New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-15
AN EXCITING STAGE REACHED.


bize and concentrate the army
AN EXCITING STAGE REACHED.
PROGRESS OF THE NEGOTIAUoNs-rHE COOPER
TON OF BELGIUM NvITED-THE TURKS PRE-
PAIRING ACTIVELY FOR wAR-THE GREEKS tx
TREMELY HOSTILE TO TEEM-THE NEW TURK
ISL CONSTITUTION DEEMED A DIPLOMATIC SUB
TERFUGE.
lrRoa An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBUNEl
LONDON, Dec. 23.-The no gotations at COnstan-
tinople have arrived 81 important and certainly
exciting stage. The preliminary gatherings OF the
ambassadors have come to IN end and the Confer
ence itself meets to-day But inasmuch as the Con-
ference is but term-a figure Of speech rs 1t were
proceeding which does little else than call IN the
representatives of the Porte and inform them, one
by one of the points which the Powers are going to
impose upon Turkey-we are probably not far off
the end of the negotiations Last week the Embas-
sailors decided what they should require in regard
to Servia Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro, and
left to this week the case of Bulgaria and the all
important question Of the guarantees The details
of what they have decided in regard to Bulgaria are
not as yet known, but we have heard good deal
about the guarantees
Meanwhile the question is daily more and moro
narrowing it.elf down to one of occupation There
be imposed by the Conference, far as TIE reforms
go will be rejected by the Porte indeed there seems TO
be a little pleasant rivalry going on between the
Porte and the Powers as to which can produce the
most radical scheme. The. Porte has become most
lavish in it's promises and the Constitution Is
all that could be desired if there any guarantee
that il would not go the way of all its predecessors
remain on paper only. The reforming zeal of the
Constantinople Government has even gone the
length of appointing Midhat Pasha To De Grand
Vizer in order that special ecat may be gwen I'd
the new reform scheme of which Mdhat IS the
parent. We are even told of a special ceremonial
PRONUNCIATION of this paper freedom, which VIII take
place to-day with all soemnity and with hnng
of cannon and the illumination of public buildings
Mt night Some have discovered significance III
this IL is certainly coincidence when at hrst
sight would appear little strange that OH the very
day when the Conference Is to meet 10 DISCUSS 'He
raforns the Porte should make all this pompous
parade of contemplated reforms, which IN severi re-
spce;a 20 further than the Conference would have
asked. what does 1t mean ~ we are asking our
selves. The conclusion many have come 10 Is that
It means that the Turks going to resist at all cost
any proposals for occupation from whatever source
they NAV come Others affirm that 1t simply means
that the Porte relying the support of England IN
the last extremity are still hoping to avert demand
for oecupation a. n guarantee. The appointment OF
Ni,lhat Pasha to the Office of Grand NHier, WHICH
was announced early this week, was at once 'aheu
az an intimation 10 Europe that his name ought u
be sufficient guarantee without requiring such
measure occupation.
do not saw that the question is 80 far narrowed
down AZ 10 be one of Occupation or war, but thac
view il held rather extensively and 1t IL the only
solution can find for the gloomy aatlclpatlons
which nrevaiI at the time write We are told that
Turkey Is preparing for on large scale ana we
are asked to infer that these preparations mean
nothing else but aheternmed resistance 10 iorelgh
occupation 1 should be disposed myscii 10 pre'lc'
that # the case came to such crisis a. that, the
Turks would give way, especially wneh tney louho
il 70 he a fact. Notwithstanding Lord BeacOnshelds
buster, that they. would not nave hrtsn support
The Porte is wise enough to know that with bank
rupt exchequer Russia would be too strong zoe 10
encounter snge-handrd, especially ~ directly
they engaged in the encounter with their northern
neighbors they would assuredy have to meet the
southern One of the items Of Intelligence thIs
week which bears with some weight on the
ouestion IA that the Greeks have Determined
10 raise the strength of their land army 10
100000 men. This may be, a. me imeS
suggests, mere piece OF braggadoclo OH
the part of the Chamber nc Athens, but IN any case
il must be IA serious embarrassment Ia the i"iAs l"
know that AZ soon as they resolve to encounter hs
STA they will have TO settle the questions 10 long
outstanding with the Greeks. Turkey cannot IT.
solve upon war with any chance OF success except
she relied on support from without lh'ieloio u
seems that as the Porte comes TO understand the real
position of Affairs il must accept the guai"h''cS
which the Conference imposes. 1t is by no means
likely that the representatives will be dended INTO
the acceptance OF any promises on have dust thrown
in their eyes by all this parade about the acceptance
of the new reforms. The Young Turkey party may
be Just now petted and caressed ut Constantlnopi'
but il will be of no avail Whatever the Conference
may decide AZ to their form, there Is no snado" OF
doubt that they will impose efficient guarantees Oh
some kind
An excellent index 10 the Turkish mind and to
the official IDEAS of the Porte has been Afforded
more especially this week, by the dispatches oil the
Constantlnope correspondent OF The Ddiy telegraph