The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-12
ENGLAND'S CRITICAL POSITION.

one string, It is because there is absolutely only
one string, upon which anybody harps. and I
am compelled to follow suit. Every day in
creases the perlls which menace peace, whether
In Asia or Europe. and the Government seems
at last to be waking up to sense Of the danger
The popularity Of Conservative Ministers
seems to be that they behave like SO many
Tycoons no one ever sees them. and compare
lively few persons seem to know them. Lord
Palmerston accustomed society to degree Of
familiarity with the members Of the Govern
mcnt which has remained tradition Of the
Liberal leaders. who are constantly to be seen
at clubs and social gatherings and with whom
personal intercourse is not hedgcd in by dinl
cultcs. Lord Bcaconsneld has ever been wont
to shroud himself In mystery, his circle Of init
mates is n small one. and he mover goes beyond
1t; Lord Salisbury entcrtains "A select number
Of partisans and relatives at Hatfield. but his
reserve is proverbial even there, and whether
from hauteur or shyness he is not socially
popular; Sir Stafford Northcote. though more
like ordinary human beings. has never been
society or club man Mr.. Cross was never heard
Of till he was made II Cabinet Minister. and does
not seem to have availed himself OF the oppor-
tunities which his position affords him to
make acquaintanccs: Mr.. W H. Smith is very
much heard Of. or rather read Of for his name
figures on every railway platform in the coun-
try. but only as n vender OF newspapers and.
a. Al. q. 4
Of tho Cabinet are dummies from whom no
ideas could be- obtained even II they moved
freely among their fellow mon.
At a moment when the political horizon
looks blacker than ever before in the mem-
DRY Of this generation tho country is by no
means we'll pleased TO be kept absolutely in the
dark upon the most important points OF foreign
policy. Whenever an OIL lal utterancc is made
on the OCCASION of some rural fcstivty. it con-
tains nothing but platitudcs. Ministers bury
themselves In the country. and ut the last Cabl-
net meeting only two-thirds Of tho members
were present. They run upto town for n couple
Of hours. talk over the affairs Of Cyprus India
Asiatic Turkey. European Turkey. and Egypt
and vanish again as suddenly. leaving no trace
behind. and the public remains at much mysti
fled as ever.
The whole question whether the policy
which has beer pursued in Afghanstan is right
or wrong depends upon what the merits OF the
case actually are upon which that policy was
based; but beyond the fact that mission was
In To- a..
ignorance Of all that led to 1t. We know that 1t
all turns upon what took place between n GER
tain Sir Lewis Pclly and the Ameers envoy
year or more ago but though Sir Lewis Pclly is
visible daily In the streets OF London, no mortal
knows what secrets are locked up under his Inn
penctrable exterior The consequence is that
the public is becoming clamorous for informa-
ton and outraged at the general leyity and in
Ministers. Lord Boaconsneld has announced
more than once that he scars above detail. ="
but there is general feeling that there Is too
much Of this kind OF soaring all around. We
want to know what the details are upon which
Lord Lytton has been acting and In what direc-
ton We are steering Steering is, in fact. under
the circumstances an inapplicablo figure Of
spec h drifting, indeed. scarcely describes the
velocity with which We are sweeping down the
tide Of events which are precipitating the ma
ton toward the unknown.
Three months ago the Prime Minister took tho
country by storm with the cry Of " peace with
honor" and the densest politician is now begin
ming 10 admit that war or dishonor Is the actual
alternative we shall soon be called upon to face.
The insurrection in Macedonia is the event
which is most probably destined to bring on
the catastrophe. 1t has been excited by a
Russo-Servan. Montenegrn. and Greek COM
bination, and has for its object the conquest Of
! Constantinople and the final expulsion Of the
sultan and his Government. The programme
is a simple ono. Servia Is not satisfied with the
amount Of territory awarded by the treaty Of
Berlin; Montenegro knows that she has not
tho faintcst chance OF obtaining her share Of
the spoil awarded by the same treaty without
sanguinary struggle with the Albanian
league numbering 100000 mon Greece knows
that her frontier will not be rectincd unless sho
fights for it, and the BuGarians OF Roumelia
know that if they desire to be annexed to Bull
gara they must join In the fray.
With these forces at her back Russia sees her
opportunity Of renewing her attack on Turkey
under the most favorable conditions. and there
can be little doubt that fresh rupture between
the Sultan and the Car is an event in the near
future. Russia calculates that Germany and
France will remain neutral that Austria will
be held in check by the Slav element internal
dlsaffection, and fear of Italy; that Italy will
Join Russia and Greece in the hope OF obtaining
Trieste, and that England will have her hands
full in India. So the Muscovte counts on a fair
field with every chance Of success. In this crlti.
cal position the Cabinet meets to-day, aud it IL
understood that temporizng policy is decided
on with the Ameer OF Cabul with the view Of
postponinG Asiatic complications until those in
| Nh , IL.