The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-20
FOREIGN.
The TurcO-Russian War.
England Afraid of Being Left
Out in the Cold.
EXPLANATIONS OF THE MIN
HSTRY'S ATTITUDE.
Germany Treats their Pro-
pOsals with Contempt.
AUSTRIA DETERMINED TO PRE-
SERVE NEUTRALITY.
Germany Willing to See Turkey
Extinguishedo

llou CliCtoo, oHu buCiO 10 iAuOu
speculation as to what course the government
will take. 1t is stated semi-officially in govern
ment circles that the government, through Lord
BeaconsAeld, will declare in strong terms its
disapproval of Russia's concluding direct peace
with Turkey. And the course England will
pursue 10 case the remonstrauce is not recog-
pized by Russia, is matter in which the deep
est interest is taken, and on which there is great
difference of opinion.
The early convocaton of Parliament ia JAN
uary indicates that an anti-Russian policy is to
be pursued by the government, and this creates
q great sensation in political circles. All the
morning papers ackno Wedge the importance of
an early meeting of Parliament. and it is be-
lieved that the government will ask Parliament
to vote money for recruiting, &c.
The Financier SAYS: All sorts of statements
are in circu ation on the Stock Exchange of
discussions in the Cabinet; thai the Marquis of
Salisbury and Earl Carnavon are to quit; that
Beaconstield, thus rid of clog upon his policy,
will send troops to Gallipoli; that the Queen for
warded to the ministers her views upon the
Eastern question, and that the Cabinet sound
ed Berlin with regard to the tentative move of
Turkey in the direction of an arrangement and
met with unfavcrable answers.
All that can be truly said is that an uneasy
feeling prevails, the effect being visible in the
dropping of prices in public securities.
The Pail Mall Gazette's leading article says:
The Cabinet have come to wise resolution. If
in these days otter reading the history of the
last ten years, after noting the relations OF the
continental powers, after learning the lesson
which the condition of Europe at this moment
plainly teaches, if after this any man thinks a
rich empire can exist without ever asserting a
disposition to fight for its possessions and exist
ence, that man must be fool. If, without
thinking so, he maintains his point, then he
must be some kind of traitor, the sort of a
traitor perhaps who declares himself a hnmani-
tartan or church man, and an Englishman af
forwards.
The Pail Mall Gazette, however, does put the
same Interpretation on the summoning of Par
lament as the Post and Standard of this morn
ing. 1t says the summoning of Parliament
probably means no more than warning to 9TH
er powers that England does not propose to al
low the Eastern question settled by the three
Emperors and that she must have some voice
in the disposal of her own future
The London correspondent Of the Manches-
ter Guardian telegraphs: my anticiPations
as to the meeting of Parliament on the 18th of
January have been officially confirmed. If
Lord Beaconsfeld's wish had been fully con-
suited, Parliament would have met at much
earlier date. so the Cabinet might have had the
benefit of the counsels of the nation in the
proposed arrangements for peace. Seeing
there was no hop. of carrying majority of
his colleagues with him in his Eastern policy,
Lord Beacons6eld desired to rely upon his old
influence in Parliament, for apart from the
utility of such course it relieves the prime
minister of much responsibility.
Two or three prominent members of the
Cabinet take their stand on the plea that no
questions which are beyond the competence of
the ministry have yet come before them. There
is further aud more substantial reason that the
Premer's influence with the bulk of his party
would bring upon them uncomfortable pressure
in favor of his personal policy. The point has
now been fought in the Cabinet with the result
of compromise. Instead of December ses-
sion, which the Premier was known to desire,
Parliament will meet three weeks earlier than
usual. The date will be too far off to assist the
ministry in the deliberations now engaging
their attention, and which have induced them
to sit this week en- peTTa0Ta0nce. The media
ton proposal is already dead. even though
Turkey may yield to the pressure now being
applied to her to accept the conference pro-
posal to the full, instead OF her present offer to
place her own reforms under the guarantee of
Europe. Russia is backed by the more infiu-
entail powers in her demand that Turkeys
overtures for psace shall in the first instance
be addressed to her. One of the projects, with
which section of the Cabinet is credited, is
that if Russia will consent to ultimate terms of
settlement to the. approval of the powers,
her ansour propre shall be gratided by direct
appeal from the vanquished enemy. But it is
more than doubtful whether the Cars gov
eminent will agree to this arrangement
The real difficulty Lord Beaconstied has to
confront is siogle-handed peace, which would
not be objected to provided it respected the
views of the, Cabinet. The labors of the
Foreign Office of late have been mainly
directed not simply to ascertaining definitely
what proposals behind those of the last con-
ference will satisfy Russia, but in what respect
she is prepared to respect those other British
interests which were not exhausted in Mr..
