Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-19
Foreign News.
THE EASTERN QUESTION.

Lord Bcac0nShcld, on entering inc oid f''00o
ward, on his way to the House 81 Lords, about
five o'clock yesterday afternoon, was heartily
cheered by great crowd which had assembled
} there to greet him. lie experienced much
difficulty ia passing through he throEe, tGcugl
accompanied by squad Of police.
The public interest in the promised statement
by the Earl Of BeaconsGeld attracted large
and distinguished assembly in the House Of
Lords, including the Prircess Of Wales and
other members Of the royal family When Lord
Beaoonsfield entered there was considerable
cheering. He locked we'll and betrayed nc
especial feeling at his brilliant reception.
About Eve minutes later Lord Salisbury en-
tered, and then Lord Btaconstied rose, amid
loud cheering. lie said that in layiog upon
the table the protocols Of the treaty OF l5erlin
he should be only doiog bis duty to the House
of Parliament and the country by making some
remarks upon tho policy supported by the
British representatives in the congress. lie
could show that in the changes which were
made 10 the treaty Of San Stefano by the treaty
of Berlin O menace to the Independence of Eu
rope had been removed aud threatened Injury
10 the British Empire terminated. The congress
had restored TO the Sultan Two thirds Of hls
possessions, the population being among the
most wealthy and intelligent Of his subjects. Ii
| was said that when the congress talked OF e5'
| tablishing tho Balkan frontiers Ut Whrt may be
called New Turkey, they were establishing an
lndeleDsbIe frontier, but it was upon courage
and intrepidity that imprcenabllity depended;
and it would bo found that ii left To those who
defended Plevna that frontier could not bo
| indeiensiblc. Ii was said that tho position OF
Sofia was Welded to the impcriouS demands Of
one of tho powers. fle could assure their
Lordships there vas not shadow Of truth in
this statement. Moreover, parsonage high
10 authority had stated that it was quite erIo.
neous to suppose that Sofia Wis strong
strategic position 1t had also been said that
| the congress made great mistake 10 not seeur
ing Varna for Turkey, but those who blame
the congress for committing all error in this
respect quite forget that they have allotted 10
| Turkey tho halbor of GalaIZ, by far the most
| important in the Black Sea. With regard to
Eastern R0umella, it WAS at urn time suggested
| to call it South Bulgaria. but ii was feared that
| there might DO some Intriguing parties who
| would cndeavor TO bring about hunion between
| the two States, possibly creating fresh compli
| cations.
Lord BeaoonsGeld further stated that the
opinion above mentioned that Sofia Was not U
strong strategicll position Waa that Of Nlehcmct
! Ali Pasha, who, however, considered the Pass
OF Iohtiman, which the congress sccGrcl 10 the
Sultan, as vitality important.
Lord BeaconSfald's statement showed
throughout strong bias 10 favor OF tho Turks.
Thus he almost apoIoeiZsl for the Limitation Of
the Sultan'a authority in Eastern Ronmeila,
saYlog:-
."As a general rule it was thought unwiso to
,.lo n.
knowledge, yet, in consideration OF the many
awful events Of which Eastern Roumelia has
been the scene, it had been thought advisable,
10 order to prevent their recurrence, to cstab
lish government somewhat different from that
of the Turkish provinces, where tho Hultans
authority might BIO called unlimited. No limit.
however, had been placed 90 the forco the Sui
tan might introduce for The defense Of Eastern
Roumeia"
Ooe of the greatest obstacles to an object 10
which tho congress was unanimous, namely.
the re establishment Of the Sultan as 4 real,
independent authority, was the anarohial con-
ditiou of Bosnia and the neighboring countries
Ills Lordship, continuing said the most
competent authorities had convinced him that
it would have taken $4,000 Of Turkeys best
troops to secute any approach to order ia Bos
MIA. Even then the attempt would have per
haps been unsuccessful, and such aD effort
must have secured Turkey absolute ruirsJo,
disclamed any desire 10 attrlbutsb;;r. -. lie
occupation to nccesslly.s,on tne Austrian
wish Of the maiority.qth submitting to the
undertook the cas-. vi tic congress, Austria
Lord Salishrur trcuralion at the suggestion OF
Uord 4e inarS, earnestly supported by himself
mssdd cure eacoustcd) The object 10 recon-
- aoldiup the occupation was to protect Turkey.
irbo eoycruluuUL had consistently ltSl5'cu ibe
nrincIplc of partition of Turkey, because, ez-
elusive of the consideration of morality, II be-
Iipycd that an attempt at partition would lncVi
tah}v lead to long aud sanguinary war. Jbe
advocates of partition had spoken out. The
government had been taken up into moun-
Tain and shown all the Kingdoms CT The earth,
aud told, "All these shall be yours, Ii You Will
only worship partition"
This remark OF the Premier sccms to be 40
allusion to a proposal which Prince bismarck
| is generally understood to have made, that
EOgland should occupy Egypt: Continuing,
| he said it was remarkable that alter great war
and the prolonged negotiations all the Powers,
| Russia as strictly end completely as the others
| came to the unanimous CONCLUSION that the
best chance for the tranquility OF the world was
10 retain the Sultan as part OF the EurOptan
system. Tie pointed out that every great war
/ was followed ny Ttul5tlluulIpu VI 'o'''"'Jf
but that that was not partition
Austria had, perhaps, lost more provinces
than even Turkey. Franco lost provinces, but
she was stila great Power with commanding
future. England lost some of her most preol'
Gus possessions through bad government-a
| loss which every EngIishman must depIore at
this moment aud Which would not have oc
Cured if the principle which now governs her
relations with the colonies had been then OBJ:
served, He defended the limit not being fixed
TO Austrian occupation, as that would only have
held out hopes to agltators. His Lordshlp
pointed out that Eogland had, according to
promise, obtained hearing for Greece, and
had made, prior to the Congress, oVcrtures to
the Porte, which were received IN more than
encouraging spirit, for su,h reotiicatlon OF the
frontier as will give Greece considerable To-
crease of strength and resources and prevent
brigandage and the continued dissensioen, which
are ftstered by the present CONTEMPLATION OF the
frontier. But the Greeks had evidently quite
isapprehended the Objects of the Congress.
They were covetinc Constantnople and talking