Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-31
Nafrhman & gomnaL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 81, 1877.
The Eastern Questionable. 8.
NJ MRS. NJ. A. CURTIN.
LONDON, November 25i

Prussia and Austria, and the Franco-German
war. made Victor Emanuel king of a united
Italy. The country has still some wants to
satisfy. The two most important at pres
ent are, Italian Tyrol, and Tunis on the At
rican coast The southern portion of the
Tyrol is inhabited by Italians and COM
mands the entrance from Austria into Italy,
That is the piece of land still wanting to
round off Italian territory. complete the
system of military defence, and satisfy the
legitimate feeling of national pride. Tunis
is the nearest land on the opposite coast of
Africa and has long been coveted as valu-
able possession from commercial and other
points of view. One or both of these COW
eted prizes are the reward for Italian
support to Russia in the present crisis
of affairs in Turkey should it come to
blows. The Italians have exerted pre-
ponderant influence in the commercial af-
fairs of the East, and though the commerce
of Italy preserves but small portion of its
former greatness in the Levant and the
Black Sea, it is greatly on the increase of
late years, and now that the Peninsula is
united under the constitutional government,
we may fairly expect to see the Italians oc-
cupy place amongst the nations of Europe
which their commanding geographical posi-
tion and the undoubted genius of the nation
entitle them to hold. Before the Turkish
conquests in Europe, Italian enterprise COW
cred the coasts of the Black Sea with com
mercial towns, colonies and trading posts.
In iourneying through these regions, one
finds everywhere traces of the active Italian
merchants. After the Turkish conquests
in Europe, an end was put to all this activ-
ity. The regions of the Black Sea were con-
demued to condition of torpor. The Bos-
phorus was closed to foreign ships for up
ward of three centuries, until Russia ac-
qured the northern shores of the Black Sea
and opened the straits to the commerce of
the world. During the present week a spe-
cial ambassador, the Marquis of Salisbury,
left London for Constantinople, to be pres
ent at the coming conference, calling on his
way at Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Rome.
as | write. The French Minister of Foreign
Affairs the Duke Decazes, was very polite
and ready to do everything, except to go be-
yond pleasant words.
France is self-collected and strictly neu-
trail and Is resolved to let England draw her
own chestnuts out of the fire in case she
happens to have any there. In Berlin the
noble Marquis was received with all the
blunt good-nature and frankness which Bis
marck knows so well how to assume. In
answer to his inquiries the English Ambas-
Russia by ties of family relationship and ma
tional gratitude and must remain neutral
These words must have sounded strangely
in the ears of the secretary of state for India,
and he might well have called to mind the
definition of diplomacy given by the late
Due de Morny; "La diplomatic c'ea Tart de
Sc moquer Fdutres sans sen donner rair"
Diplomacy is the art of making fun of peo-
pie without having the appearance of doing
SOY Tomorrow Vienna will he reached
and the reception will be pleasant the Mar
quis will be invited to the court dinner
which is arranged for tomorrow evening;
Count Andrassy will tell him that Austria
the Hungarian portion of the EN-
pre, would be only too glad to cooperate
al, -. e
both home and foreign policy force his gov
ernment to a most careful and prudent alb
stnence from all rash action.
The English Ambassador will be met at
Rome with that refined polteness of which
the Italians are such distinguished masters.
He will receive every assurance of good will
to England, together with declarations of
Italy's desire for permanent peace. That is
all he will get, and that is simply nothing at
all towards supporting the policy of Lord
Beaconsfield, which is to preserve Turkey in
all its present abomination and hideousness.
Lord Salisbury will then go to Constantine
pie, where the conference will be opened
Immediately after his arrival. As have
stated in a previous letter. the opposing
forces in the Eastern struggle are Russia
and England. The former has taken posi-
ton from which she will not recede. The
position is that the Christians of European
Turkey must have an endurable government
and that sufficient guarantees must be given
to ensure the proper establishment and work
ing of the same. The details may be worked
up with certain variations, but the sense
must be preserved and the guarantees must
be something better than Turkish promises.
Lord Salisbury has no very easy part to
play unless, at the eleventh hour, the English
government has made up its mind to assist
in ameiorating the condition of the Chris
tians and bringing the Turks quickly and
clearly to understand that they are to ex-
pect no more from England, either in ma
terial or moral assistance. The isolation in
which Great Britain now finds herself and
the detestation in which Turkey is held by
the civilized world ought to be sufficient to
bring even Lord Beaconsiield to his senses.
All the great powers are either on the side
of Russia or are neutral. Roumania, which
occupies the left bank of the lower Danube,
and which is now tributary to Turkey, has
eighty thousand men ready to assist on the
Christian side in case of war. Her reward
will be complete independence, with the ad
vanced dignity of being called kingdom
instead of principality. Greece is in arms
The provinces of Epirus and Thessaly, now
attached to Turkey, belong to the little
kingdom, both by their geographical position
and by the fact that they are entirely inhab
tied by Greeks Then the islands of tn,
Kgean Sea are all Greek in population anC
must be united sooner or later to the king
dom. The coalition is a strong one, It il
rarely that good cause is so well supported
as the cause of which Russia is now the ad
vocate and, in case of necessity, will be thu
armed champion. The moves in this diplo
matte game have been made by Prime
Gortschakotf with consummate skill, and i
Russia should be forced into war she will
have the sympathy of every true friend o