, 1877-04-29

tunity Of lberatins It's pcnt-up indignation. Th'
document does not 1t is true, lack ability, but vi
miss the dexterity Of phrase and argument whics
Greek pens have usually put at the command of ths
Porte, That defcat III the more striking becaust
the Ottoman Government might easily have delayed
its answer until the Ambassadors OF all the Grea
Powers had returned to ConEtantinople, and unit
it had consulted them to the means best fitted X
satisfy the demands Of Europe at the least cost
its own sovereignty Aut it has hastened to reply
it has pcremptor,ly refused to comply with any o
70 with needless rhetorical emphasis; and
thus it eeems to display an absolute
fa.s. any ay Of 1etrea s. loud and
else note Of defiance perfectly tntclligib!e on
the supposition that Turkey wishes to hasten 8
war which she believes to bo inevitable: but the
peace, was possible down to the moment It which
she sicnted her intention to reject tho Protocol.
ny the exsrcss o. little more Po"1s sfe p
restrain the tmpatience OF Russia and thus nave
left the way open for disarmament But she must
now to be told thai she has done her best 70
Russia and Turkey have now exhausted the op.
portunities Of negotiation IN an alternate gre oi
.yodns thdp nmse phase o
nificancc II is possible that when these words
meet the eye OF the reader the die will have been
ad stns fff
What share are Of foes. excuses; Or deceptons cacn
party has contributed to the terrible s,a1d1e
The iSeu't Court TOT Of Europes low does Turkey:
Neither, it must bc said, has succeeded In
thoroughly impressing the public opinion q
aci,on ana design. Few, Of course, have been
abN to follow the diplomacy: and most arc prefix
diced against it, not the least bccanse 1t has
real state Of things, md their impatience for
decisive results one way or the other. In this
cloud OF words there, is one point In which
int very little NEEDED Both have MOVED honest
" that they cannot stop, and that they find them.
selves irEesistlbly impelled EDWARDS In one fatal
and put them in motion. Both haye made all the
preparations for war, one case, II not both, fur
beyond what was thought possible year ago. Both
have hundreds of thousands Of men IN posi-
lions where they depend on artificial supplies.
Both have constructed fort16cafons along the whole
line OF an extended front, and brought to them
both sides the Treasury is exhausted credit is low,
mar long in arrear, and all the cost and difficulty
81 war without the facilities which ths
ayerrcd they must fight; Il t be perilous to ad-.
vance 1t is death to stand still. Accordingly, each
weary it ont and gain the fruits Of war without
fighting for them. We may, If We please set this
down as SO much talk. intended to produce po-
real real state Of the case, II was a grim
calculation, but it had to- be made.
8 loag as m that, :, St st4ts t. .s oi sspeetsees
. for. and continually reinforced. From the ' ont.
break OF actual war they maintain themselves at
least in that part OF the world; they diminish In
they wgs o1 teef own they
In word, the soldier takes the place Of tue
civilian. and the sword relieves the pen.
There have been times, indeed, when the Turk
could have held his ground for any time, armed to
the teeth in the presence Of foe ready and eager
for battle. He is soldier. His position, rights,
and usages nEe those Of war: His taxes are tEih-
law Is superior force. lie can deal only with the
vanuuiahcd- So even in profound peace he main
tanned state o. var, @ only M bloodle:s because the
sults. and the whole spirit OF war are there For
tunately for himself, the historic Turk seldom dis
sipated his energies orcnfeebed his manliness with
the tastes and pursuits Of peace. Europe, too. till
this century, recognized him as an intruder, and
allowed him to be exceptional He was dcspot
indeed and very cruel one, but over races Europe
knew little Of and had small symuathy with.
None measured the Turk or judged his actions By
the rn1es OF v.katon. He might maintain peace,
or carry on war, or continue state OF afais and
social system that were neither peace nor war and
Europe would look on. It had the lowest opinion
OF the Turks Christian subjects and tributaries and
was content to let Russia take care Of itse All is
changed now. Science and humanity have contrib
uted to make war many times more costly than it
used to be. and, though the Turk Is the cheapest
soldier IN The ord IT, not nlsS tas brarest i'm
other munitions Of war; nor docs he live entirely
Just upon what he can lay his hands on, he used
to do. It reads like new chapter Of history to
lind IN almost barbarc Power fighting for its exist
euce necessarily with modern appliances, and in
the face Of modern code. in tho midst of civili-
zation. Yet, II Tu,key.a financial difficulties
methods, 1t would be scarcely possible for Europe
not 10 listen to the cry that would certainly be
raised. Turkey, IN fine, can neither carEr on the
rhs ries u'4 nor ' as ~ Europe does So % now:
neither BY violence fapiue, ,.nt,. sonss,ip
and free expenditure. Every day must bring her
nearer the fatal hour when she can only war she:
used to war: and be proclaimed an enemy Of the
problem OF her own existence, and determining
the value OF her own law Of life. She certainly
ran nolongeF exist as she has existed, and when
other form. and can only do as she has ever done,
she is in fact, decipherinE her OWL doom.
But If this be the case Of Turkey, it may well be
askcd why hns Russia also pnt herself in that case
Tint she, too. has lost the power Of selfcontrol,
and has at last only submitted the memorable log
Ic OF war. II Turkey. be indeed doomed, as in =
Russia might have taken her time and consulted
appearances. OF course, 20 great Power would
never admit that IN any sense it had ceased 10 be
prise to read that in reIv to modest hint to this
effect, the Gear indignantly exclaimed that II ever
be entered Turkey. he should know when to leave
it. If Russia now admits Dorni necessity, aud
pleads in seif-defcn &C that upon certain proba-
ble contingency it must enter upon the
war path and abide the consequences, then
inscrutable now will increase till IT becomes the
dictator. at least tn comparison With my hu'nnn
will What we haye before !n as ~ noln3 ess :n than
and perhaps Russia, which il sno.t Of ci interest.
ed. is least of oil coyuixant Ut te true state Ut
very splca TINT rhe has not been able 10 restrnip
herself and th4t the delay was In