The Portland daily press., 1878-02-16
he British Fleet at Princes Island.
Various Opinions of the
Situation.

LONDON, Feb. 15.-The London Times saws:
The significance of sending the feet to Con-
stantinOple is even greater than its immediate
Importance, and very powerful force is now
in position to maintain our interests in the Bos
phorus and Dardanelles. The Times hopes Rus
sia will admit the force of Derby's protest, and
will not from perfectly sentimental motives Or
der Russian troops to take up menacing posi-
ton, which, it says, is wholly unnecessary for
the protection of their real interests.
Advices from Athens, received yesterday by
Greek merchants here, announce that in conse-
quence OF recent massacres in the Greek prov
nces of Turkey and the entry Of the British
fleet into the Dardanelles, the Greek govern
ment feel themselves justified in reoccupying
the valley and Epirus. Gen. Grevas is to take
command of the forces in western Greece, and
Col. Coroneos is to command the Cretan insur-
gents. Ten thousand men of the Garde Mo-
bile are under arms at Athens.
ATHENS, Feb 15-Informaton from Crete
states that the General Assembly reviewed its
declaration of annexation of the island of
Greece. The Insurgents have gone to.Vantos
to attack the Turks Artillery left Canca to re-
inforce the garrison of vantos,
BERLIN Feb. 15-Bismarck is reported as
intending to give clear and full explanation
OF his Eastern policy in answer to the question
about to be put in parliament. The Emperor is
understood to be prepared in case of need, to
tender his good offices to England and Russia,
with view to the preservation of peace, but he
is not inclined to act in any way as an arbitra-
tor between them.
LONDON, Feb. 15.-The Daily News leading
editorial says: We sincerely wish we could
bring ourselves at such crisis as the present
to greater faith in the wisdom and enlightened
purpose of her majesty ministers. All is CON-
mitted now to their hands, and assuredly we
do not wish to thwart them, but their policy
has led SO far only to embarrassment and diff
Guilty, and in that fact there is not much en-
couragement for better hope as to what is yet
to come.
A despatch from Vienna to the Times saws:
ut is quite possible that the Czar will succeed
IN concluding negotiations with Turkey before
the conference meets. thus creating the desir-
| ed fat dcconapk, But after the declarations of
the British and Austria governments, she can
| scarcely expect that such a fdit accompk will
| be Internationally recognized. As regards
the government, it has not omitted in its conf
dental communication to st. Petersburg to
point out the clauses in the preliminary stipu-
European and Austria interests in the mat
ter OF which accomplished facts could scarcely
be recognized. No written notes have been
exchanged on the subject, but for all that the
| fats dcsompss effected by treaty with Tur-
| key are likely to he recognized by this county.
The Manchester Guardians London cores
| pondent says: The expectations of pacific
settlement of the Eastern question diminish
| day by day. Austria and England are rapidly
coming to an understanding and an actual alli-
ance may only be question of few hours.
How England can operate with Austria is not
| easy to describe. The Russian advance upon
| Constantinople and the Bosphorus would only
be another proof of her intention to keep our
fleet out of the Black sea, and if once it was in
those waters it would be pressing question
whence the ships could draw supplies If Rus
sia possessed command of the Bosphorus
would disappear were we sure the Turks would
resist the Russian advance upon the ports of
the Bosphorus, and that Suleiman Pasha would
| oppose the Russian march upon Gallipoli.
1t is regarded exceedingly probable that the
Porte has left the door open for retreat from the
grasp of its foe, and that yet at the eleventh
hour Turkey may refuse to hand over its fleet
to Russia and throw herself on tho protection
OF England. There is every indication that
before forty-eight hours have elapsed we may
hear OF terrible confusion at Constantinople,
and that the capture of a water way to the
Black Sea and maintenance of communication
with our fleet ill constitute some of the most
exciting incidents of the situation, but British
action in this matter depends upon Austria
and the course of events can only leave her
few hours to decide 1t is obvious also, that
much will depend upon the conduct of Sulei-
man Pasha Practically he holds the Darda-
nelles. His force is quite strong enough to de-
fend the lines of Boular, and the safety of the
British fleet very largely depends upon his do
ing so. The conduct of Roumania is another
important factor. Russia has acted more in
famously towards her than towards any other
power. Not only is Roumania likely to with
draw from Russian alliance, but it is not i'm
probable she may tnrn her sword against Rus
Sia. Prince Bismarck refuses to speak and in
diplomatic circles here it is believed Germany
will decline to act on either side.