Cross enumeration They are understood to
relate mainly to the extent of Armenian an
nexation, the fate OF the Turkish fleet and the
naturalization of the Dardanelies. The future
of Bulgaria and the proposed rewards to Rus
sian allies are not precisely British interests,
and are outside of those issues (which make it
absolutely necessary that this country should
have a voice in the terms of peace. Though
the government are willing to forego their
treaty right to hand in the settlement of
their views and interests, it must be fully
admitted there is at present no sign from
Russia that she will in any way bind herself.
The Premier thus comes to be credited with
personal policy, of which the leading idea is
to compel Russia to respect our interests in
case of a single handed peace. No one sug-
gests that Lord Beaconsfeld would go to the
extent of an immediate declaration of war, but
he would enter on course of warnings and
threatenings which would inevitably lead to
war if Russia did not give proof of unexpected
moderation. 1t is this phase OF the question
which has occupied SO much time during the
Cabinet sittings Of Friday, Monday and today,
(Tuesday) No little asperity has been shown
in these discussions in consequence of what
may regarded as an act of fragrant party dis
lUydlby Ny d very pEUHlucUb luGuUST 0I GDG
ministry. 1t is stated that one of the most
active opponents of Lord Beaconsfeld's policy
has recently exchanged opinions with Earl
Granville and the Marquis of Harrington as to
the prospects OF coalition ministry, in order
to carry out the Observation-Disclosures policy.
The two Liberal leaders are said to have thrown
cold water upon that suggestion. AT the pres
ent moment the Office is particularly desirable,
and if 1 judge rightly neither of the noble
lords is likely to he in favor of coalition gov
eminent.
News of the overtures above referred to has
but Just oozed out and if the incident has
caused as much indignation in the cabinet as it
has on Downing street it must have been
very warm corner for the past few days.
lNote-Tha foregoing probably gives very
there are many other and conflicting rumors,
one of which is that Engand's overtures to
Germany for joint action were refused in al
most contemptuous language.]
The Liverpool Post, sort Of provincial COZ
servatlve organ, printed a London special yes
terday saying the absolutepess and almost in
science of tone of Germany's reply has made
deep impression in ministerial circles.
A telegram from Ragusa reports that 5000
Turks from Podgorliza compelled Montene-
grin corps to retreat into their own territory,
and are now marching to the succor of Scutari
and Antivar
alt is stated that the Qaeen will open Parlia-
ment in person.
LONDON, Dec. 19.-The Times Vienna cor.
respondent says it was thought for some time
that England might bring the Turkish note
officially to the knowledge of the Russian gov
ernmeut, but according to the latest ioforma-
ton the British Cabinet decided Tuesday that
in view of the difference of opinion among the
powers any attempt to mediote would be ill.,
opportune The Porte intends to lay the whole
question of negotiation before the Turkish
Parliament making further steps dependent
on its decisions.
BELGRADE, Dec. 19.-Servlans occupied Pre-
kopoli unopposed.
CoNsTANTINOPLE, Dec. 19.-It is said the
Porte has instructed its Minister at Rome to
ask an explanation of the relations which are
growing more and more intimate between Italy
and Greece.
VIENNA, Dec. 19-Count Audrassy in adj
dressing the budget committee today, said he
had come to the conclusion that he could under
no circumstances whatever make the slightest
alteration in the policy hitherto pursued, which
consisted ia maintaining neutrality. While
providing for the protection of Austria's inter-
est and the exercise of her inf nence at the fual
settlement Austria would decidedly protest,
and II necessary prevent any attempt on 1.-THE
part OF Servia to extend operations to Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
BERLIN, Dec. 19.-The impression in diplo-
matte circles here is that the German govern
ment is DESTROYS of a termination of the war.
that it will adhere fully and freely to whatsoev-
or conditions Russia may resolve to exact. and
that it has resolved neither itself tn advance