Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-02

MIA and Herzegovina to Austria. She eman-
cipates Servia and Roumania for the suzerain-
ity of the Turk. She rewards Montenegro
for her invincible valor with port and a
slice of territory; much smaller than it
ought to be. She recommends that Greece
should have another slice. With one hand
she erects military barrie- against future
Russian aggression by way of the Balkans,
anu with the other hand opens more con-
yenient door for the passage of Russian
armies by way of Sophia. The great fort
resses memorable in Russo Turkish military
annals, Rustchuk, Silistria, Shumla, Varna,
the impregnable quadrilateral, are hence
forth Russian. The frontier of Turkey in
Asia is denuded in the same way. Batoum,
Ardahan and Kars are ceded TO the Gar !;
not indirectly, as in Europe, but directly
Taking both together, Turkey pays far more
heavily for her defeat by Russia than France
paid by the loss of Alsace and Lorraine for
her defeat by Germany, in 1870. Russia
regains Bessarabia, also, point about
which public opinion in England was as
much excited as about any other whatever !;
though with no better reason than her dis
like to see the last stigma of defeat imposed
on Russia by the Crimean war wiped out
As a set of to these immense concessions,
England has concluded treaty with Turkey
by which she undertakes to protect Asiatic-
Turkey against future Russian aggression,
and tor the more convenient performance OF
this otherwise purely exccutory contract,
she annexes Cyprus with the consent of
the Sultan and subject to yearly tribute.
That, and that only, is what England has
gained. She has taken upon herself one of
the most burdensome obligations ever ac-
cepted by great power. She has done this
in pursuance of theory, which her foreign
secretary states, that the defeat Of the Turk
ish arms. and the Russian possession of
Batoum, Ardahan and Ksrs, will be regarded
by the Asiatic population as a monument of
feeble defence on the one side and of sue
ccssful aggression on the other. and as fore
bodipg the course Of political history in the
immediate future. More simply, Asiatic
Turkey is in danger of going rapidly to
pieces, to the manifest peril of the Indian
Empire and this latter peril it is which
England steps in to avert
In one sense, | readily admit that this con-
clusior of this Anglo-Turkish Treaty is dip
lomatic triumph for England. 1t marks the
victory Of English or Russian diplomacy in
Constantinople itself. There was moment
after the war when it seemed probable that,
whatever become of the Treaty of San
Stefano, Russia would re.establish her old
ascendancg at the Porte. 1t was Of much
consequence to her to do so. She has been
foiled in that, and Turkey, forced to choose,
has thrown herself into the arms of England,
and not of Russia. IL is possible, certainly,
that Turkey may change her mind, that the
Sultan may be overthrown, that Russia may
again get the uppe: hand on the Bosphorus,
and that England may wake up some morn
ing to hear that new Grand Vizier repudi-
ates the treaty. Anything is possible in
Turkey, except good faith and honesty. In
that view and in others, the acquisition of
Cyprus is also, perhaps, diplomatic sue
cess. Setting that aside, what il left of the
triumph? ?
Moreover, in reciting merely the conces-
sions made by England to Russia, the whole
case against Lord Beaconsield is by no
means stated. There is good deal more to
go to the debit side Other nations must be
taken into account There is Greece, whose
claims England promised to sustain, and op-
posed and who reckons herself deceived
and betrayed. There is France, who lent
generous and uudeserved support to Lord
Beaconsfeld in his early resistance to Rus
sia, and whom he rewards by outraging her
as Mediterranean Power
France is irritated. almost exasperated
There is Italy, another Mediterranean power,
in the same state of mind. Finally, there
are the great empires-Germany, Russia,
Austria-bound together by this act more
closely than ever. If there was
chance Of dissolving the Triple AL
lianee, Lord Beaconsfeld has thrown
that chance away. Is it dip
lomatic triumph which leaves England once
more isolated in Europe. without ore friend
but her interesting client. the Turk? Be
tween England and Turkey political soli-
darity is hencoforth established, and it is
probable that by this Treaty the existence
of the most oppressive and corrupt Govern
ment in the world may be prolonged. That
also may seem to Lord Beacorsfold a
triumph
This is, must add, dehating the question
on very low ground. 1t matters little
whether You call it a triumph for England,
and still less whether it be or be not
triumph for Lord Bcaconsfcld. have
scarcely touched the most momentous ques-
ton of all the probable etfcc: o. this treaty
on the future of England. The manner in
which this new departure has been taken
marks one of the last stages in the transition
iron. Parliamentary 10 personal government
which does not imply that the transition
will ever be complete. Lord BeacOrsfeld is
mortal, after all. But the treaty will not
die with him, nor is it easy to say how re-
mote generation may not feel the burden
be has laid on the Empire The re>ponsi-
bilitics he assumes are as vast as they are
vague, and complete conception of them
,an come but slowly. Enough Of them
Ire already visible and comprehensive to fill
sober minds with alarm. One of them
alone might have made anybody but Lord
Beaconsfeld pause in his mad ambition
This, namely, that to avert possible danger
10 the frontiers of India from 70, 900
miles away, he has with one stroke of the
pen carried those threatened frontiers to the
Russian border A month ago, the Himsl-
iyas and other vast natural obstacles di-
'ided Russia from India, but to-day India
begins with what IL LETT OF Armenia For
i tho treaty Of COnstautinople means any
thing, it means that hcncciorwaid England
md Turkey are to stard or fall together.
e. VS.