, 1890-11-26

'PCNuAaVoAS, VI money -IeuueTSj Iatnqr imam
make slow progress in rustic homes. Hence
the GRADUAL increase of Bulgarian peasants in
Macedonia and Epirus, provinces historically
associated with Greece, and periodically claim
ed by the politicians Of Athens. The simple
fact is that the Greek race will not live at
home. Not only do many of the best men
come to London, Paris, and other European
capitals and seapdtts to make lhopey and found
foreign families but they scatter themselves
al. over the East as shippers, merchants, pro-
motors, spectators, adventures, aad clerks.
Out of eight millions of Greeks iii the Otto,
man Empire little more than two millions live
under their own flag. 1t is this tendency Of
the Greeks to spread themselves that welkens
their claim to expansion. Were the eight
millions concentrated, they would constitute a
strong Ia respectable nationality, but the two
millions of greeks at home cannot possibly
clam as their own al the towns and villages,
where their countrymen form a majority of the
population. Such a revolution fdlhlled would
mean the piecemeal Acknowledgement of many
States.
M. Tricoupis, in what may now BE called a
political dying speech, has proclaimed the
fan-HeIlenlsm he more or less ignored during
MS official career. He represented his pa
thence as due to the necessity Of preparation.
ASNNH, AO DSl0> utS cIL11lCu AA0Sn-
crlbabIe sacrifices in order to accomplish these
things which were done by it but not for it,
and is ready to make still greater sacrifices,
not for the good Of the citizens, of the king
dom, but for the great Hellenic idea for which
1t is working and will work, aad towards the
realisation of which Europe has contributed.
To-day we approach the end of the first period.
we have not reached the stage 81 immediate
action, but we are standing before the barrier:
we are stan ding ready, so that when it falls
we should taxi up the fight in earnest, assur-
ing success for our end This is in principle
2" clear a declaration of war against Turkey
as Victor Emanuels speech from the throne in
1883, when he declared that he was mot in
sensible to the cry of anguish" from other
parts of Italy. If this be the tone of the most
moderate and most cautious of Greek states.
men, we await with some anxiety the action Of
M. OeIyannlS, whose opposition has been bas-
ed on the presumption that, as regards the ex-
panslon OF Greece, he represented a more "for-
ward policy. 1t may be said that Greece, if
she attacks Turkey, must do so at her W
risk: Greece, however, is not practically an
Independent State. She came Into Being IN.
der the distinct and still:continued protection
of England, France, and R~ussia-Powers that
are guarantors of her loan of 1862, and that
contribute twelve. thousand year to the civil
list of the present king, It would be impossi.
bic for these States to stand by and see Turkey
reconquer Greece bat this duty Of final pro.
lection carries with it some right Of prior re-.
stralnt. The mediation of these and other
Powers obtained for Greece, in 1881, the great
or part of Thessaiy, now one Of the, most fer
tile districts of the kingdom, and without any
cost to the E eeks, who never drew sword IN
the war that ended in 1873. Few nations are
lucky enough to win PROVINCES without fgh
ing for them. But Greece has now not to deal
with Turkey alone as regards extension IN the
direction of Macedonia. She has to come to
some understanding with Bulgaria, which does
not forget the slices of territory awarded to
her in this quarter by the cancelled Treaty of
st. Stefano. She has also to settle with the
Servians as regards their claims. Touching
the islands, she has a freer hand they are in
habited mlinly by Greeks. Hitherto there
has been little prospect Of capturing them, on
account of Turkish superiority at sea. But
the Ottoman Fleet is very old. Ironolads rd.
quire constant repair, and, at the best, have
short lives. We know what it costs to keen
our Navy IL, good condition. That expense the
Turks have not incurred, and their horsepower.
full Fleet is now decayed. The newer and
smaller ironclJds Of Greece, with its mosquito.
Fleet Of torpedo vessels, might probably blow
to pieces the old hdlks of the Ottoman. Navy
IN the first month of q naval contest; for the
Greeks are good sailors, and have always dis.
PLAYED plenty Of personal courage. The ele-