Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-15
The Late Russo-Turkish War.
/ ECTURE BY DIR. HANIIN.

LECTURE BY DIR. HAMIIN
A very interesting and instructive dis
course on the late war between Russia
and Turkey was delivered in the WI
nooski Avenue Congregational church on
Sunday evening by Rev. Dr. Cyrus Hamlin,
the founder and first president of Roberts
College at Constantlnople Though another
man gave the college its foundation and his
namcl, and now president of Middlebury Col
lcge. DR.. llamlin's long residence in Tnr-
key, where he was for thirty five years
missionary of the American Board, and iamil
iarity with the Eastern question, emincntly
qualify HIM To speak upon the subject lie
sketched briefly the various Russian enter
prises for The acquisition of Constantinoplc,
which have occurred at intervals of about -
years for hundred years past.
Coming down 10 1873 herclated the narrow
escape from Russian occupancy of Constan-
tinoplc, which was almost effected by the in
trigucs of Gen. lgnatief, the Russian am
bassador, and by the folly and treachcry of
the Sultan. The plot was discovered the
Sultan was dcihroned, and committed sui
eide, and ConstantinOple was saved.
The late Russo Turkish war was COM
menced by Russia, professedly for the liberia
ton of the Christian population (ofthc Greek
church, of the Turkish provinces. lis course
and close in the utter humiliation of Turkey,
was sketched by DR.. Ilamlin. BY the
treaty Of Sen Stcfano, by which Turkey ST.
cured peace, Russia was given practically
entire control of European Turkey; but the
actual provisions of the treaty were
concealed for while from the
world, 10y avoiding the names of
well known places, in defining the
new boundaries. When fully made known
1t became apparent that Russia had secured
all she wanted and could take CONSTANT
noplc whenever she wished England then
ini"rf"sod and demanded that the treaty he
submitted TO a conference of the European
powers Lord Bcaconsfield backed the de
mand by ordering force of 500U SepOys TO
the Mediterranean. Russia knew that this
force would prove to be only the
advance guard of an Indian army of
10000, or 200, 600, if needed, and submitted
The conference which met at Berlin, was
the highest in point of ability and influence
of modern times. 1t compelled the Car to
withdraw the Russian army from Turkey,
erected Bulgaria into an independent ma
ton of six millions Of people, and Otherwise
largely modified the boundaries as laid down
by the treaty of San Stcfano
The terrible results of the war to the peo-
pies of Russia and Turkey were strongly por-
trayed. No war Of modern times has been
so destructive of the lives and property of
non-combatants. 1t cost probably over n mil
lion of lives, in round numbers 400, 900 Rus
Bulgarians and Servians. 1t was marked
by Undesirable atrocities. From single
stream the bodies of thousand chihlren were
iished out. and adults suffered outrages in
comparison with which drowning would have
been mercy. Among the Mussulman popu-
lation, which was becoming accessible to
education and Christianity, the fiercest hatred
against ali Christians was aroused. But
much was gained in the erection into an in
dependent nation of the six millions of Bull
garians, inhabiiing one of the richest coun-
tries in Europe, and giving promise Of a
great and worthy future.
DIR. Hamln corrected the common error
which confounds the Mussulmans and
the Turks. Not ten per cent of the
Mussulman population Of Turkey are
Turks. The Turks are Tartar race. But
not one in fifty Of the Mohammelans of Eu-
ropean Turkey are Turks. They are Slavon-
JAMS. Mohammedism has begun to lose its
hope. Large numbers of them now secretly
baptizc their children before they are circum-
cised. If they were free TO do so, they
would largely go back to the Christian re-
lgion of their forcfathers.
DIR. IIamlin described the results of the
war in Turkey in Asia where famine, drought
and invasions by the Kurds have followed
the ravagcs Of war, and formed terrible &c
emulation Of calamity Not !css than
$1,000 Armenians have died of starvation
since the war If said the lecturer, we are
TO regard the late Gar as a benefactor to
mankind, we must leave out of view
This war-a war never paralleled in un-
mixed calamity to the peoples involved.