New-York tribune., 1878-07-09
BE1COySrIELD,S SHARP PRACTICE.

dazzlcs our eyes. Britannia, guarded by
her watch-dog the English lion and the
Bengal tiger, is bending over the WoundrH
and crippled Turk and plcdgln- his
health in good old Cyprus wine, while III the
background, dmly outlined, are the ruined
cities of Asia, the mystic valley oi the
Fuphratcs with its road-bcd for u trans-con-
tincntal railway. and. further on, the
ryramids and the holy places. Now let
thr claoucrs do their work and let the td-
dlcrs play " The ConqucrinG Hero ana let
the curtain be rung down before the tln.cl
fades and the light is garish. The scenic
effects and dramatic surprises are III accoid
with the imaginative policy OF a Premier who
has Eastern blood in his veins. 1t Is mag
nifccnt, but is it craftsmanship
70 bcein with. it is diplomatic intrigue.
When the Treaty of San Stclano was signed
Great Britain appeared a. the champion oi
public law. Denmark had been IN adcd III
1864 in defiance Of treaties. and during th"
quarter century the map of the Continent had
been rccast again aud again 10y successful
hclligcrcntS. but the great principle OF the
,auctity OF European treaties WAS now 10
hc established This was the burden oi
British diplomacy uHtil the 3oth OF May,
when 4 compact Was made with Russia before
the invitations to the Congrcs, Wc!c Issued.
Now come. the sequel. No sooner had
tie London Memorandum been signed
than negotiations were opened with the
Porte and on the 1th of Jane a
trca,y was concluded whereby the EIl'-h
Government, in return for the cc>,ion of Cy-
,~i,-. agreed to protect the Sultaus A,iatlr
domain Thi. second treaty can scarcely be-
rcrordcd a. a conditional convention, mas
much as the pivot upon which 1t turned
WAS the surrender of Batum-a concession
which had been made IN the Memo
ran,nm five DAYS before. The new bar
cain WAS struck on the day after th"
invitation, 10 the Congress wcr" s'ui
out. When the British plcnirotcntinics en-
tered the Radzwill Palace on the llth Of
June they bad in each pocket private con
tract with the two Powcls that had been fight
ing in the East. Thi, was sharp practice
ycr, sharp practice. meanwhile, what
about the t.aditior. Of Europe and the
.ancttics OF treaty obligations? After
f,ur months of hypocrisy and cant England
has left Europe to shift for herself. She
would not allow Russia and Turkey to settle
their own differences; she stood agha~t
when Austria threatened to join Ger
many and Russia i'll debating the terms
Of peace; she has clamorcd IN sea-
son and ont of season for an adjust
mcnt of the Eastern Question 10y q European
council and after her representatives, have
been in Berlin nearly month they bring to
light the secret contract, and, merely ~ an
net of courtesy, suffer then colleagues
to look at IT, but not to touch il ,
Nrrl- Lord Bcac0nstlcld j, Lot only - slrcwd
a. Prince Bismarck, but - unprincIplcd rs
MacnNclli.
But what il it that thc British Government
ha, dpuc2 II has acquired an excellent mill
tary and naval station in the Eastern
quarter of the Mediterranean. II has secured an
island haf N large rs the State OF NrN-Jcrocy,
with population Of perhaps l25 25,OOO-mmnly
Greeks. Cyprus is certainly county worth
having, and il is conveniently situated III
front Of the mouths of the Sucz Canal.
Now let Us count the coSt-WhIch Is an
important element IN every bargain. Eng
land has virtually concluded a defensive and
offensive alliance with Turkey. The Sultan
can hcncclorth live at his ease, and only
,.uqrd himself against the cnfccbling infu-
cn.c, Of too much luxury. II Inc can keep
down the mob in CoustantnOplc all will
go well. England and her Scpoys will
felt Ia. battles for him outside. She
&,s 4. prr1 forward and taken upon
herself the direct protccioratc of the
inrL,,h Empire III Asia. The responsible
ity "a. this office carries with 1t
H. enormous IN war she must fight and
IN peace she must pat an end To mis-
government. She must defend an I'M
mcnse population against foreign aggrcS-
SION from every quarter. and she must
reform administrative abuses from the
Persian Gulf to the Egcau Sea. She cannot
suncr the Turks to govern their own country,
If they aic unwilling To govern It Alright. She
must undertake to Introduce the principles
of her own Civil Service. She must
stand ready, il need be. 10 face the COM
plcx probl,m, of another India This Is the
inward and spiritual grace oi which the ccs-
sion of Cyprus is the outward and visible
sign
The Turkish bondholdcrs will bc ovcijoycd
no dorht at the turn the Eastern Question
has taken The noisy Tories who were
bent upon having showy triumph
Of some sort will toss their hats in
the air aud below until they are
hoar,c But England has something be-
sides pocket and pair OF lungs.
She has conscience, and pride cannot
slhe il; she has an enlightened sclf-ntercst,
which counts more than immediate nd tenn
porary gains Cyprus has not been acquired
in the light Of day. with the consent of
Europe, but ia the ,aIk and by a bargain with