, 1877-01-17
MIR GLADSTONE AND THE GREEKS.
from the Times)

yoru RerieD is primarily addressed to his
own countrymen, but it can hardly tail to
Ia read bv Greeks, and to have a certain
influence on their conduct, For some
wears little has been heard of the Great
idea" 80 popular In the days of King
Ohio, and consisting in the re establish
ment of q Christian Empire at CONSTANT
nonle. with men OF Greek race and Ian
guage as its rulers and administrators
But Greek ambition is rot dead it only
sleeps. The Crjmean War, the occupa-
tion of the Pirmus, tbs subsequent favour
which Turkey enj yed in England 0nd
prohted by so substantially, the failure Of
the Cretan Instruction, and the unflatter-
ing tone in which Greece has been spoken
Of in the West, where Phjlhellenism Is
almost an extinct creed, have al tended to
restrain the Greeks, suggesting to them
that aggression ia for the present hopeless.
But they have not been seriously dlsc0Cr-
aged or depressed no consensus OF testi-
mony will ever persuade them to any but
the highest es innate OF their own merits
and they are too near the Turks not to
BIZ aware that the Sultan's Government
is smitsen with on incurable malady,
Which will one day give the Greeks their
opportunity. II there be any bar to their
highest hopes, it is not the power Of their
Mohammedan enemi-s or the alienation of
their old admirers 10 the West it is the
entrance on the scene OF q rival race, more
Formidable because allied and because it
nav logitinately aspire to the prlmacy
OF the Fest. But If the Greeks are not
g.S!-.I l. ~,1 IN = ~40cvoFoI CDU-topFi-
uopIo, they may hope to extent The limits
OF their W p4trimony By adding Thessa-
" and Epirus, aud even territory beyond
these Provinces, to thu Hellenic Kingdom.
It may be assumed that no jealousy Of race
will be strong enough to restrain the
Greeks from accepting the offer of terrific
rial advantage. They may look with dis
satisfaction at the course which history is
taking, but, as history will not be argued
with, they will make the best OF what is
prepared for them.
Such being the state Of feeling in the
Greek world, where every mar is a politi-
clan and even the most fantastic and fool
hardy have a certain admixture Of shrewd-
ness, it may easily be believed that both in
Hellas and in theTurkish Provinces the
Greek people are watching lntently tor
indications of the course they should pur-
sue. There can be no doubtthat the ques-
ton has been debated most earnestly in
every circle. and the results are not likely
to be the less practical because a certain re-
serve has been maintained. They will ask
themselves what are the intentions of the
Car, what direction and dimensions the
war will take, what relations will ensue
between Russia and the other European
Powers, and, above all, how the Western
nations which joined with Russia in estab.
fishing independent Greece will look upon
a rising in the frontier Provinces OF Tur-
key fomented by the Government of Athens.
The tendency of Mr.. Gladstoue's article
is to encourage the Greeks to q campaign.
He treats the history of Greek servitude
and ofthe Greek Revolution in reference to
othe Eastern Question generally, but when
: the Greeks come to consider what pfaeti--
cal effect is to, be produced by "ths Hell
leaie factor in the Eastern Problem