The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-14
DRIFTING TOWARD the ROCKS.
LONDON. Oct. 2.-PublIc feeling in England

the Ship Of state is rapidly drifting toward tho
rocks and that the Captain refuses to tell his
officers or any one else how he intends TO avoid
them. Events during the last wcck have not
boon calculated to restore confidence. Tho
management Of the Afghan question so far has
given rise to the most bitter criticism. 1t has
now transpircd that on the It'll Of Juno Lord
Iytton was aware that Russian mission was
on it's way to Cabul that he then made advances
to tho Amccr with view Of finding out whether
an English mission would be received or not;
that he received indirectly the most positive
assurances. couched in tho most insocnt Ian
guago. that II was useless to send any such mis-
sion. and that il tho Amocr wanted ono he
would send for IT, With full consciousness Of
this, he then publicly announces that an inn
posing mission will be sent. knowing that the
year il so far advanced that. unless n force is
prepared previously. it will be impossible to
chastise any insult that may be offered to the
mission. and knowing that the mission will be
insultod. he prepares no force. but sends the
mission apparently with no other object than
the humiliation OF the country. Had he heen n
Russian agent. II would have been impossible
for policy II policy II can be called. to have
operated more favorably for the Russian Gov
eminent.
The effect in Europe has boon instantaneous.
No sooner is the rebuff received in the Khyber
Pass. thnn Prince Lobanon announces that IL is
not the intention Of the Russian Government to
carry ont the clauses In the trenty Of Berlin in
regard to Eastern Roumcia The Russian OFF,
cials In that province refuse TO net with the
English Commissioner are administering it
after their own fashion. are recruiting the
Christian inhabitants for militia. peopling il
with Bulgarian emigrnnts from the north Of
nni IN
garinns. and driving out the Mohammedans by
acts Of injustice. In fact. they nre doing all in
their power TO increase tho number Of Slavs.
and place matters on such footing that Rus
sinn influence may remain paramount in East
| ern Roumclia. rs 1t is in Bulgaria.
There can be no doubt that had II not been
for the Afghan imbroglio. the attitude OF the
Russians in Europe would have been very dill
fercnt from what II il. and that they look for
ward to the troubles in Central Asia as n means
| by which they will eyadc their obligations under
| the treaty Of Berlin. For they well know that
there Is no power in Europe sufficiently inter
ested in the Eastern question to go TO war to
enforce that treaty but England. and II England
has her hands full in India Russia can act in
! Europe with impunity.
| Even the mislcd British public is beginning
TO understand this. and TO grumblc Mt u series
| 81 hlundcrs which are undoing all that it was
supposed tho treaty Of Berlin had accomplished
and now. MS II to perplcx them still more. they
arc told that any attempt to chastiso tho Afghane
| must be postponed TIL next year. This means
six months dclny-during which time the enc
mics OF England. secret and open. as well within
| Ms without the borders Of India. will be- active
Such a critical condition OF affairs would seem
20 suggest the necessity Of Cabinet Councils t.
consider how IL is to be mot hut ever since this
Afghan question has turned up. Ministers
have been scattered to the four winds TAX ng
their holiday and Lord Beaconsfleld has beer
riotng in his Independence. unchecked am
uncontrolled. his operations shrouded in mys
terry. 1t is strongly suspected that Lord Sails
bury is bitterly opposed to the Indian policy
indeed while he WIS 1T the head Of the Indiar
Ofice. he resisted sundry attempts which Lor,
| Lytton mnde In this direction; and Sir Stafford
| Northcote certainly does not look favorahl,
| upon n dispute which will lead the country int,
| an expensive war. II is suspected that the Gov
| eminent moan To attempt % saddle the revenue.
81 India with the cost but that on the inoo Of il
| would ba grossly UNJUST; in the first place. be
| cause the WIN arises ont OF q European and no
ont Of an Indian question; and. secondly. be
| rause tho revenues Of India are in such a con
di,ion that she could not deiray the twelve OF
fifteen millions sterling which 1t is calculate,
| must % tAlNNuNu - WHO out tue Insult Una
England has received.
The articles which have been appearing o
late in the Times on this subject are sucl
miracles OF fceblencss and indcc,slon that
recommend them To- your perusa - literar,
ruriosi.ies. The public accustomed To derv
some encouragoment Information. or definite
opinions from the leading Journals. are iof, e
walow hopelessly in a slough OF patitulcs an,
inRntics, and the consequence is that all sort
u disluicting rumors are rife. which may o
may not be true but which only Increase the
general sense ~ uncasincss and dcspondcncy
For tho present. tho Bosnian insurrc'ti,i
seems 20 be wcll-niGh crushed: but the fire il
not cNtinguishrd. only temporarily smothercl
Any attempt on the part Of the Austrians o. AL
vance toward Nov Bazar will kndlc il aircsh
;or the Alhauians arc organizing in lar,
masses In that district and have announce,
their determination Of refusing to comply viii
hetreaiy Of Berlin and permit tho dlstric
which it was decided should Doe annexed t.
Montenegro to be SO annexed
In fact nobody seems inclined to comply Will
that unhappy treaty. Tho Russians will ~
comply with it in Roumca tho Albnnians vii
not comply with it on the Montenogrin frontier
the Turks will not comply with II on tho Grecl
frontier. and 1t Is very doubtful whether The
Kurls will comply with ii in Armenia. Tn
Turkish Government refuses absolutely to a.
cedc - SIR Henry layard's proposals for re-
forming Asia Minor. which, ~ they seem to b.
quito impraoticahe, Is not 20 ho wondered Mt
the Aiehans refuse to receive the British mis-
sion; the Hungarian Ministry have rrsignel
because they refuse to be- called on any longr
20 supply tho Shows " war for tho operation
IN Bosnia; tho inhabitants OF the Dolrulsoh
hnvc announced thcir intonton Of refusing T.
allow tho annexation 81 their country to Rou
mania. in accordance with the provisions II III
treaty ~ Berlin; and the insurgents Of III
Rhodopc mountains refuse to capitulatc I
anybody. In fact. q spirit Of logged rc-istan'
and ohstlnary seems 10 have taken posse-sio
OF everybody NIL round. aud it is not the Kin
- spirit which inspires confidence or hodo
we'll for the future.
A sentiment oi violent antagonism is bcin
reused between the Crooks md SlHvs in thos
provinces whore the two races overlap. and
they como t. blows. which Is not unlikely. TN
Porto may have tho pleasure and cNpcrien'
The satisfaction Of sooinG lis two most bitter IN
torna foes 10y the enrs, Indeed the truo polio
Of tho Turkish Government would be- 10 cor