The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-25

! Berlin, as 10 the accuracy OF Wnlch We
ventured to express some doubt on Sunday,
and which now proves to have been plainly
at fault as to one point of consequence, and
SO framed with regard to the rest OF its sub
stance that it entirely misrepresented the
whole subject to which it related, yet did
this in terms that one disposed to chop
logic might defend as strictly true.
By that despatch it was represented that
Russia had conceded in the Congress
nearly all that either England or Austria
cared to claim, and that the famous agree
ment between England and Russia, re-
Gently given to the public as the basis on
which their respective objections to the
Congress had been waived-and which
agreement was Englands guarantee 10
Russia had, in fact. not restrained the
English representatives from urging de-
mands beyond the limitations 1t had
made. 1t was said by the Times that the
Balkan Mountain was to be the frontier
OF the new independent State; that the
Turks were to have the right to fortiiy the
Balkan passes and to garrison the fortified
places. and that the city Of Sofia would
independent State, but would be in the
tributary State to be created south OF the
Balkans, and would consequently be
post that the Sultan could also iortity and
garrison as part of his frontier 1t Was
said that telegram from Constantinople
had constrained the Russians to thus settle
these questions--a statement which indi-
Gated that the writer Of the despatch IN
derstood that it was one the ordinary
reader would have some difficulty in swal-
lowing, and that consequently needed an
extravagant reason by way OF cond:ment
Over this account of the settlement Of the
Bulgarian frontier, which from the first has
been recognized as an exceedingly difficult
point the English press has had "a day OF
the blowing Of trumpets." This settle
ment was nothing less than the abandon
ment by Russia of the policy which has
guided her relations with Turkey during
the last hundred years. So said the
Times, that exceedingly uncertain thun-
derer. And the Post said:-"Russia is now
authoritatively told that she is as lar from
Constantinople, if not, indeed, further.
lies the bitterness of the modification to
which she must now submit" And all
this grand diplomatic success was ''entirely
due to the tirmness of the British represent
tatlve in the Congress. 1t was to that
frmness that WAS owing what they ''ven-
tured to regard as a solution OF the Eastern
question" Ii we remember the spirit OF
superior reserve in which the London press
sometimes corrects the exuberance with
which other people express their sat
isfacton these cxtravagant sentences
will provoke amusement but If we
endeavor to find any good reason for such
high notes Of victory the failure is SO abso-
lutte that the notes become rather comical.
For all this graduation is over what? Over
a statement made by the Times, which must
be corrected in every particular in which
it departed from what YVES previously
known. AS to the relations OF Sofia to
the two frontiers the Times was grossly at
fault, and in the allegation that Russia had
assented that Turkey should fortify and
hold with troops the line OF the Balkans it
was equally Mt fault, and these two state
Instead Of agreeing that Turkish troops
shall hold the fortified line of the Balkans
the Russians have said that on certain con-
ditions they may assent to q settlement Of
this point, which would have remote and
shadowy resemblance to the settlement rs
stated by the Times. II the State south Of
the Balkans-Eastern Roumelia-is organ
lied on a basis satisfactory to Russia, and
if the system of administration to be
adopted is satisfactory to her, then
Russia will consent that the line
of the Balkans, the northern from
tier of this tributary State, shall
be held, but not by Turkish troops. In
the contingencies named that line may be
held by militia raised in the provinces
force Of natives-who will be Christians
where the line runs through district
inhabited by Christians and Mussulmans
where the line is in Mussulman country
In the neighborhood of the Shipka
Pass, for instance the force thus
raised would be made up in great
part of those Huydjks who, when
the Russians reached the Upper Balkan
country in the recent war, became
their Efficient guides and led them
to AMI fro by routes unknown to the Turks
or to any living creatures but these noun
taineers How great is the difference be-
tween this to which the russians have
really agreed and that to which it was rep
resented they had agreed it might seem
supcriluous to point out If SO high an au-
thority in journalism had not confused the
two points. No one who read the bloody
story of Plevna as it was chronicled day
after day for so many months, or who
remembers the fierce conflict between
Radetzky and Suleiman Pacha in the