The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-27

The Firmncss of BeaconsReId.
II did not come here to yield" are
the words ascribed to the English Premier
in parlcy with the German Chancel-
ortouching the decisive question OF the Bull
garian boundaries. That the speech, whether
apocryphal or not, fairly paints the I'M
flinching attitude Of Great Britain's repre-
sentativcs at Berlin Is plain enough when
we compare the terms OF settlement SO
far fixed by the Congress with the text
OF the Globe agreement which reached
us yesterday. II will be found not
only that the express concessions made
by Count ScHoUyALoFF in relation to
Bulgaria have all been ratified but that
every one OF the questions left open. and rs
TO which each ~ the two powers was at lib
erty to urge its own solution, has, IN fact.
been decided according to BEACoNsFIELD's
will.
We observe for instance, that in the first
clause OF the SALISBURY -ScHoUvALoFF
memorandum, although England discarded
the proposed longitudinal division Of Bull
garia, yet Russia reserved the right Of
pointing out its advantages TO the Com
gress Now, IL is palpable that to bisect
the Turkish domnions In Europe by me-
ridian of longitude from the Danube 10 the
Egean. instead Of following the lateral line
OF cleavage offered by the Balkans-what-
ever plausible arguments might be drawn
from the local distribution OF race and re-
ligion-would strip the Porte Of its natu-
raj bulwarks and utterly Illustrate the
hope OF a strong military frontier. No Won
der that the Russian dplomatist wished To
leave this question open, or that the Eng
lish plenipotentiaries iniiexibly adhered to
their decision. This would seem to have
been one of the points which BEACoSsFIELp
did not go to Berlin to yield
In another important section OF the pre-
liminary agreement we are told that the
Emperor OF Russia attaches great signif-
canoe to the withdrawal OF the Turkish
army from Roumela. He could see no Sc
curity for the Christian population.
that is TO say, for Muscovite influence, If
the Ottoman forces were maintained there.
Lord SALISBURY, on the other hand, re-
served TO England the privilege OF
insisting on the right OF the Sultan to
canton troops on the frontiers Of south
Bulgaria. The British representatives
seem TO have insisted to some purpose.
for we learn by cable that at Tuesdays sit
ting, after debate upon this very qucs-
tion, protracted through some two DAYS.
full right TO occupy the line between Bull
garia and Roumclia, which, Of course
means the passes Of the Balkans, with what
ever number Of regular soldiers il should
deem necessary, was conceded to the Porte.
Two other features of the agreement thus
far reached by BISMARCK Congress deserve
10 be weighed in connection with the text of
the SALISBURY memorandum, for they EN-
phasize still further the steadfast, not TO say
logged, attitude o. the English plenipoten-
tiaries. 1t Is stipulated for instance, that
the latter should discuss at Berlin the
duration Of the Russian occupation OF Bull
garia. The question, Of course, was whether
the withdrawal Of the Muscovte troops
should hinge on the technical fu-
filment of conditions on the part of
the Porte, or should take place
on fixed date. As we learn by cable, II was
determined at Mondays sitting to concede
the English demand and to require retreat
OF the Russian troops from Roumelia in six
and from Bulgaria In nine months. Finally,
We may point out that the MEMORANDUM
suggests that the boundaries Of South l3u-
garia should be so modified from the out
line traced by the treaty Of San Stefano as
to remove them from the Egean sea, in con-
formity with the limitations proposed at
the COnstantlnople Conference. On this
head the Congress supported the Eng
fish view and voted that the south
ern frontier Of Roumel,a should nowhere
touch the Kgean or approach Salonica. II
is true that, according TO despatch
from Vienna, Russia's consent to the last
named arrangement is contingent on the
cession Of Narna and the rest Of the Quadr-
lateral But there is nothing about Varna
in the memorandum, and we opne the Brit
ish ENJOYS do not esteem it any part
OF their business TO be magnanimous.
AT ali events, comparison of the points
already settled with the text of the pro-
vlslonal agreement attcsts constancy of
purpose on the part Of BEAcoNsFIELD which
seems unlikely to miss any OF its ends.