Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-06-12
TURKEYS POWER.
RUSSIA AND ENGLAND BOTH ANxlOuG
FOR HER FRIENDSHIP.
The willy Moslem Receives Tempting
Offers for His Good Ofiiccs-ISrit-
ish Gold and British Diplo-
macy Wins the Day.

LONDON, June 5.-The Times and The Daily
News give unusual prominence TO a telegram
from Constantinople, asserting that Russia
has rejected Turkeys proposals for an alli-
ance. Your correspondent has official au-
thority for contradicting this assertion. 1t
is not only false, but it is also absurd, for it
is Russia and not Turkey that has been suing
for an alliance, and it is Turkey and not
Russia by which the proposals have Teen de-
clined. In fact, the direct transposition of
the names of the two powers is all that is
necessary to make the assertion accurate.
From the beginning of the Anglo Russian
difficulty Russia has been making strenuous
efforts to secure at least the friendly neutral
ity of Turkey. In the event of war the con-
troll of the Dardaneles would give Turkey, if
hos tile to Russia, the power to bottle up the
latter's fleet in the Black sea, to paralyze her
trade and to put emlNrgo upon the
greater portion of her mercantile marine
So seriously was this danger estimated at St
Petersburg that NJ. Nelidof, one of the
widest and most persuasive of Russian dip
lomats, was sent many weeks ago to Con
stant,hople to ten0t the sultan with
every bride that L.. ia could offer to
conclude treaty, giving Russian
war and merchant vessels right
of way through the Dardanelles. The
Russian anxiety on the subject was so in
tense that M. Nelidof was empowered to
offer, and did offer, the cancelment of the
indemnity which Turkey was ordered by tho
Berlin congress of 1873 to pay to Russia in
consequence of the Turco- Russian war. The
Russian proposals, it is now known also had
the powerful support of Prince Bismarck,
and for a time it seemed as though their sue
cess was certain.
All this time England was making counter
proposals to the sultan, and using the Soudan
as bait. The bait was offered on golden
hook, for it was understood that if Turkish
troops were to be sent to garrison Suakim
and other points in the SOudan their expenses
were to be paid by England, either directly
or by taking up new Turkish loan, which
amounts to very much the same thing. The
Porte wavered for a long time a receipt
in full for the Indemnity due Russia had a
very tempting look; but then that debt had
been SO long overdue that it had ceased
to trouble the conscience of the sultan, and
on the other hand England offered him an
accession of territory, rehabilitation of his
power in the eyes of the Moslem world, and
above all ready cash. In the end British
Influence and British gold won the day, and
the proposals of Lord Granville were ac-
cepted just one week ago.
/ These facts have not vet been officially an
nounced for the reason that parliament was
not in session when the bargain was con-
Guided. 1t seems strange, however, that a
statement SO Numerically and absurdly OPP
posed to the facts should find its way into so
cautious paper The Times. Its appear
ance in the ministerial news may perhaps
be accounted for by desire or bargain to
allow Russia a point of honor" by letting
it be understood that she and not Turkey
had declined the proposed alliance just as
NJ. de Giers allowed Mr., Gladstone a harm
less point of honor" by consenting to arbi-
tration over the shells after Russia had
swallowed the Penjd'h oyster. Or the
whole dispatch from Constantinople may be
only another of Reuters blunders which
have been multitudinous of late.