The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-06
TO MODIFY DEMANDS.
Strong Pressure brought to Bear on the
Salisbury Government.

Strong Pressure brought TO Bear on the
Salisbury Government.
LONDON, Eng, Oct. 5.-With the growth
of distrust in the Armenian propaganda,
caused by the reports of responsible CORE
spondents that the stories of outrages at
Sassoun and elsewhere were greatly exag-
gerated for political purposes, the pressure
OF strong party influence on the Salisbury
government in favor of modifying the de-
mands that have been made upon the
Porte also increases. Since the fall of the
Liberal Cabinet it has been an open secret
that Lord Rosebery threatened the Porte
that ii the demands of the powers were
not accepted in a specified time two of the
chief Turkish ports, presumably Smyrna
and Salcnica, would be seized and the
customs revenues sequestered. The di-
rectiOns of Lor0 Kimberley to this effect
while he was Secretary OF State for Foreign
Affairs exist in the archives of the office.
Prime Minister Salisbury has from the
outset continued the policy of his prede-
cesor. The presence of the British fleet at
Lemnos is explained as confirming the in
tention of the Government to occupy Turk
ish ports if the Porte should prove defiant
OF should unduly delay the settlement of
Kiamil Pasha as Grand Vizier, with other
indications that the Sultan desires to
satisfy the powers, has checked British
action. Representations have been sent to
Lord Salisbury from many of his Con-
sentative adherents advising him to follow
the traditional British policy of support of
Turkey.
These representations are likely to in
duce Lord Salisbury to relax the strin-
gency of his demands. At any rate Kiamil
Pasha will be given time to show his hand.
During the six years that he was formerly
Grand ViZier-that is, from September
1885, to September, 1891-he guided the
Porte through a series of disasters with
the greatest skill. He entered Office as
the supposed friend of Russia, but he soon
developed tendency in favor of the Triple
Alliance, especially Germany, filling the
administrative posts whenever he could
with Germans and granting concessions
for public works to German capitalists.
The English papers treat his recall to
power as a triumph for England, ignoring
the fact that Kiamil Pasha showed no
special bias toward England and that be
opposed the continuous occupation by
Great Britain. They also find it conven-
lent to forget that he refused to admit
the British demand for the passage of the
Straits of Dardanelles in the event of war
with Russia. He has also proved himself
to be keenly alive to the danger of British
encroachment. The Sultan has called him
to power now, not as being biased toward
any power, but as relying upon his skill to
guide the country through an existing and
impending storm.
The Armenian question is not the only
one that be will have to deal with. There
are other matters that will require the
greatest political skill for their settlement.
A part of Arabia is in revolt, the Slav
committee in Sofia is making preparations
to enter upon regular campaign in Mace
donna and the island of Crete is on the
verge of an Instruction. 1t will therefore
be seen that it will require a master to
guide affairs so that there shall be no dis
memberment of the empire.