Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-19

n
LISH INTERESTS PROTECTED.
A cable dispatch says that Lord Beacons-
field on entering the House OF Lords yeSter-
day afternoon was heartily cheered lie said
that in laying upon the table the protocols of
the treaty of Berlin he should be only doing
his duty To the House, to Parliament and to
the country by making some remarks upon
the policy supported by the British represent
atlyes In the congress. He could show that in
the changes which were made in the treaty of
san Stetano by the treaty of Berlin a menace
TO the independence OF Europe had been re-
moved and threatened injury to the British
empire terminated. The congress has restored
TO the Sultan twOthirdS of his possessions,
the population being amongst the most wealthy
and intelligent of his subjects. IL was said
that when lhe congress talked of establishing
the Balkan frontiers of what may be called
New turkey they were establishing an fnde-
enSIble frontier. but 1t was upon courage and
ntrepldity that impregnability depended, and
would be found that If left 20 those who de-
Tended PleVna that frontier could not be in
detensible. Ii was said that the position of
Sofia was yielded TO the imperiouS demands of
one oil the powers. He could assure their
!ordShlps that there was not shadow OF truth
IN this statement Moreover, a parsonage
high in authority had stated it was quite errO-
neouS TO suppose that Sofia WAS strong STRAIT
egic position; 1t had also been said that the
congress made great mistake in not securing
Narna for Turkey, but those who blame the
congress for committing an error in this re-
Spect quite forget that they have allotted to
important in the Black Sea
"One of the greatest obstacles 10 an object
in which the Congress was unanimous, namely,
the re-eStablishment Of the Sultan as a real
independent authority was the anarchical con-
dltlon OF Bosnia and the neighbOring cOun-
tries" His LordShip, continuing, said most
competent authoritIes had convinced hm that
1t would have taken fifty thousand of Turkeys
pest troops to secure any approach TO order in
Bosnia. Even then the attempt would, per-
hapS, have been unsuccessful, and such an
effort must have secured Turkeys absolute
ruin. He disclaimed any desire to attribute
Austrian occupation TO necessity. Submitting
to the wish OF the majority of the Congress-
austria undertook the occupation at the Sug-
geStion of Lord Salisbury, earnestly supported
by himself, (LOrd BeacOnSfield.) The object
IN recommending the occupation was to pro-
tect Turkey. The government had consist
entity resisted the principle of partition of
Turkey because, exclusive OF the consideration
Of morality, il believed that an attempt at
partition would inevitably lead TO a long and
Continuing, he said: II was remarkable
that after great war and the prolonged ne
gotlatiOns all the powers, Russia as strictly
and completely as the others, came to the
unanimous conclusion that the best chance for
the tranquility of the world was TO retain the
Sultan as a part Of the European system. He
pointed out that every great war was followed
by redistribution of territory, hut that was
not partition. Austria had, perhaps lost more
provinces than even Turkey. France lost
provinces, but she was still great power, with
a commanding future. England lost some OF
her most precious possessions through bad
government, loss which every EngllShmal
must deplOre al this moment, aud which
would not have occurred if the principle which
now govern her relations with the colonies had
been observed. He defended the limit not be-
Ing liked TO Austrian occupation, as that would
only have held out hope to agitatOrs. His
LOrdship pointed out that England had, ac-
cording to promise, obtained a hearing for
Greece, and had made, prior TO the Congress,
oVertures to the Porte which were received in
more than encouraging spirit, for such recti-
hcatl0n OF the frontier as VIII give Greece
a considerable Increase or strength and
resources, and prevent brigandage anC the
continued diSsenSiouS which are fOStered blythe
present configurati0n OF the frontier. But the
Greeks had evidently quite misapprehended
the objects OF the congress. They were covert
large provinces and powerful islands as an in
stallment OF their full claim. Earl BeacOns-
field, in summing up the general results OF the
treaty as regards European Turkey, pointed
out that by the exclusion of b )snia and Bull
garia it still contained sixty thousand SQUARE
miles and population of six millions Lori
Beaconsneld's statement showed throughout
strong bias In favor OF the Turks. Tins he
almost apologized for the limitation of thea
Sultan's authority in Eastern Roumelia saw
ing: AS gene raj rule il was thought unwisa
10 lnterlere with military power which you
ackhoWledfe, yet IN consideration of the many
been the scene, it had been thought advisable
IN order 10 prevent their recurrence, 10 estab-
lsh government somewhat different from
that OF the Turkish provinces, where the Sui
tan s authority mi ght be called unlimited. No
limit, however, had been placed on the force
the Sultan might introduce for the defence OK
Eastern Roumelia."