The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-24
THE EASTERN PUZZLE.
GENERAL LINES or TIE CONFERENCE
Austria's Position -EnEland's Chances for
Allies.

London Correspondence of the N. Y. Times
am not In the secret Of the gods, and can
not say precisely what has been agreed upon
IN the Cabinet OF the BaIlplatz but from (. ser,
tain lndiscretiOns. evidently Intentional, 1t Is
possible to indicate the general lines of the
conference. Austria maintains that the
countries bordering on the Hgean and the
Adriatic should, under all circumstances, be
subject to Austrian and not to Russian in
tluences. Servia, Montenegro Bosnia and the
Herzegovina she considers to pc her own
especial property, particularly the former,
whose Independence will not be recognized
reality, will place her under the protectorate
OF Austria. Montenegro will receive her
promised ACKNOWLEDGMENT on similar condi-
lions only. As to the Bosnian the Herzego-
vinian and Albanian programme, | cannot
yet venture to speak In detail. They may be
definitely annexed to the Austrian empire,
they may he agglomerated into new princi-
pality, destined to counterbaance Bulgaria,
but 1t Is certain that in one form or another,
they too will be included within the sphere of
Customs union, In the style of that Zoliuerem
which was a prelude to the unitication Of
Germany; and although it would be
premature to affirm that such q combi-
nation has been definitely adopted. In some
way all these little States will be bound to
the Austrian empire and emancipated from
the Russian domination, and this is the con-
ditlon SINE qua non OF AustrO- ii hungarian neu-
trality In the Anglo-Russian war which now
looms up along the horizon. But, from all
this, one conclusion can only be arrived at
Count Andrassy considers the modification of
the San Stefano treaty to be Indispensable.
exclusively from the point of view of Austrian
interests, entirely disregardng anything
which may possibly affect the general inter-
ests of Europe, thus coming back nearly to
the policy of Emperoror Joseph II, whose
dream was an Austro-Russian alliance and an
amicable partition of the Ottoman empire.
x,P
friends elsewhere Germany is bound to Rus
STA by a debt Of gratitude for her good offices
In 1870, and the moment is not propitieus for
reputation. France Is not yet in a position
to play leading part or take the initiative
on the continent Italy has no fixed prin-
ciples; she can scarcely be reproached with a
breach of traditional policy, for she has none
but simply is on the watch for occasions to in
crease her territory, little caring. whether the
opportunity comes from the right or the left
mindful of their own weakness to
venture on anything which might i'm
peril their national existence. Spain and
Portugal do not count, or. If they did,
care as little for the Eastern question as they
do for the Kingdom of Ashantee, and Gen.
Ignatietf has publicly affirmed during his stay
in Vienna that the Swedes have given posi-
tive promise to the Gar of absolute neutrality
in the event of a conflict. OF the value Of a
Roumanian and q Greek alliance my read
eTs can Judge for themselves, remembering
always that those two nations are bound
to Russia by a community of faith in
the most fanatica of all religions. Advices
from Turkey indicate a growing GOODNESS
between the Russians and the Turks, who
are fortifying the Heights Of Maslak to
defend Buvukdere. But with this news
comes the report that Mr. Layards protege,
Ahmed Vefyk, is to be replaced as Prime
Minister by Reouf Pasha, the late envoy to
st; Petersburg, SO that British influence here
will again receive n check while the recent
murder Of Engishmen by the Turks in Thes-
sally show that their nationality is by no
means in odor of sanctity. Private letters
from Constantinople go further and assure
that secret negotiations are now on foot by
which important concessions on the question
Of territorial indemnity will be made to the
Porte, whose hostility, or even neutrality,
would be seriously damaging to Russian de-
signs against Englands weakest point, her
Indian empire.