Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-15
Echoes From Abroad.

Echoes From Abroad.
The news from Turkey represents q
most grave condition of affairs. The
reply of the Porte to the collective note
of the Powers objec t. to the cession OF
such an enormous slice of territory to
Greece. and Gays that the conference OF
Berlin did not authorize the Powers to
arbitrate between Greece and Turkey,
! but merely to offer their good services
as mediators. Hence the Porte re-
fuses to be bound by the action OF the
so-called arbitrators. As concerns
Montenegro. the Sultan expresses his
willingness to carry out, as far as he
can, the required cession of Albanian
territory, and promises to aid the Mon.
tenegrins in their efforts to take posses
sion Of the places coded. 1t now de-
ponds upon the great Powers either to
maintain peace by joining together in
good faith and insisting upon turkey
carrying cut to the letter the obliga.
tons which they have imposed upon
her, or else to risklthe probable univers-
al war which will ensue upon declare.
ton of hostilities between Greece and
| Turkey.
About the time that General Burrows
was flying, routed, before the pursuing
Afghans q grand review was held in
Windsor Park before the Queen. Ac-
| cording to competent judges, the ap-
pearance, marching and drill of the
forces on that occasion were almost
perfect. The Queen, who was acc ON
,anied by several members of the Roy.
| al family, was very much pleased, and
expressed her entire satisfaction with
the maneuvers. A new feature was in.
troduced into the usual eyoIutions
which promises to be very popular ut
such displays. While the cavalry and
horse artillery had been passing the
Queens carriage at canter, the field
batteries had been forming along the
whole length of the front, and they now
| came forward at trot, unlimbered,
loaded and fred round. Then limb
ering up again, they rode to the rear,
while the first cavalry brigade advanced
in long line, performing the sword
exercise. Then hating, the brigade
retired, doing pursuing duty, and as
the heavy cavalry passed the Hussars
and Lancers, these also, advancing,
performed the sword and lance exer-
else. Then all the cavalry on the field
combined in one charge past the Queen,
OF racing speed. The effect of these
maneuvers is said to have been remark
ably fine; but how different was this
mimic war in its results to that which
was going on at about the same time on
the banks of the Helmundi The prin-
cipal musical event of the present Lon
don season was tho production of
Boite's " Mefistofele." This opera-of
which the libretto and music are both
by Eoito-was composed several years
ago, and at the time Of its first produc-
ton in Italy was q complete failure
Years passed by, and Boito made many
changes, cutting and pruning, until he
reproduced it in Italy, where it made
a grand success. This year Mr.. Maple
son has produced it in London, and the
musical world is wild with excitement
over the revolution in italian music
which it promises. The composer has
not restricted himself-as Gounod did
to the episode of Marguerite, but he
accompanies Faust through all his
temptations to the end of his career.
OF course, such scheme gives a won
derful variety to the composer of
dramatic music. He has borrowed from
Goethe the Prologue in Heaven, Easter
revel, the part between Faust and
Mephistopheles, the garden scene, the
witches sabbat. Nar0uerise's death, the
classical sabbat, and Faust's death.
Every scene ana situation OF these is
full Of musical suggestions, and Boito
has given them life with wonderful
success. He has adopted Wagner's
style to certain extent, but at the same
time he has preserved the peculiar
properties of the Italian school. Verdi's
aida" showed that the great Ger
mans method could be initiated in it's
essence by an Italian composer. and
Boito's Mefistofele "shows that it can
be surpassed. This new departure is
considered to form rev olution in Ital-
ian composition, and Boito is recognized
as the most rising composer Of the
day.
The vacillating conduct and charac-
ter of the present Pope Leo XIII, is so
strongly opposed to that of his prede-
cessor, Plus TX, and the policy which
is at present pursued by the Vatican is
so much at variance with that of the
immediate past, that it has become q
subject of general interest. The policy
which has been adopted with regard to
Belgium has brought about q nth.
drawal of the Bolivian Legation from
Rome. The Pope censured the Belgian
bishops in public for too much ZEAL"
and approved of their conduct in pri-
vate. Nor did he do this with any
double-faced intention, but merely
from his inas ility to say "No to any
one. In France it has been the same
thing. He could not make up his mind
to support the Jesuits whom he hates,
and he could not urge upon them to
conform to the laws of the land. The
French Ambassador. after almost daily
conference with Cardinal Nina, said he
could leone to no other conclusion
whatsoever" and finally the Pope
adopted the abject counsel of ordering
the Papal Nuncio in Paris to take
months furlough AZ soon as the de-
crees were promulgated. The Nuncio
replied that it was his duty to remain at