The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-20
The Proceedings OF the Peace Congress.

| Although we can expect no Trustworthy
report OF the speeches made or the business
done in the secret sessions of BfsIARcK's
Congress until its ultimate accomplishment
or futility is disclosed. yet we know con-
sidcrably more about the points Of
agreement reached by two of the great
| powers than we knew week ago Ru-
murs perform, at all events. one service
for curiosity the parties in inter-
est are often constrained to deny or correct
| them, and thus a certain groundwork of
fact is gradually constructed. In tho case
of what purports to be the text Of nm Anglo
Russian compact. twice published in the
Globe newspaper, we nave something much
more substantial than negatons to build
upon. We have the Duke Of RICHMoND's
statement that the Globe report is incom-
pletc. and therefore Inaccurate which OF
course is tantamount to an admission of its
correctness as far as it goes. Let US see.
then, in what position the terms Of the
alleged settlement would leave the Eastern
question, and in what possible sense their
formulation might bc called defective with
out being pronounced inaccurate.
OF course the vital point at stake is the
extent and nature of the new Bulgarian
principality and here the agreement print
ell in the Globe attests n striking contrac-
tion of the Russian demands since the trca-
ty Of san Stcfano. 1t is true that the pride
Of the ROMANoFF dynasty will not bc
wounded by English opposition to the
retroccssiun of that strip of Bcssarahia
taken from Russia after the Crmcau
war. But with the Dobrud-cha added TO
Roumania it is obvious that Bulgaria &. en-
| tircly cut on from direct communication
with her MuscOyitc protector. Moreover the
new State will consist of only the district
lying north of the Balkans. whose western
frontier apparently il 20 stop short OF sophia
just here, however, occurs an omission of
capital Importance in the report of the agree
mcnt. We are not told whether the autono-
nous principality OF North Bulgaria, or the
reformed but still dependent province of
South Bulgaria il to.rcttin the passes of the
Balkans. According a. thi. question shall
be answered we must allow that the Russian
aim of political disintcgration las been sub
stantially fulfilled, or we must recognize
that with Judiciou-, strenuous. and loyal cf-
forts the Porte has yet "a chance Of erecting
an adequate bulwark against future ag-
grc-sion
| ~ e'7iAAiiAhAiNi va f'NAAiA lfhl-hlih ~ VIZ
Lebanon. as regards the appointment OF
/ Christian Governor and other guarantees Of
administrative reform. would be- no serious
detriment to the maintenance OF Ottoman
! power in Roumclia, provided the great FROM
tier strongholds, and especially the noun
tain passes To which We have referred,
were garlisoned by the Sultan's soldiers.
Neither would reorganization Of Eriru-
and Ihessaiy looking toward uprghtues-
and economy in judicial and financial AZ
fairs be other than a blessing to the
mass Of the Moslcm population. however
IL might bc viewed by the corrupt
Office seekers OF STEAMBOAT. In the last
named provinces the predominant element
would he either Greek or Ottoman
and there j. no reason comprehend that the
Slavonic iayah- concentrated in South Bull
gara. without access u the Archipelago.
and with the northern fortrcsse- grasprd by
the Sultau's troops, could sensihly weaken
ur imperil a reconstructed and rogenelatcd
Turkey.
Whether Turkey supported by England
shall have one more opportunity Of creating
an effective barrier against Mu-coNitc ell
croachment depends lot only upon the
boundaries that may be given to North Bull
garia, but on the scope and character Of the
Austrian claims. A. to the latter matter
the Anglo-Rus-ian agreement could not con-
Germ itself aad the weight OF the couccs-
sions eXtort"d by English diplomacy would
be somewhat lcssened if Austria should
insist upon an absorption of Bosnia and the
Herzegovina. 1t is Just possible that Tur-
key could afford to lose North Bulgaria and
accept the natural and formidable frontier
OF the Balkans; but further sacrifices in
Europe. and especially such Gripping
Of her resources as would follow the
loss Of the warlko Moslcm popula-
ton In Bosnia, she could scarcely
afford. \ powerful and friendly State would
boz, perhaps, more useful to Hungary than the
Incorporation of II disalected and mtracta-
bic SlaN ouic province. southern Slays have
already given the Magyars trouble enough
and it Is probable that Count ANDRAssY
would cvince no eagernrss to annex more
of thom if some guarantur could be found
for thc performance II Turkish promises
aud for the prompt renewing Of Turkish
power OF sclf-protcction
l. it possible that such a warranty q
Ottoman good faith and military rrhabilita
tion is tine surprise which BEACoNsFGELD /,
said To be preparing II would seem tina
q the projected consolidation Of the Rus
sian indemnity with the claims Of Englisl
creditors looks toward n scheme Of over
p sight aud tutelagc hot unlike that ap
. piled TO some Of the greater vassal
If the Empress Of India. Experience
too, has shown in Ilindostan tha
p it by no means follows, because the coloc
, tion and distribution Of taxes are suIren
: dercd, that the SENSE 81 national identity i
! lost, or that the creation Of an ctlcctv
. native ARM is materially hindcrcd. w
e need not point out the tremendous re-
| sponshility resting on a Ministry whc
e should ndissolubly associate England wit
; Ottoman interests by the virtual establish
e mcnt Of a British prOtectorate Mt Stamhou
= Butaccording TO BEAcONsFlELDt this identit
Il Of interest has long been fact, and may a
we'll be recognized in name. Great Britain
y in his Judgment, i an A.iatc not Euro
o pcnn power; the Snltnn's revenues ar
e. ruortgaged TO English creditors and tn
"A l.mnr,-s nf Iudin ia linked nv tin3 sh