, 1881-05-14
TURKEY AND GREECE.

the Note by which she accepts the TURK
ish proposals should not be divulged, Tor
it is not much to the credit either OF the
skill or the tact of the statesmen who
have drawn it up. The first part is full
of ungraciouS recriminatiOns, which must
have sin gularly offended the Powers,
whose desire for peace must have been
sincere indeed to prevent their pointing
out to the Greek Cabinet the ingratltude
of replying in such terms to the generous
efforts of Europe and not the less gener-
GUS sacrifices of Turkey. The note common
ceS by complaining that the new frontier dlt-
fers completely from that adopted by the
Berlin Conference, and that it offers nelther
Secu rity nor protection. The Note SayS:-
The Hellenic Government would have
thought that the irrevocable decisions OF
the Berlin Conference, accepted by Greece,
imposed obligations, not only on Greece, but
also on Europe"
Certainly the Note is an acceptance,
but one mixed up in a way to be regretted
with haughtiness and ingratitude, and the
submissive assurances at the end are no
amends for the suPerciliousness at the be-
ginning. | am not at all astonished to learn
that Turkey is delighted at the tone of the
Note, for when the frankly respectful tone
of the party who is diSmembered is COM
pared with the naughty tone Of Greece,
who is being enriched, the balance is not
in favour Of the subtle politicians of Greece
against the barbarian politicians of SIAM
boul. On recalling the origin of the ques.
ton, the humble solicitations of the
Greeks for a protest at the Congress in
favour of the G1Sek oppressed by Turkish
%barbarism, then their urgent supplications
for a rectifcation of the frontier, and on
rejecting that all this has resulted i'll the
q III N@-4sH, - nE
Thessaly. so admirably described by your
Con~StantinOple Correspondent, that Eu-
rope has exposed herself to the most seri-
Gus complications to obtain it, that she has
sought it for three years, grudging neith-
er her time nor her efforts, and that now
Greece accepts in so recalcitrant a manner,
one is of MIST. Hilaire'S opinion and thinks
with the translator Of Aristotle that the
Greeks ingratiate themselves neither when
they make g~iftsnor when they ask for them,
nor even when they receive them.
The HaUaS agency, in another note on
the Greek question, says the reply OF
Greece must be considered as a conditional
acceptance of the new frontier proposed. Ii
giVes'the text of the Greek reply as follows:
"In view of the invitation of the Powers
to accept a new line, and in view of preseRt
difficulties and future dangers, Greece has
W dSh ucIStIl WucG1Cl III dCCOpObuOO NAA
lead to a speedy and peaceful solution of
the question. AS the past leads us to
doubt this, the Greek Government needs
to know whether the new decisions will
be executed Immediately, or at least with
in a brief interval determined beforehand,
and to be enlightened as to the guaran-
tees which the Powers will give it on that
point. Greece is DESTROYS of peace, and
she is grateful towards Europe for her
efforts to bring about a peaceful solution.
She will moreover, lose no time in entering
into possession of the coded territory. But
decided as she is to proceed in the path OF
peace. she cannot abandon in their present
condition her children left outside the new
frontier, and she appeals on the subject to
the sense of Justice of the Powers"
The note adds that the Powers, being
satisfied with the substance but not with
the form of the reply, thought it necessary
to ask for a satisfactory explanation.
After ambasSadoIial conference at Athens,
| Herr Won Radowitz was accordingly de-
puted to apply to NJ. C-oumoundourOS Tor
a more explicit declaration. This reply
was that, considering the excited state
of public opinion and the dangers the
Throne might incur, he could not GO
beyond the terms of his reply, but must
simply abide by it the tillChamber met and
voted on the question. The King and
Government. he said sincerely desired
peace and were personally disposed to
accept the decision; while Europe by
Immediately taking measures to fulfil the