Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-14
A WAR CLOUD.

The Philadelphia Record remarks
There is whisper of war in the latest
advces from Eastern Europe, Turkey
roscnts the proposed transfer OF large
slice OF the old Grecian territory from
her Jurisdiction TO the modern King.
dom Of Greece, and appears inclined TO
carry her protest against the recon-
mendation Of the Berlin Conference to
the extent of armed resistance. The
Porte is already making active military
preparations, even going so far as to
release maleiactors from tho prisons Of
Constantinoplo for service in Thessaly
and Epirus. Turkish troops are being
concentrated within striking distance
Of the disputed territory. Greece, on
the othor hand, is putting herself in a
defensive position, and enlistments are
actively progressing with view TO the
impending struggle.
Taking these two nations by them.
selves there is an immense disparity in
their relative strength and resources.
The population of Turkey when last
aseertained was 9,573, 900, while that
ofGreece was l,457, 1874. The Turkish
regular army numbers l57,667 men,
but the estimate Of her war footing Is
6ls,l The Kingdom of Greece has
a regular army of 1887, with war
footing of 10000, less than one. TWEEN.
tieth that of Turkey. Greece has but
2l naval vessels, manned by 652 men,
while Turkey has 40 vessels, with
about 6,000 men. The war, however,
II there is one, will not be confined to
the immediate parties to the struggle
All Europewill take hand in the fight
when II comes, and the result is likely
to be very different from the issue Of
the famous war Of the Crimea 1t win
not be this time an alliance OF France
and Great Britain against Russia for
the maintenance Of Turkish autonomy
The aspect Of the long and vexed
Eastern question, which has more or
less controlled European diplomacy for
the greater part Of the present century,
has undergone noteworthy change of
late years.
The "sck man Of Europe" has been
all along more apuppet than anything
else in the hands OF the great Christian
nations seeking to preserve the balance
Of power as against the presumed am.
bilious designs Of Russia. But for
these necessities of state craft the
anomaly of Mussulman absolutism in
Europe would have long since disap.
peared. II the Sultan now fatuousiy
interposes force to defeat the solemnly
declared will OF the Powers that Joined
in the programme of the Berlin Con
ference the days of his power, on this
side of the Bosphorus and the Darda-
nolios at least, are numbered. The
action of the Conference was media.
tion rather than an arbitration, but in
this case II is equivalent to a command.
The rehabilitation OF Greece has been
resolved upon, and it will be made good
at any cost. The friendly countenance
which Christian Europe gave to the
Greeks when they rebelled sixty years
ago against the Mohammedan slavery
of fourcenturies made their brave effort
for freedom to degree successful in
the establishment Of modern Greece as
an independent kingdom, and Ohio,
her first King, was chosen by Russia,
France and Great Britain as long ago
as 1882, Greece has been ever since
practically under the protection of
those two great nations. The reign.
ing sovereign, George son OF Christian
TX of Denmark, was elected with their
approval in 1863 and there is every
reason to believe that the proposed ad-
ditions to his domain, taken as they
are from the territory of ancient Greece,
and being in fact merely restoration,
will be made effectual by the combined
force of Christian Eurore.