, 1876-05-12
THE DOOM OF THE TURKS.

newspaper press as whole.
THE D00M OF THE TURKS.
The tolls are slowly. but surely gathering
about Turkey. Tho telegraph has already
brought the intelligence Of two new compll-
cations which cannot help but preclnltato
her final doom. The first Of these IS the
Salonica massacre which occurred few days
since. Salonica, the ancient Thessalonlca,
is thriving city of 10000 people, nearly
onc-half Of whom are Jews and Christians,
situated on tho gulf of the same name, on
tho Southern or Grecian part of Turkey in
Europe. Later news gives different aspect
to tie origin of the massacre. The frst
accounts, which were of Turkish origin, rep
resented that the young Greek girl was q
willing convert to Mohanmcdanism, and
that the Christians were seeking to tear her
ava7 from her Turkish friends. The reverse
Of this now seems to be the case, the latest
statements showing that she was rescued by
the chiyalry of the American Consul from an
ATTEMPTED Mohammedan abduction. AS the
result of this rescue, the infurlated Turks
not only commenceda massacre of Christians,
but also murdered the French and German
Consuls, and offered inaignitics to others,
For the first time in many years, The French
and Germans arc acting together, and their
war-vessels are steaming towards Salonlca
with common purpose in view. The war
vessels Of Italy, Austria, Russia, and En-
gland are also on their WY thitler. It Is G
movement Of six of the European Powers in
the interests Of the Christians, and the pres
ence of these Powers, through their naval
representatives, at Salonica is O notice to
Turkey that these outrages upon Christians
will not be tolerated any longer The effect
of this massacre will not only be to compi-
cafe Turkey still further with the Great
Powers, but it will also in all probability de-
yclop insurrection against Turkish tyranny
and aIohammeden cruelty in u new quarter.
Hitherto, tho people south Of the Balkan
Mountains have been quiet and shown
no signs of restlessness, but. this out
rage upon the Christian girl and
massacre Of her friends and co-re1igionists
will raiso q storm of excitement among tho
Greek Christians of Albania, Macedonia, and
Rumilia, and must undoubtedly pzecipitato
war of the Christian against the Moslem
tyrants, thus consolidating the whole Greek
Christian interests Of Turkey against the
Turks. In such struggle there is no doubt
where tho sympathies of the Great Powers
will be found.
The second of these complications, and
very startling one, is the revolt Of Bulgaria,
which, coming so closely upon the revolt Of
Servia, now extends the insurrection from
the Adriatic to the Black Sea- It has hither-
to been difficult to ascertain the real strength
Of Servia as war power, but recent letter
in the London Times, from its Belgrade cor
respondent, throws some light upon the sub
ject- Servia has IS brigades Of in~
fantry, X squadrons Of cavalry, and
% batteries of artillery, in all about
$4,000 me1i, who are well provided with arma-
ments, accoutrements, and stores, and the
organization is based upon the effective
Austrian method. Now, in addition to Ser
via, Bulgaria has broken out into revolt.
This province has population Of 2,500, 1000,
Of which the Mohammedan element amounts
to only 10000. The people are warlke
mountaineers, and have more than once de-
manded and obtained concessions from Tur-
key which thelatter was disposed to concede,
owing to the well-known sympathy of Russia
with the Bulgarians. It will be difficult to
prevent the Bulgarian disafection from
spreading into Roumania-the old Wallachia
and Moldayia-which is inhabited by the same
rnce Of people, having the same customs,
sympathies, md religion, and separated from
them only by the River Danube. Should
such IN event occur, as is not at all improb-
able, for a revolt in Roumania
would be encouraged by Russia, the whole
of Turkey north of the Balkan Mountains
would be under arms. It would involve a
war which could not be settled except upon
one coudition,-the determination Of the
Turks, or at least the blotting out Of
Turkey from the map of Europe. Such
result would DO in the immediate interest of
religion, civilization, and progress, and that
result must come in the not distant future.