The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-23
The End of the Conference.

allcled In the annals OF diplomacy, was
only to be expected by those who were
familiar with the conditions under which it
was convened. Turkey has come out OF the
ordeal triumphantly, and the relations OF
the Porto toward the great powers have as
sumcd an altered shape. The effect of this
must inevitably bo to produce entirely new
combinations upon the chess board of Euro
pean politics.
Nothing more curious has occurred within
our recollection than the attitude which the
principal powers concerned have adopted
when compared with the uttcranccs of their
respective Governments. We have first Lord
BEACONsFIELD asserting ut the Mansion
House his intention to abide by tho treaty
Of 1856, and imp ying his readiness II need
be- to commit England 10 war with Russia
in order to maintain it, and almost immod-
ately aftorward sending out Lord SALISBURY
with instructions to concedc everything to
the Russian Ambassador, and To threaten the
Porte with the withdrawal Of English sup
port II 1t did not yield. In point OF fact,
the British fleet was withdrawn from Besika
bay because the Sultan would not consent
to the entire obliteration Of the treaty of 81
at the conference.
| Almost simultaneously with Lord BEA-
| CoNsFIELDs note Of defiance, so strangely
departed from in consequence OF pub
lie pressure In England, We heard the
Car publicly announce at st. Petersburg
that II Turkey would not concede to
Europe those guarantees which it had "A
right to demand, he would act independent
ly." In other words, his Imperial Majesty
| distinctly committed himself to Il wuI with
that power If she remained obstinate; and
to give further effect TO these arrogant
words, he modified the Russian army on
! the Turkish frontier One Of those guaran-
tees was understood at the time to be the
occupation OF Bulgaria by Russian force.
But Turkey has remained obstinate; and
Gen. lGNATIEFF, under instructions as
much opposed to the Cars declaration as
those Of Lord SALISBURY were 10 Lord
BEAcoNsTIELD's, has abandoned all the
guarantees which Russia pledged herself to
enforce, and others have been substituted
for them in vain. The moment has now
come for the Car TO act independently"
but the last uttcranccs OF Gen. IGNArIEFP
lead Us to infer that he declines this rcspon-
sibility.
Finally Prince BISMARCK announced in
honeycd tones, a supplement to the
speeches OF the English Premier and the
Russian Car that Germany was entirely
disintcrested in tho question, yet we find
that the German Ambassador was the first
to threaten a definite course Of action on
the part Of his Government; and
all the indications lead us to suspect that
the Prince intends to take the lead in the
settlement Of the question in his own way
Meantime, all eyes are turned toward Rus
STA. After this explicit declaration ON the
| part OF the Car, people ask what is he going
to do; Can he withdraw an army already
modified and collected on the Turkish
| frontier FOR the express purpose Of enforcing
demands which have been refused without
a loss of prestige as great as would result
| from "A military dcfcatf At this moment
| the diplomatic victory Of the Porte IS circu-
| lating with almost electrical rapidity to the
most distant confines of Central Asia. Some
five millions of dsaffccted Mohammcdan sub
jects Of tho Car, still wrthug under tho
newly imposed yoke, are secretly cXulting
at this triumph Of the Commander Of the
Faithful Every day that elapscs without
vigorous action on the part Of Russia
Increases this feeling, aud encourages
AiA' N4Niit''itilG l'liN WHICH liN DpHu-
lations Of the Khanatcs OF Central Asia
aidently cherish, that the day of their de-
llvclance Is not tar distant, and that the
Crescent will once more prove its supremacy
to the Cross. In Turkey itself the conviction
will become still more firmly fixed that Mus
sulman finaticism will provo moro than Il
match for Christian skepticism in the field
as it has in the Council chamber. True
believers, glorying In the diplomatic de-
feat Of Christian Europe, will flock moro
readily 10 the standard of the Sultan as they
see the Car wayoring; aud every days
delay now will weaken Russias power Of
attack just in proportion MS it will increase
Turkeys power Of resistance.
And yet the collision must come. We
do not see how it Is to bo avoided; but
it will come under conditions far less
favorable TO Russia than they would have
been had she not 20 fatally moderated the
courage and determination Of her enemy.
The question now Is, who IL really the sick
| MANI Nothing short Of an immediate
declaration of war on the part OF Russia can
avert the inevitable conclusion that, OF the
two inyalids now face to face the Muscovite
IS weaker than tho Ottoman. There is no
escape from the fact that the latter Is chal-
longing the former 10 attack, and that
the one delied shrinks from the contest. The
interval which must eapsc before Russia
decides upon the fatal plunge, sho will
doubtless occupy in diplomatic attempts to
secure an ally; and here again we find our
selves met by the German Chancellor That
austere but withal highly humorous ind-
vidual must regard with undisguised amuse-
mont the dilemma into which his great Pam
Slayonc ncighbor has placed himself, and he
will probably allow him TO experience tho
culinary operation, which upon former oc-
casion was practised SO successfully ON the
French, OF stewlnS in his own juice"
Prince BISMARCK delights in reminding
Prince GoRcHARoFF that he owes TO the
latter all his diplomatic skill. 1t was at St.
Petersburg that he became n pupil Of the
Russian Minister and learned those diplo-
matte arts which he has since turned TO such
good account. And now the pupil chucklcs
ms is old master comes to him for help;
but We do not think that solution OF tho
problem satisfactory h tho Russian