Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-11-23
THE EASTERN QUESTION.

THE Eastern QUESTION.
The Sersisn mar. and the other u.
fairs connected with what is known in
Europe Is the Eastern Question"
which ha-e oceuped 80 large q space
IN The; cable dispatches l~ % sral
months, are hecoming SO mvddled by
conflicting dispatches - to what one
or other 81 ar Of "the Great Powers"
are dsing, 'or about to Do that .oshe
bsiei general review Of the rssbiect be-
comes nes essary for The relief. of tAs
ayerage reader. First, then. @ d ss,he
Greet Powers whic6 6k0fe - MONT
sehily. 4Aese = present s4s lIodkis.
GfeaA Dsie6ia. Anstr1av U1rmnr n1n6eo
and Italy,. They ere named z lSs =.
der Of their real or supposed interest in
what Is under consideration. Russia is
the active sympathizer with and DO /.
tive supporter Of tha, large population
in European Turkey and its tributary
but quasi independent States that be.
long to the Slavonian race. or attached
TO the Greek Church in religion, and
Who are now OF have been for genera
iions the victims of Turkish oppression
and barbsri,y. The policy Of the Rus
sian Government is togive real indepen.
dence to the communities made up of
this population, who, in some Of the
Turkish provinces and tributary States,
are greatly in the majority. This would
result in the erection OF a number Of
Slavonian States taken from Turkey,
capable OF being confedera,ed into an
additional Slevonic power, which would
naturally look to Russia as its leader
and ally if rot protector-and might
quite as naturally gravita.e towards
Russia and eventually become q com.
ponent part OF that Empire. In all
this. apart from the immediate occasion,
Russia would be following out what is
regarded as 1.-THE traditional policy" OF
that Empire, looking to the exclusion
OF Turkey from Europe, and to the an
nexstion OF Turkish territory to Russia.
The present Emperor is said to occu.
py at present conservative or res
training position with respect to agrees
sive movements against Turkey, bu,
his family and the Russian people are
in sympathy with the most active meas
ures Tor the relief Of the Christian pop
ulation OF the Turkish provinces and
tributary States, and this Is the general
feeling Of the population Of Europe.
The British Government is pursuing
what may also be said to have become
a TRADITIONAL policy" Great Britain
and Russia have for long time been
rivals at Constantinople--seldom in
agreement, and generally at opposites.
Whatever may be the causes or mo.
tivcs for this, whether commercial OF
political, or both-it is the fact, and ex-
lists now to degree which has arrayed
a very large proportion of the Bril-. h
people against the course pursued B.;
their Government, and especially SINCE
the truth has been learned concerning
the Turkish bu.cheries in Bulgaria.
which several OF the Briti>h Ministers
made the unfortunate blunder Of az
tempting to discredit or palliate. Great
Britain naturally looks upon all meas.
ures calculated to advance Russia
towards Constantinople, Persia, Egypt
or India, with jealousy and di.trust; and
without doubt this is an important factor
among the motives which caused her
Government to take the position they
have heretofore occupied, and now oc-
cupy in the present emergency, and
which have recently led that Govern
ment into q rather questionable attitude
before the world. This opposition be-
tween Russia and Great Britain is the
difficult. If not the dangerous elemen,
in the Eastern Question. Grea,
Britain's earnest desire to aid the suf-
fering Christians is embarrassed by the
postum which her Government con-
ceives to be necessary in view Of pos
sihle future movements by Russia. Aus
tria, the third Of the Great Powers"
in the order in which we have arranged
them, is concerned first for relief to the
Christians, and then chiefly for her own
safety. A confederation of Slavonian
States adjoining her southern boundary
might lead to the loss Of some of her
territory where the Slavic element pre-
vails-this in turn might lead to further
di>integration-and in any event would
extend the influence Of Russia around
her southern boundary. lfthere should
be close and cordial understanding
between Russia and Germany, such a
condition would place Austria between
the upper and neither milestone in case of
a general war, or in any future political
upheaval in Continental Europe,
These three-Russia, Great Britain
and Austria-are, therefore the three
Powers" more Immediately interested,
and. from what is said Of them, the
reader may get fair idea Of the diff
cuities in the way Of their cordial
agreement on any line of policy, and
hence the muddle in the conflicting
dispatches a. to their relative attitudes
from day to day.
As 10 the policy or views Of Germa-
ny. very little is known with any ap-
proach to accuracy. She is in the con-
sulta;ion because she Is q Great Pow
err" and formidable because her posi-
ton either way may have decisive ef-
feet. Thus far she has not taken any
initiative. seeming to be in the position
To- cooperate in any policy upon which
the others agree, but, as far as we can
judge, sympathizins with Russia, and
perhaps not averse to q result that will
increase her inference in the Valley Of
the Danube. France and Italy, the re-
naming two Of the six, are The least
embarrassing factors. France, above
all things, desires a continuance OF that
tranquility under The influence OF which