Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-30
AN 0MIN0US CALM.
England's Political Sky in a State
Of Unnatural Clearness.
A STORM BREWING SOMEWHERE.
The Ministry Enjoying a Long Run
Of Good Luck.
ITS CONTINUANCE A QUESTION.
Three Clouds Casting Their Shad-
ows Upon the Horizon.
Ts CONTINUANCE A QUESTION.
THE DARK CONTINENT TROUBLES
Convinced That the British
Have No Right to Be
Within Its Con fines.
A Portepto us LulI.

A POrteptO Ous Lull.
tCoppfght 1889 on James Gordon Bennettl
LONDON, June 29.-[New York Herald
Cable-Special to The BEE. THE sky has
of late been so very clear at home and the
weather so unnaturally calm that acute OBJ
servers have felt morally certain that a
storm was brewing somewhere. Never did
any ministry have longer run of good luck
than the present, and in domestic affairs
that luck is likely to continue. The hopes of
Gladstonians-that it would make some fatal
mistake; that 1t would trip itself up or be
tripped up; that dissolution of parliament
would be forced upon it-these have all been
abandoned now. From the grand old man
downwards it seems, and it is admitted, that
parliament will run its usual course, and
that the unionists' alliance will remain in
vncible, at any rate until it is subjected to
the test of another general election. But
when all is going on we'll is the time to look
out for reverse or shock. Three differ
ent clouds have arisen upon the horizon
which may lead to serious mischief, and 1
would advise your readers to keep their eyes
upon them until they dsperse or burst.
The first hangs over Egypt. The English
newspapers as a rule have dismissed very
lightly the action of France in refusing
consent to the conversion of the preference
debt until England fixes a day for with
drawal from Egypt. But it is no light mat
ter. 1t indicates a temper which might at
any moment preciptate a crisis. 1t may
even indicate more settled intention to pro-
duce q crisis whenever an opportunity
serves. That the English have TO right to
be in Egypt is certainly the final belief of
the French government and the French
10 nnl
General Boulanger intends to call upon her
to go when, if ever, he reaches power. There
are those who think that the present govern
ment proposes to forestall him IN his move.
The card is the best trump out, and Presi
dent Carnot intends to play it. But every
thing must wait until the exhibition is over,
for it would not do to divert the shower of
gold which is now raining down upon
France. Preliminary steps may, however
be taken, and this recent avowal on the part
of France must be looked upon as the first
warning cloud.
The second will be found over Armenia.
Under the treaty of Berlin, of which Lord
Salisbury was one of the authors, the pre-
servation of order in Armenia was thought
to be guaranteed Turkey undertook to per-
form a certain distinct obligation, and the
other powers were pledged to see that he
carried out this understanding. But Turkey
has allowed the most diabolical outrages to
be committed in Armenia and lifted no
finger to prevent them. A million of christian
people, as Lord Carnarvon told the house of
lords on Friday, are being ground down by
misery and oppression. Men are put to
death in the most barbarous manner; women
are carried off or subjected to the most hor-
rible cruelties, and still Turkey looks on
with q smile, and the great powers, England
especially, are being made indirectly ac-
completes in these frightful outrages, for it
must be remembered that there is special
Anglo-Turkish convention IN eXlstance
which binds Turkey to protect her christian
subjects against the very scoundrels-Kurds
and Circassians-who are desolatlng Ar
menia. Lord Salisbury entered into that
convention, which does not save it from be-
ing openly violated under his very eyes
1t is improbable that the English people will
tolerate this state OF things much longer.
But even if they were disposed to do so
there is another power which will certainly
interfere, and that power is Russia. The
treaty of Berlin has been contemptuously
set aside by Turkey. Russia may find In
that a pla usible, nay even just and strong
ground, for interference. She may require
England to put an end to these crimes in Ar
menia or insist upon doing it herself In the
latter case England must either stand pas
| sively by and see a coup de grace inflicted on
the sick man of Europe or she must go to
war to save Turkey. The Grim san war will
never be repeated There Is still another
fact to be considered. France is believed to
have q very thorough understanding with
Russia. Both powers contemplate English
occupation of Egypt with the sams eyes. At
any moment such pressure could be brought
to bear upon England as would leave her no
alternative but to retreat from Egypt
| under pressure or Il rat. A more Sc
rious situation can scarcely be conceived.
OF course it may all blow over, as so many
other threatening complications have blown
over during the last three years. The great
European powers are 80 armed to the teeth
and so strong that each Is afraid to begin.
But there are very curious signs of instant
preparation in Russia. Lord Salisbury says
he will not admit that E1gland is responsible
for the preservation of order in any part of
the Turkish domin!ons, yet the treaty of
Berlin and the Anglo-Turkish convention in
ferentially made her so. Russia may hold
her to accountability. Many great wars have
been waged here with infinitely less excuse
Lord Salisbury urges parliament to trust TO
the slow action of time and 10 the exertions
of missionaries. But suppose Russia declines
to wait for time, or even for missionaries. II
she is ready to strike, she will do so. If she
does not strike, it will merely be because she
is not ready.
Then there is this new trouble about the
Delagoa Bay railway, concerning which dis
patches from Lisbon warn US that serious
diplomatic difficulties are likely to arise. The
dispatch of an English gun boat to Delagoa
bay is not likely to oil the wheels of the diplo-
matte machine. The Portuguese government
has broken faith with the company in which
English and some American capitol Is sunk,
and the widow OF Colonel McMurdo, an Amer
lean gentleman who obtained the original