The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-19
PLAIN TALK TO RUSSIA
England Will Seize the Dar-
danelles if Necessary.
THE LIBERAL PARTYS PLANS.
HarcOurt to Succeed Gladstone After
Home Rule Is Established.
Paris Rowdies Again Disturb the Per-
formance of "Lohengrin"- France
Enraged Over Emperor Williams
Attack on Napoleon-China Awed.

LONDON, Sept. 1s.-[ Associated Press,
Copyright, 1891 The sultan has deemed
the moment opportune to emphasize the
entente between the porte and the Franco
Russian alliance by conferring upon NJ.
Ribot, the French foreign minister, the
grand Gordon of the order of 0sman, and
upon Nine Ribot the decoration of
Nichani-Chefakat, an order for ladies
founded by the sultan himself. The be-
stowal of these distinctions is announced
TO the diplomatic circles in Constantine
pie tonight.
Associated with this news the British
foreign Office has received advices from
Sir William White, the British embassa-
dor at Constantinople, to the effect that
SAID Pasha has sent report from the
government of Smyrna on the Mitylene
incident, with note repeating in
urgent terms the porte's request for
an explanation. Sir William White
Goes not mention any receipt of
information concerning the report from
Admiral Lord Kerr, on which a response
ought to be based The delaying of the
reply tends to confirm the belief that Ad-
mlral Kerr acted under orders, and that it
was not chance that caused the maneuvers.
Sigrl, 1t is believed was selected as an unob-
trusive place to effect suggestive demon
stratlon. Sir William White certainly is not
hampered in making an explanation by
the absence of q communication from the
Levant squadron. The admiralty is known
to have received a report from Admiral
Kerr, telegraphed through Constantinople,
presumably through the medium of the
British embassy. If Admiral Kerr acted
under instructions, Lord Salisbury's
explanation may rest upon the
fact that the porte had long
accorded the privilege of maneuvering and
drilling on the islands of the archipelago.
Whatever the nature of the response, it
Will not be apologetic.
The Standard, in an article directly in
spired. if not written, by Lord Salisbury's
private secretary, puts the position ex-
plicitly. 1t says:
1t is advisable that the world should know
what the English government will do Russia
viii lull itself into most dangerous deusion
to imagine that Great Britain will under
any circumstances suffer Russia to OBJ
tain command OF the Dardaneles. As
long as Turkey effectually guards the
straits, England will not interfere, but i'm
mediately the government of the sultan, in fit
of timidity, perversity or bewilderment, shows
itself incapable OF performing that imperative
duty, England viii assuredly not shrink from
having recourse to an expedient for meeting the
difficulty.
BERLIN, Sept. 1s.-TRe Deutsche Revue
has published an article signed "A Late
ambassador" which contends that
the Dardanelles question is not
so remote from German interests
as inculcated by Bismarckian tradition.
Russian strategists, the writer says, admit
that the road to Constantinope lies
through Vienna, and therefore Germany
is bound to maintain Austrian integrity.
Russia aims at becoming the ruler of
Europe, and Bismarck's hope that he will
bleed to death is too forlorn to depend
upon.