The Yale expositor., 1896-09-25
THE TURKISH SITUATION.
All Europe In Nervous Condition over
the Probability of IA Wax

All Europe In Nervous Condition Over
the Probability of n War.
Only short time ago IL looked like
a certain prospect of England playing
a lone hand in deposing Abdul Hamid
IL, 1.-THE sick man of the east" the
semi-idiot sultan of Turkey, the bloody
infidel butcher of innocent Christians,
or whatever title one may desire TO
bestow upon the reigning monarch of
the Turkish empire. But the horizon
has changed now and the Russian bear
may be seen in the distance interposing
his ugly hulk between the British lion
and its intended prey. The situation
may be summed up something like this:
The announcement was made that
Great Britain intended To prevent any
further massacre of Armenians by the
Turks and would take steps alone, If
none of the powers would support her,
to depose the sultan. Not one of the
powers signified their desire to help in
the project, so Great Britain gathered
great fleet of war vessels at the
/ mouth of Dardanelles ready to execute
her threat and the Turks seemed thor
oughly cowcd for the time being; the
sultan's party being so completely
alarmed that n portion of the guard at
the Yildiz palace, who had evidently
been awaiting chance To foment a
rebellion, thought it their opportunity
and attacked the palace. After a hard
fight during which 200 persons were
killed the rebels were forcibly dis
armed in the presence of large body
of troops and were replaced by five
Seraskier battalions. Then Redran
Pasha, governor of Constantinople, was
dismissed and the sultan's brothers
were arrested. The Young Turk revO-
lutionary party took advantage of the
disturbed situation and covered Con-
stantinople with cards melting the
people to dethrone the sultan. Seri-
Gus trouble seemed certain and it was
considered as coon as settled that the
sultan's reign was about To be ended
In England the press and people seemed
! pleased at the prospect, but on the
continent there was an ominous silence.
Suddenly all this was changed.
Rumors of Russian support of the sui
tan became rife and soon the whole
continental press was turned against
| England, and finally "A semi-official an
nouncement was made that Russia,
while not outspoken in her defense of
the sultan, will resist any attempt to
depose Abdul Hamid III. At the pres
ent time the Russian feet in the Black
sea is preparing for active work, so as
to be ready at moments notice to
proceed to the Bosporus. The Turkish
forts on the Dardanelles are to be placed
in a better state of defense under the
| direction of Russian officials.
In this emergency the influential
London papers, particularly the St.
James Gazette and the Chronicle. pro-
pose n new remedy for the trouble-a
new triple alliance. The st. James
Gazette says: I'VE are openly threat
ened with joint, hostile European ac-
ton if we interfere lin Turkey against
the will of the powers. But, there is
one combination which British states
manship might effect. Two states
which have little to gain from Russia
could act with us and end the tension
The United States and Italy are both
understood to be friendly to Russia.
Nevertheless, neither is yet too deeply
| involved to be able to assume an indie
| pendent attitude under British inspira-
ton. Why should not England. the
the United States and Italy form new
dreibund? Alone of the nations of the
earth. the people of the United States
can understand the impulse which
would drive Englishmen to war in
order to suppress tyranny or rescue
| the oppressed. Plenty of Americans
would regard with enthusiasm the
spectacle of the Union Jack and the
Stars and Stripes floating side by side
in the Bosporus to back up their joint
demand. Ii might be expected that
] the Russian combination would go to
! pieces at the mere aspect of this gem
uine league of peace, and that the new
dreibund might lead to a fresh group
ing of the powers and the delivery of
Europe both from Turkish mis-
rule and the dangerous thraldom
/ OF Russia into which it is sinking