command is probably the
conqueror of Crete, Mehmet Ali Pasha, 'the
Prussian" The commander of the marine
forces, Admiral Hobart Pasha, is man o
little real ability, but of much fool hardness
not favorably known in the English service
which he left for the Turkish, either to
character or capacity. His captains are
stoAd, apathetic set; the crews are withou