, 1881-02-20

-AA 0N~ ---~-~ '---~~
ner. It would be some compensation. how
ever. In these days to know how to build
such house.
THE CoKsrANT1N0pLE CONFERENCE
The aspect of the Greco-Turkish question
Is more pacific in its outlook, and it looks
now as IT the Forthcoming conference at
Constantinople might settle 1t without q
i. general war. The consent OF Prince Bis
marck to preside at and conduct the de-
| liberations is hopeful. for, as he has
stated on more than one occasion recently,
and has been confirmed by the recent speech
Of the Emperor, the desire Of Germany is for
| peace, because, as was not stated, she Is not
yet ready for war The policy of France, as
is we'll known, is pacific. SO much 50 that She
| has abandoned her former position as the
champion of Greece, ana has officially an
nounced that she will take no part in a forci-
Bile coercion Of Turkey. England resoiutely
maintains her old attitude OF taking no step
| except in CONCERT with the other Powers.
| Sir Charles Dilke, in reply to recent inter-
rogatfon, explained the form which negotia-
tions are to take, and denied that the Govern
ment had given any intitnation that it would
help Greece against the Porte, or that 1t mad
any purpose Of doing so. "The trust OF the
! Government IS in the maintenance OF
| the concert between the European Powers.
| England Is not engaged in any Isolated
action. She will move with the rest, but will
do nothing by herself to force solution
which there is still some hope may be at
tanned by pacific means" Nor is there any
danger from Italy, or Russia, or Austria
Italy is too weak, Russia is too much occu-
pied with internal troubles, and Austria, Of
course. will second Germany. Both Turkey
and Greece also are growing more pacific.
Turkey has been plunged into fresh financial
difficulties Of dangerous sort, and cannot
afford war If she can avoid 1t. Greece is
also in financial troubles, and cannot gether
loans placed; and besides that begins to have
misgivlngs about the attitude OF the Powers
in case Of war.
Meanwhile, the Porte continues its wary
and non-committal policy. When questioned
recently by the English Ambassador how
far it would go in order to meet the demands
of Greece, it replied that it was impossible
to define in advance the maximum Of the
concessions it might be disposed to make,
since that could only be established through
the negotiations with the Ambassadors and
in this view it is supported by Germany and
Austria. The Porte has successfully re-
sisted every individual effort of the Powers
to sound it as to its Intentions, and the only
action it will recognize is that Of the Powers
in concert. The London Times, comment
ing on the situation, says:
The object Of the Powers will, Of course, be to
ASCERTAIN the amount OF territorial concession
which The Porte Is prepared TO make. make. and % TO
al after % The @ Recognized briensai fashion. FIST
@ s Il the
sst on tuking Us starting point the line OF the
Berlin Conference. their . metitad ,e don Or What
nople correspondent has informed US. be respect-
fully but firmly declined: The opposit extreme
the Powers agree to this, some further conces- |
sons srtlIhe made. The tendency, our Vienna |
ID IN
teenth protocol OF the Berlin Treaty. But 1t Is
to be shifting basis n any case II liberal
degree In which It Is to be narrowed and tice |
reTsa. But the Powers, we must presume, will
place themselves in substantial accordance as to
what the final settlement Is to be. II So, It
seems un unimportunt matter from what side 1t
is reached. whether by pairing down an original
by adding slice after slice to an inadequate ter
ritosial offer from the Porte.
That the agreement Of the Powers will re-
main intact now seems apparent. and it
equally seems apparent that they will reach
some compromise between the demands Of
Greece and the concessions which Turkey is
prepared to make that Turkey will hold
herself bound by. The situation, therefore.
hinges upon the attitude Of Greece after the
Powers have arrived at decision, and.
whether she will consent to accept less than
has been specified in the Treaty of Berlin.
After the Powers have delivered their decis-
ion they, Of course, will not recede from it.
If Greece is dissatisfied with 1t and refuses to
accept it. she must act for herself, aud of
course will ALLEVIATE the sympathies of the
Powers and all hope ofassistance from them.
She must make war upon Turkey alone, and,
as she is much the weaker Power, she must
get the worst Of 1t, and at the close
Of such a war find herself intinitly worse off
than she is now. The wiser policy for her
to pursue would be to accept the decision of
the Powers, and, If she can't get the whole
loaf. take half, and retain the respect and
sympathies of Europe