The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-23

be made for the maintenance OF order and
the administration OF the laws within the
walls Of Sitka, for whose decaying wharvcs
and dilapldated buildings 50 many millions
were sacrificed.
The Congress Moving to an Agreement.
According to the despatch forwarded from
Berlin on Friday at midnight, and which ap-
pcared yesterday In our columns, the first
decisive step has been taken toward on adj
justment OF the Eastern question. II seems
to be settled that the new Bulgarian com
monwealth will be greatly curtalcd from
the proportions exacted in the treaty Of San
Stefano, and that q strong natural boundary
Is assured to the Turkish province OF Rou-
mcia. This was one Of the points for which
| Lord SALISBURY contondcd, and 1t forms an
essential condition of Ottoman reconstruc-
ton in Europe.
The reader may do we'll to trace on the
| map the lines of the new frontier secured TO
Turkey, for they have plainly been drawn
with keen eye to military defence, and for
that reason must have encountered the
most stubborn opposition on the part Of
| Russia's representatives. II Is true the
vassal state Of Bulgaria will include those
| fortrcsses Of the Quadriateral. Rustchuk,
Silistria, shumla, and Varna, which
MIDHAr Pasha hoped the Porto might
save, but Sophia is partial compensation,
and on the whole the district yielded to self
government is but little superior in area,
population or strategic advantages to that
suggested 10y the Turkish statesman. Be
ginning at the edge Of the Euxne where the
natural rampant of the Balkans impinges on
| ln tho horn harIar-nf
Bulgaria will follow not the crest, but the
northern foothills OF the chain up to the
point near Etropol, where 1t trends sharply
to the northwest. The western frontier
shecrs off at the same angle TO keep
the new direction OF the Balkans, still
marking, we presume, not the ridge but the
eastern slope, until the Danube cuts the
mountains and itself forms the northern
boundary Of the new State. 1t will be OBJ
served that although tho Turks lose Varna,
which commands, on one Side the junction
Of the Balkans and the Black sea, yet they
retain the fortress OF Burgas, occupying
similar position on the southern slope. In
like manner, although Widdin seems to have
been conceded to Bulgaria yet the impor-
lance of that post is much reduced, all the
fortified passes 20 the west and south being
| fil Ill luIhlNu IhiuS linus lllt OliNOIlt
commonwealth which Russia meant to be a
| gateway TO STEAMBOAT is quite eifcctually
| walled OF 10y nature. and the resources Of
the military art will doubtless be taxed to
| render access to ROumcia well-nigh imprac-
ticable in the event Of another war. While
moreover, the master Of the passes has little
to apprehend from his new vassal, he will
bc able at any time to avail himself of his
4
embarrassment to sweep down upon his
| northern neighbOrs
While. however. the boundaries Of autono-
nous Bulgaria are clearly enough defined,
the tclcgraphcd transcript Of the points
thus far agreed on between England, Rus
ia, and Austria is in some respects vague
and unintelligiblc. A. regards Bulgaria
itself we are left in the dark as
to the fate OF the Mohammcdan in
habtants who in the section east of
the Jantra constitute seventy per cent. OF
the population. II Is hard 10 see what So
curitics for life and property can be- offered
o. this element in country where pillage
and massacre have been inccssant since the
russian triumph. Yet, on the other hand
a displacement IN musse would seem
impossible We must bear in mind
that majority OF the Mpsloms in
the region Of the Quadrilatcral are not
% O7manli, or Tartar, or Circassian origin
nut pure Bulgarians, the descendants Of the
iandowning and trading classes which em-
hraccd the religion Of the conquerors, while
the rural laborers remained Christian. The
removal Of these men from the lands OF
their fathers will scarcely be accomplished
without riot and bloodshed and all the saw
age circumstances Of a social revolution.
We are unable fully to understand the
statement that while the northern frontier
Of Montenegro and the boundaries Of Scrvla
are 10 be restricted, these count. les are to
be compensated on the south. Whatever
shall be done with Bosnia. whether the Con-
gross shall give il TO Austria, or suffer Tur-
key 10 retain il, some means of access TO the
.Egean and the southeast are plainly in
dispensable Not another inch could
he spared from the present cramped
and crcuitous thoroughfare by way of
NOvi-Bazar, wedged as it is between the
Serb border and the Black mountain. II
would be of signal advantage to the pos
SCISSOR Of Bosnia If this highway now
practically narrowed to the valley OF the
Linn, could be doubled in width. and
something like this seems to DO contem-
plated by the elision Of Serb and Mon
tenegrin frontiers in this quarter. That
Montenegro would be amply repaid by
accessions in another direction-for in
stance. by the object of century's en-
deavor the port Of Antivari-is sufficiently
evident But how Serva's boundaries can
he extended on the south without obstruct-
ing access to Bosnia, or on the southeast
without threatening proximity to Sophia,
is unintelllgible. On this exposed side Rou-
melia need the frontier OF the Nisch and
the fact will not escape those who have
looked So watchIully to her natural de-
fences.
A Catochism for Candidates.
The reputation of Gen NELSON 7. MILES