The San Francisco call., 1896-08-24
Turkeys Treacherous Intentions
Regarding the Autonomy
of Crete.
BRITISH ADVANCE IN AFRICA.
Splendid Preparations for the Recep.
tion of the Cz II in Vienna
and Paris.
fcOpyright 1895 by the New York Times.I

the fervent reception which from all &C
counts it received are regarded here as
forming by far the most noteworthy epi-
sode of the week. It surprised nobody
that Lord Russell should have made a
great speech. because his power to rise to
the full possibilities of any occasion has
come to be an article of faith in England,
but 1t is perhaps a trife remarkable that
British public comment should be so uni
formly enthusiastic on him and on his
performance. His merciless arraignment
of the London Times is still fresh in men 8
memories as the lofEiest forensic product
of our day, yet the Times leads in the
chorus OF admiring approval of his Sara
toga speech.
Lord Russell was not afraid to talk frank
Repuhlicanism to an American audience,
just as here he has always been an out
spoken Radical, but the Tory papers
praise his address quite as warmly as the
rest. The truth is that he has already at
tanned, without their knowing it, very
powerful hold upon the respect and the
Imagination of the English people, and it
needed only that huge outburst of cheer
ing a. Saratoga to wake them up to the
fact that when he returns he will find HIM
self publicly set on pinnacle to which
none of his predecessors ever climbed,
The facts that Lord Russell is an Irish
man and that from the beginning he has
been a devoted Nationalist have played a
bigger part in the shaping of public
opinion here in the past year or two than
any one imagines. The effect of his grow
ing prestige on the bench has been insen-
sibly to modify English preiudices about
Irishmen and Home Rulers in general. In
proportion as he rose above others as the
typical great judicial figure in England, it
became more difficult to despise as bar
barians or to hate as traitors his country
men, with whom he was in such full SYM
pathy. l believe it is to this subtle in
huence on mems minds that the Tory land
bill for Ireland and the Tory release Of the
dynamite convicts are largely due. These
things could not have been attained if the
rank and file of the party. and society be-
hind it, had not undergone sensible
softeuing toward ireland.
Lord RusselFs objections to permanent
arbitration tribunal are recognized here as
important and striking, but the press
rather shrinks from expressing an opinion
on their merits. There is a disposition
instead to leave that matter to the author
tiles on both siaes for settlement between
themselves and this is done with lighter
heart since faith in friendly and salts
factory understanding among these
authorities is now universal.
The Eastern question has passed for the
time being into relatively pacific phase.
I..z 49,. II
of proceedings. This will enable him to
think up reasons for not doing what he
has been told to do, and the Cretans have
with some difficulty been persuaded to
keep quiet during the interval. There is
hope among the Continental Chancellors
that this artificial lull will be maintained,
at least till the Czar gets home again on
November 1, but it is doubtful if it can be
managed. The Cretans have been led to
believe that they are going to get au-
tonofny at the very least, and meanwhile
they are steadily increasing their stores of
arms and supplies, obtained from Greek
smugglers. When, the disclosure is made
that the Turk refuses even to consider
autonomy for Crete they are very unlikely
to continue the truce. The possibilities
are that another fortnight will see the
island plunged in civil war again. Mean
while no visible progress is made among
the powers toward decision as to what
will be done next when Turkey declines
the suggestions now before her. It is not
even clear, indeed, what these suggestions
are, although it is suspected that England
is upotficially pressing for Cretan au-
tonomy and getting more or less informal
support from Russia, France and Italy.
This drawing of Italy toward the
Franco-Russian combination is the most
interesting OF the whole imbroglio.
1t is years since a royal betrothal has
created such political sensation as was
caused this week by the engagement of
the Prince of Naples to Helene of Mon
tenegro. The Prince is fragile, sickly
little fellow. He is idolized by those
about him, but it has always been under
stood that be was doomed to celibacy.
His sudden betrothal to the magnificent
mountain bred beauty whom the present
Gear was not allowed to wed is hence re-
garded everywhere as political coup. 1t
brings the Italian court at once into SYM
pathetic relations with the Montenegrln
prineipality, which is a strictly Russian
outpost on the Adriatie, and gives Italy
direct interest in Russia's game in the
Balkans. Naturally, Vienna and Berlin
are astounded and disgusted at this sud-
den development and they take no pains
to conceal the fact.
Rumors about the German Emperor's
i'll temper continue to come, but they are
now accompanied by signs that the Ger
man public, too, is getting angry. The
dismissal of Bronsart Schellendorf from
the War Ministry is rather the worst
thing which the Emperor has yet been
persuaded to do by his Kitchen Cabinet"
of favorites, tor the reason that it closely
touches the army, with which not even
Empernrs can afford to trife.
Discipline is so omnipotent in the army
that of course not word has been heard
from it. but it is well understood that
Bronsart was sacrificed because he urged
reforms in the present medieval star
cham Der systems Of conrls-martisl, and