New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-10-20
EXTENT OF KUSSIAs DEMANDS
The TymeSs correspondent at Paris says:

Russia wishes the absolute independence OF Scrvia the
recognized independence Of Montenegro, with an eXe-
sion of territory and the annexation OF the port % pSSa
aud the political and administrative autonomy OF BOSNIA
She wishes to strip off Bessaraba. taken from her in
1856 and TO have the liberty OF the Dardanees es'O-
lished.
ENGLAND AND THE TURKISH QUESTION
PROBABILITY OF lord BEAcoNSFIELD's RETIRE
MENT-LORD DERBY ENTRUSTED WITH TIE FOR
FIGN POLICY OF THE NATION-MR. GLADSTONE
INVITED TO REAssUNtE THE LIBERAL LEADER
sHP-A COALITION POSSIBLE-COURr INTRIGUEs
rFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TiIE THIBUNEI
LONDON, Oct. 5.-Amd the discussion of the Bul-
garan atrocities, the Seryian war; and indeed OF
the whole Eastern question itselfto great extent
induced by it-thcre once again rises good deal Of
speculation as to the leadership of the two great po-
litical parties. There are those who omnouSy say
that Lord Beaconsfeld will retire from the Cabinet
at the end of the year. and again there are Others
who affirm that ere Parliament meets Lord liaring-
ton will give place to Mr.. Gladstone. Both asscr-
tons are to some extent based upon facts which de-
velOp themselves in the politics of the hour.
Though with thin vail Of modcsty Lord Beacons-
field told the Buckiughamshirc farmers that Her
Majesty could not think Of dispensing with his
services and that his colleagues had pressed him to
remain in office, lc has himself given rise by his ac-
him. 1t was generally considered that II WAS ms
policy which was beng pursued in regard to East
ern afiaIrs-and in the earlier stages doubt the
supposition was eorrec-but Of late the signs have
been rather the other way Even in the famous
Aylesbury speech, Lord Beacon~fcld spoke more as
one who followed than ~ one who led. Ills alIu-
sons to Lord Derby and Lord Derby's acts were
hardly those of one who had dictated, but rather Of
one who had acquiescel Though pressed TO receive
the deputation from the City Of London, lac dele
gated the task 10 the Foreign Minister and hc has
carefully abstaned from claiming credit for what
has been done Of late. The whole of the recent
negotiations have the appearance OF q resignation to
Lord Derby OF the task Of settling the
difficulty, and Of getting the Government
out of the scrape into which the high-handcd
policy of its chief had landed it. He is wise enough
to know that far larger proportion of people have
confidence i'll Lord Derby than IN himself in regard
to foreign affairs These and other facts are urged
as instances which induce belief IN Lord Bcacons-
fields speedy retirement from office.
As 10 Mr. Gladstone, the gossip arises solely from
his action on the Eastern question. He has come
forward, and, with an cancstncss feryor, and an
eloquence which even surpasscs himself, cspoused
the popular side in the Turkish controversy. Why
did he do itY His own answer is that las the only
surviving member of the Cabinet which was
responsible for the Crimcan war" he feels that the
responsibility of silence is one too great To be
bornep So far az Mr.. Gladstone himself is CON
cerned | should prefer 10 take ms own version Of
his reason than the one found by the political
prophets Those who know Mr.. Gladstone will
know well enough that he had such motive as
that ascribed to him in thus rushing into the polIt
ical arena at time Of abnormal popular excitement
They will know that his one and only object was, as
he said to guide to bcneiccnt end the tide of pop
ular feeling which was ebbing and flowing it knew
not whittier. Yet those who know him best will
have the greatest difficulty III finding an answer 10
the query now very frequently put in what light
would Mr.. Gladstone ut the present moment regard
a powerful and spontaneous call for him TO come
back to his old place. Ii we look around and con
slider the likelihood Of such a call being
made, the aspect is certainly not unfayor-
able. The Liberal party Is dsintepated almost
to atoms. Scarcely one dozen Of ITS members
agree with another dozen the Wings and the Radi-
Gals are hOpeessly apart and there IS no question
which they are likely to unite under the present
management. In the past Mr.. Gladstone has led the
Wings and the Radicals one homogeneous whole.
Could he do it againi Twill not give my own answer
TO this question, but will recount one or two recent
circumstances which appear TO some extent to sup
ply an answer The extreme Radicals are every
where calling out for Mr.. Gladstone. They natur-
ally enough do not like what they not inapty call
the diluted TOrysm of Lord Harrington and Sir
William Harcourt Mr. Potter, the present Occu-
pier of the late Richard CObdens seat at ROchdalc,
has emphatically declared that he must come, and
some see significance in the northumberland that
be viii. Mr.. Chamberlain the newly-elected Radical
member from Birmingham, has expressed similar
opinion, and even Mr. Fawcett has openly avOwed
his regret that he did not in times past give his
leader more cordial support. This is a decidedly
different tone to that which the Radicals used to
adopt Has n compact been made between the
Radicals and the recluse of Hawarden" to work
together, or has it some other meaningi
May there not be another aspect to thisl In the
case of Lord Beaconsfeld's retirement what direc-
ton will the Conservative party take1 viii they
work on the lines he has laid down, and will the
new leader lead without falling into the wees and
mistakes Of his predecessor If so the Radicals may
well be in dread Of coalition between the Wings
and the general body Of Conservatives. Sir Stafford
Northcote is the new leader in tho Commons. He is
man far above Lediocrity; ior statesman he is
young. In his hands at present the party could ex-
pect none of the holder strokes OF Disrae but he is
man whose opinions are in somewhat remarkable
coincidence with those of some Of the older Wings.
Mr.. Cross and Lord Derby again are put in the same
category. and people may well ask wherein do they
differ from Lord Harrington, Sir William Harcourt.