The st. Petersburg Golos announces that
Osman Pasha has given its editor positive as
surances that there is not word of truth in
the reports of his cruelty to the prisoners of
war circulated in Russia.
ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 15.-The Agence
Russse says all the newspapers point out that
the British fleet has entered the Dandanelles
in spite Of the Sultan's protest. and is conse-
quently violating the treaty of Paris of 1856.
LONDON, Feb 15.-Lord Derby's protest
against the Russian occupation of Constantino-
pie is published. 1t is very decidedly worded.
1t demonstrates that the entry of Russian
and might provoke disorders, causing very
great dangers to the Christians which the Rus
sian government deprecates
1t concludes as follows:
"Her maiestys government cannot acknowl-
edge that the despatch of British ships to Con-
stantinople has anybearing onithe entryof Rus
sian troops into the city, which latter measure
they consider uncalled for by any circumstan-
ces of military or other necessity, and the con-
sequence of which may be most disastrous to
the whole population of the CITY,
Lord Derby also telegraphed Lord LOTUS on
FebIuarya13th, that he had expressed to Count
Schouvahoff the governments earnest hope
that the Russian troops would not make any
movements towards Gallipoli, or any move
ments of a nature to threaten the comm1nica-
tions Of the fleet, as any such movement
would be regarded in England as compromising
the safety of the fleet and ia the actual state of
public feeling he (Lord Derby could not an
swer for the consequences which might be
most serious.
VIENNA, Feb. 15.-The New Free Press saws
it is reported that the Austrian Minister of Fl
nance will proceed to London on a special mis-
sion.
BERLIN, Feb. 15-The North German Ca
zette says request was received from st. Pet
ersburg yesterday that German influence make
tsel felt. In spite of all assertions to the
contrary the relations existing between the
three imperial courts not only place all idea of
any coOlnes5 arising between them entirely out
of the question, but also offers a sure guarantee
for the maintenance OF general peace.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Feb. 15.-Namyk Pasha
has gone to the Russian headquarters charged
with an endeavor to dissuade the Grand Duke
Nicholas from occupying Constantinople.
The Russians on Friday morning occupied
the Smidie redoubt which is a fort of the
Constantinople line of defence.
Although Austria has demonstrated against
the occupation of Constantinople, she will not
abandon her present attitude it the occupation
is accomplished peacefully and with the con-
sent of Turkey.
Russia mas nOtlned the Forte tnaG she has
prevailed upon Greeca to adopt pacific atti-
tude.
LONDON, Feb. 15.-The Posts Berlin cores.
pondent states that Baron Won Manteuffel will
go to st. Petersburg on an important mission.
A special to the Standard from Constantine !
pie reports that the headquarters of the Turk |
sh army of defence have been removed to Ste |
fanos. The Turks are hurredly erecting earth |
works on the Kujuk Chekmedje line of defence. |
The st. Petersburg correspondent of the |
Times says he has been informed that peace ne |
gotiations are now practically interrupted, for, |
since the appearance of the British men-of-war |
in the sea of Marmora the Turkish plenipoten- |
tiaries declare that complete autonomy for Bull |
CARA is inadmissable.
The correspondent adds: This statement may |
be regarded as official. 1t probably means that |
the Porte sobjects to the extent which Russia |
wishes to Include in Bulgaria. The same au-
thority informed him that Russia in Difference |
to Austria, was willing to limit the time of oc-
cupation of Bulgaria to a maximum of two
years and consent to the reorganization of Bull
garia by an international commission, but in
sists that the Sultan's jurisdiction 10 Europe
should be limited to a strip Of territory on the
shore of the straits.
The Times Paris correspondent guarantees
the correctness of the following from Consran-
IT. q