New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-20
ruF srLyly md THE POTERS.

So many Notes, Collective, Identical, ana In
dividual. have passed between the Powers and
the Porte and the commentaries OF the irregular
ambassadors of the London press upon the text
Of the correspondence hiv, been s. y0umlnous,
that a careful resume of the points at issue
requires the closest dsctrnmcnt. con
venient pmut of drparturc IS the Identical Note
of the Powers delivered to the Porte after Mr..
Gosrhan's interviews with tie Sultan had dis
closed the intention of TIE Liberal Ministry IN
England to cooperate heartily and eiiecilVely
with the Continental courts In this Note,
which has been the basis of all subsequent
negotiations, the settlement Of three questions
was demanded. These related to contem-
plated reforms in Armenia the MOEtencgrin
frontier, and the Greek CLAIMS.
Under the first head, no progress has been
made. The Powers have reminded the Sultan
of his obligations under the Treaty OF Berlin
to carry out without delay various measures oil
administrative reform demanded by local re-
quirements in the provinces inhablte by the
Armcnians, and TO guarantee to them security
against the attacks of the Circassilns and
KooIds. + e Sultan has made civil reply con
tanning a vague assurance that reform measures
would be introduced as soon as possible HE
latest consular reports from Armenia disclose
the prevalence of rapine and murder, so that 1t
is evident the condition OF the provinces Is
as deplCrable ii has been at any time since the
war. The supcrintendence of these domestic
reforms with which the Powers are intrusted by
the Treaty cannot be exercised without great
Inconvenience, and it is not likely that their
interference in this respect will lead TO any
practical result. The languid interest excited
by the debate on this subject recently opened
IN the House Of Commons by so well-info rned
traveller as MIR. Bryce shows how little Is to
be expected from the intervention OF the
Powers.
The negotiations relating to the Montenegro
frontier have been more intricate. The
Powers insisted upon the unconditional cession
of the territory which had been substituted
with the consent OF Prince Nikita for that
which was originally marked out by the Berlin
Congress. The Porte pleaded the difficulty of
putting the MOntenegrins IN possession OF tins
strip of territory, and the Powers proposed the
substitution of a portion OF Dulclgno between
the Adriatic and the Lake OF Scutari. After
protracted negotiations between the ambassa-
doris and the Turkish Foreign Office. the Sultan
II rs decided tins week to cede Duicigno to Mon
tenegrO. If the transfer can bemade without
blOodshed this troublesome frontier question
will be settled. There is reason however, to
apprehend serious resistance from the northern
Albanians. When the exchange OF territory was
first proposed, late in June, a large body of the
inhabitants of Ducigno openly revolted, and
received material aid from the headquarters OF
the Albanian League. The national movement
has already made great Roadway among the
mounta neers, Mahometans and Roman
Catholics of Albania, and If the banner OF
absolute independence has not been already
unfuIled, the feeling in favor Of autonomy is
very strong. If the Porte attempts to occupy
Dulcigno in force and to put the Montenegrins
in possession of the stronghOlds, war for in
dependence il likely to follow. On the other
hand, no foreign Power will care to land troops
on the coast and enforce the DEGREES of Europe
The Greek frontier dispute is the simplest OF the
three questions in one respect, inasmuch as the
negotiations have resulted in positive action Gu
each side. The Powers, not having received any
response to the proposition for the appointment
of a technical commission to mark out the
Turco- Greek frontier took the matter into
their own hands and sent copies of the new map
to Constantinople The Porte has returned the
\
authority of the Powers to act as arbitratOrs. A
naval demonstration, which would bring the
physical force of Europe to bear upon the
SuItan's capital, seemed to be the natural
solution of this perplexlng question. Such a
demonstration implies unity of action on the
part of the Fix Great Powers, and this is a most
difficult tang to secnrc in the present c0ndi
ton of Europe. NayarinO was only possible
after months OF diplomacy, during which nego
tia,ions among the Powers were repeatedly
broken off, and concerted action cannot take
place at this time until numbeIless obstacles
are removed. When the Supplementary Con-
ference WAS held at Berlin there was no apparent
divergence of views, a Russian amendment
which bad been proposed with questionable
sincerity being quickly withdrawn, and the
Anglo French plan being adopted without dis
sent Now that the time for coercion has come,
international jcal0usies are life Bismarck
sends special representatives to COns.aLtinope
10 offset the influence OF Mr.. Goschen and TO
encourage the Sultan to depend III some
measure upon the good Offices of Germany and
AushO-l Hungary. France, which has taken the
lead IN adyocaiing the cause OF the Greeks
suddenly discovers that hcI interests IN the
Orient ale purely imaginary, and that she is not
bonnd in honor 10 she 4 a drop of her own blood
AGAINST any foes except the Germans. From the
Continent the suggestion Is made that Cyprus
can he decided back to the Sultan in exchange
for Janina and MetzOyO, If Mr. Gladstone be
chivalrousy inclined TO help the Greeks with
out bringing on a European war. So the naval
demonstration dIags badly.
Meanwhile, the Sultan peiseveres in his
policy of mastery inactivity. Hc has promised