The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-22

men who treasure the traultlon thut tne
spirit of fair play and plain dealing are
in some way always associated with the
policy of British ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
who sympathize with the conception OF
Lord Derby that success in certain transac-
tions is not of such supreme consequences
that great nation should stoop to gain 1t
BY unbecoming conduct. Consequently
there were murmurs against his acts that
were not confined to political opponents.
But if men objected to the story as Beacons-
field himself presented it what will they say
when they are forced to extract its palmer
truths from the documents which tell the
whole story? Mr.. Gladstone calls the
Anglo Turkish treaty an 'insane covenant
a convention of nbsurdity and duplicity."
Mr.. Forster is evidently Of the same opinion,
and he declares that the liberal leaders will
give the country on opportunity to ponder
over the acts Of the government during
long and exhaustive debate. When the
nation realizes how little has been achieved
that is honorable for England either at
Berlin or Constantinople Mr. Gladstone's
thought perhaps in stronger terms, will
ultimately rule public opinion.
In the text Of the Anglo Turkish treaty
there are peculiar revelations, and in the
respective dates of that document and the
Anglo Russian agreements it is demon
strated how shamefully the representatives
Of honest John Bull played falsely with
poor Turkey. One who Is swindled at
thimble rig or cheated ut cards by gambler
with his sleeve full of aces is not used worse
than the Sultan was used by MIR. Layard
under the instructions, no doubt, Of his
superiors at home Cyprus was coded to
England by the Sultan June 4, as the con-
sideraton for u certain service. What was
that service? 1t is stated in these words
of the treaty:-'If Batoum, Ardahan,
Kars or any of them shall be re-
tanned by Russia. and ii any attempt
shall be made at any future time
| by Russia TO take possession of any further
territories of His Imperial Majesty the Sui
tan in Asia. rs fixed by the defnitiye treaty
of peace, England engages to join His I'm
peral Majesty the Sultan in defending
them by force of arms" BY this it appears
that England accepted Cyprus as the price
of her agreement to aid the Sultan in de-
Tending Batoum or any of the cities named
against the Russians. This engagement
she m lde June 4 Of the current year.
But five days previously she had made
an agreement with Russia by which
she consented not to contest the
desire of the Emperor of Russia to
occupy the port of Batoum and keep his
conquests in Armenia" England agreed
with Russia on Thursday that the latter
might keep the territory conquered from
the Sultan in Armenia, and on the follow
ing tuesday she pledged herself to Turkey
to join that Power in arms to regain that
territory, and she not only made the
pledge but has taken the pay. England,
in order to obtain possession of Cyprus,
made representations 10 Turkey which she
could not fulfil and did not intend to fulfil.
| She gave the Sultan draft on q bank in
which she had no money and in which she
did not intend to deposit any money, fully
intending when she gave the craft that it
should be dishonored if ever presented, but
| Indifferent to the dishonor provided she
should in the meantime secure possession
of the coveted property. That is the nature
| of the act by which she obtained Cyprus
In the case of individuals this would be
called swindling. In the present case it is
called brilliant diplomacy, and it is not SO
far out of character with great deal of
British diplomacy that it need excite wonder
on that account.
1t should be remembered that this false
pledge constitutes in itself the whole sub
stance of the convention with Turkey
'Hs Majesty the Sultan assigns the Island
of Cyprus 70 be occupied and administered
by England" and promises to introduce
certain reforms in the government Of Asia
Minor Sin return" for England's pledge to
'.join His Imperial Majesty in defending
by force Of arms the places named in
Asia Minor, which places England has
agreed, by another secret treaty, Russia
shall hold in peace SO far as relates
to any act of British forces against them
Here is covenant that may be safely COM
mended as n case in point to any one who
believes that it is impossible to run with
the hounds and hold with the hare. Here
is n dipomatist who, if nc: on equally
good terms with the hunters and the game,
manages at all events to get deeply enough
into the confidence of each to cheat both
with beautiful impartiality. This covenant
was signed june 4. which was nine days
before the plenipotentiaries met ut Berlin.
In the days which preceded the assembly
OF the plenipotentiaries at the German
capital it was not certain from day to day.
nor even from hour to hour. but what,
through some late discovered obstacle, the
whole project of the Congress would still
fall through. There was no certainty that
the Congress would sit until it actually did
sit England felt that uncertainty, and
Turkey felt it also; and each of