Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-11-20

antagonism of Russia with England in
Central Asia, and the reaching out by
means of railroads TO the heart of thai
old Continent, Constantinople has
seemed to be the great desidcratum Of
all the nations who are anxious tc
aggrandize their dynasty, boundary
commerce and polity. Ever since 1882,
when Mahomet III. took the city, the
Christian world, or some part of it,
has been arrayed against the Moslem
world. In the effort to carve up the
territories of Turkey, and especially OF
| Turkey in Africa and Europe, Russia
was on the point of taking CONSTANT.
| nople when her armies were at San
! Stefano, on the European side of the
Sea of Marmora, just below the city.
The city was saved to the Turk then by
treaty which gave great advantage TO
Russia. But this treaty was modified
by that of Berlin subsequently,. This
last treaty was signed by the six
Powers. They are called the Signatory
Powers. Of course, in its consumma-
ton, Turkey lost large slices of her
territory, Still, so far as the Balkan
Peninsula is concerned, which is the
territory lying between the Egean and
the Black Seas, she has maintained
much substantial power over part of
the territory, and considerable NOM
inal power as the Suzerain of other
portions. Bulgaria recognizes Tur-
key rs the Suzerain, although Bull
garia was practically torn from Turkey
by the aid Of Russia. Bulgaria being II
Slav country and having the Greek re-
ligion, of which the great patriarch is
Gar, claims the right to dictate not
only who shall be her rulers, but as to
her Government and administration.
Recently Russia has made immense
and sinister advances in the increase of
her armament and navy upon the Black
Sea. Every thing has pointed TO an
advance of Russian interests and power
in the direction of Constantinoplc In
other words, she is making the contest
for Central Asia on the Bosphorus. To
this end Persia has become really
Russian khanate, and Afghanistan may
he what Circassia has become.
'.lt is useless to prophesy about any
movements connected with this East
ern question; for is it not the unex-
pected which always happens? Last
year, the coup d'etat of Prince Alex
ander annexed Eastern Roumclia to
pie like a thunderbolt from aclear sky.
1t was aimed at an asteroid, but il
struck several planets. 1t happened at
the beginning of the Beiram season.
This commences just after the season
of Ramazan, which is the Lent of the
Turk. The Beram is the season of fes-
tivity. Then the Turk quits his fast. At
the beginning of Beiram the Sultan
receives all the civil and military fnnc-
tionaries. He invites all the foreign
Ministers to be present at his grand
palace of Dolma Batche. AT the last
Bciram, in September, 1885, was ON
my way in the American launch from
Therapa to the palace, when a mes
senger from the Sultan stopped our
boat to say that his Majesty had post
poned the reception of the foreign
Ministers because of IA remarkable |
event which had just occurred. 1t was
the Bulgarian emeute, which annexed
East Roumelia / shall never forget |
the scene which occurred, for | pur-
sued my way to the vicinity of the |
palace, although | did not enter the |
palace. / saw the immense excitement |
which Moslem muftis and gold-bc-
izened pashas, even the most phleg-
matte Turks from the little dwarf of |
he palace to the Grand Vizier, felt.
But the moderation of the Sultan
lyerted the catastrophe at that time.
He restrained his people, while he dis
missed his Ministers. The Ministers
1f the great Powers were then called |
.ogether. Sir William White was then
holding the place of English Minister.
He has within few days returned
again to that post. But the question
'eturns; for Russia was lying in wait
or the opportunity to dispossess the
Prince who would not obey her be-
rests; and when some months ago that
Prince was seized by Russian ennis
'aries and transported beyond the bor-
Ter new crisis came upon the affairs
If Turkey and of Bulgaria.
England has not much trading or
interest in the Bulgarian
question; but still it is her interest,
With her 10000, 900 of Mohammedans
n her Indian Empire, to keep the good
will of the head of Islam, which is the
sultan. Besides, does she not contest
n the Balkans with Russia, and upon
he contest depends her Asiatic pres
ige and sway over POO, 600, 600 of peo-
lie. When the Car, at the launching
# one of his great vessels at Odessa,
Ipon the Black Sea, not long since an
bounced the resurrection of the Russian
Iavy upon that sea, and when the mayor
# Moscow, in presenting an address to
Ear, shortly after, prophesied that the
russian flag would soon float over the
ONE of st. Sophia, the temple of
byzantine Christendom, it was a sus.
icious notice and warning to all the
world that the dreams of conquest in
ulged by Peter the Great and Catha-
inc III. had not been dissipated in the
rain of the Great White Gar. ~
Z. Aait and cypress
Certainly there is no accounting