The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-12
The Latest Phases of the Turkish
Question:.

Question.
IL Is dinloult on the slender and imper-
feet Information furnished by the cable,
TO follow the various phases through which
the Conference ut Constantinople Is pass
ing. Ii is evident that all Europe has been
| surprised at the unexpected turn which
affairs have taken. and that the Christian
powers find themselves in II position of no
little embarrassment. Every body's role
seems to have become inverted, and we
| have now the novel and interesting spec
tacle of Gen. IGNATIEFF indicating TO the
| Porte the best means Of evading his own
proposals, ana of Lord SALISBURY, rs the
active ally and partisan of Russia. beseech-
| ing the sick man" TO let that Muscovite
| giant "down easily" while Prince Bis
MARCK, who ostentatiously expressed him
self as entirely disiuterested in the whole
question. is the first TO take q decided line.
| aud threatens mt once to withdraw the
German Ambassador should Turkey per-
sist in its couiumacy. 1t would be inter-
| csiing to know why it is that this dark
horse should begin to take up the run
ming at this early stage, but we are in
ciined TO think that in the position of
Roumania will be found the key OF the
mystery.
II would clearly be the true policy
OF the Porte, now that treaties are
being disr,glrded all round to give the
Danubian Principalities their independ-
enco without consulting any of the
powers. 1t is notorious that the stipula-
tions by which they hold their pres
ent autonomy under European guar
nntee have been repeatedly violated,
and none of the powers could object
10 an act on the part Of the Sultan
by which he should divest himself % "A
part of the empire, which, owing to the
anomalous conditions Of is existence, is
really source Of weakuess rather
, than OF strength, BY pllowip~. pcinoa
,nAin.L>Vl nUuenlOliefn 10 proclaim him
/ self King Of Roumania, the cordial sup
port of the German Emperor would be
secured TO Turkey, and wedge inserted
between that country and Russia which
would make an advance across the Pruth
II very Serious question, and give rise 10
J complications between BISMARCK aud
GoRCHAKoFF which the latter would GER
tainly seek to avoid.
There can be no doubt that this would
be II stroke of diplomacy which would
allow MIDHAT PAsHA to introduce his re-
forms unmolestcd by any ole. II would.
however, be so wide departure from the
traditional policy of the Porte that We
question very much whether it VIII be
adopted. Melntmeit j. interesting to COM
pare the proposals which Gen. IGNATrErF,
with the assistance OF Lord SALISBURY,
is now making 10 the Sultan. with those
which lie made when he thought that
buster alone would be sufficient TO
terrify that potentato into submis-
sion. The occupation Of Bulgaria by
Russian army was at first distinctly
announced rs n part of the programme
from which Russia would on no account
depart. while Bosnia and HERZEGOVINA
were TO have their political and nd
illustrative autonomy. The frontier of
Servia was TO be rcctiled. and the fortress
or SHwornlk given TO that priucipality.
Montenegro was TO have u port on the
Adriatic and rcctlilcatlOn OF frontier
on the side of Herzegovina; while nu-
merous minor proposals. Of which we now
hear nothing, were insisted upon rs add
tional guarantees. BY degrees these de-
mands have been dropped. We hear
nothing now OF the autonomy Of Bosnia
nnd Herr soyna. Seryia and Montcnc-
gro have been given distinctly to under
stand they have nothing to hope for in tho
shape of increased territory, while the oc-
oupatlou of bulgaria by n Russian army
has dwiudled down to Ian international
commission, with consultative powers
only, the appointment of officers OF i'll
struction, and Of a Bulgarian, instead OF u
European, rs Governor of Bulgaria"
Viewed by the light of the Russian
military and diplomatic collapse, it is
interesting to speculate what would have
happened had Turkey refused the ulti-
matum after the battle of AlexinatZ.
when Gen. IGNArIEFF threa tened to break
of relations if the Porto did not CONSENT to
the armisuce. 1T is evident now that war
would not have followed that violent rup-
ture, and Russia would hayo been
placed in n position even more hui
initiating and embarrassing than the
one shO at present occupies While
Gen. IGNATIEFF Is trying TO effect his re-
treat with as little loss Of diplomatic pres
tige ms possible, the position of Lord SAILS
hurry is not much more cnvlable: that
it Is false one, Is due entirely TO the
public pressure cxcrcs, q upon the Brit
ish Government, and which has forced
them TO retreat from policy which was
straightforward and dgnincd.
II tho ACKNOWLEDGMENT policy of Mr..
GLADSTONE Is to be carried out at all, IL
has now become evident that 10 can
only ho achieved by the bombardment
OF 'ons,antinople by n British fleet, IN
cooperation with Russian army in
vtsling that capital by land-as soon,
NJ least MS such an army can be got |
ready to attempt to fight Its way there.