The San Francisco call., 1896-01-26
There Is Great Speculation as to
Whether 1t Will Be
Affected.
MONETARY CONDITIONS FIGURE
Impoverished Condition of the Sultan's
Treasury Plays Part in the
New Compact.

DEhLIN, OERMANY, Jan. Zo.--OoSplCe
the affectation of incredulity which per-
vades the Foreign Office in regard to the
alleged agreement between Russia and
Turkey, concluding a treaty which ce-
ments the two empires in an offensive and
defensive alliance, the popular belief
grows that the convention IS an accom-
plished fact
News received from Vienna upon this
subject from semi-official authorities has
had the effect to greatly weaken the
power of the official denials of the story,
which have been put forth most assidu-
ously within The past twenty-four hours
The Vienna advices have also led to ad-
missions OF the fact that an entente of
some kind has been entered into between
the Sultan and the Gar is not at all i'm
probable. AS q matter of fact the diplo-
matte circle here credits M. Nelidoff
the Russian ambassador to Turkey, with
having achieved a grand coup under the
noses of the English and Austrian EN-
bassadors, though both of the latter were
known to have been watching the Russian
diplomat, having had good reason to sus-
pect that Russia was playing her own
game while pretending to act in concert
with the other powers.
In the early part of the week reports
were in circulation that Turkish orders had
been placed for large purchases of arms
and other munitions of war with German
firms. These rumors awakened the atten-
ton of the German public to the fact that
previous negotiations of the same character
had collapsed, owing to the fact that the
Porte was unable to give drafts for the
amounts which would cover the purchases,
and it was generally believed that the re-
ports were unfounded.
This time, however, the public has been
fooled. The contractors, it is true, made
another refusal to deliver the goods with
out cash equivalent or adequate security,
but they were astounded by receiving
drafts on account on Constantinople banks,
together with the assurance from the
agents of the German Government in Con-
stantinople that not only would the bal
ance be paid. but that additional orders
were impending, the payment of which
would be guaranteed. AS the financial
embarrassment of the Turkish Govern
ment is we'll known, it is reasoned that
Russian monetary assistance is a part
the compact between the two powers.
The correspondent of the Cologne Ga
zette In Constantlnople telegraphs to his
paper that the public treasures of Turkey
are empty and that the officials and sol
diers, even to the highest rank, who have
been called out to proceed against the Ar
menians, have for long time past been un-
paid, it being absolutely true that they
have not had a penny for months. For
many weeks, too, the authorized puryey-
tho hpU Fr,r n:ah
supplies to the soldiers, who are in
starving condition, to alleviate which they
have been preying upon the people. In
some places the troops have beset houses
at the instance of their commanders and
demanded food.
Under these circumstances, and many
other kindred disorders Russian alliance
would be more than desirable and the
forced drafts upon the people would be
certvin to cease. How an alliance between
Russia and Turkey would affect the Triple
Alliance is matter of uneasy speculation.
Newspapers which have no official con-
nection, in the meantime, ignore the bet
ter informed view that the whole situation
as regards the Dreibund is blow to the
aspirations of Austria, and agree that the
subject is delicate one to handle.
Some of these papers pursue the line of
the Hamburger Nachrichten, Prince Bis
marck's organ, that the interests of Ger
many are not being Immediately affected
and the Government must await develop
ments before interfering.
1t is certain that the Berlin Government
cannot be expected, even by the most in
terested of its allies, to take the initiative
in dnrr, ~
when the existence of the alleged treaty is
verified. The situation as it now stands
will involve the denunciation of the inter-
national stipulations of the treaty of Paris
concluded in 1856 and renewed later
IN the Berlin Congress. This may finally
set Europe afame, whereupon there will
be long pause which will be devoted to
active diplomacy. After that, what?
The scandalous exchange of abuse be-
tween DIR. Barth ana Herr Won Kardoff in
the Reichstag, Thursday, continues to be
the talk OF the lobbles of the Representa-
tive House. A duel between the two was
expected, but the Presidents and Vice
PRESIDENTS of the Chamber intervened and
that phase of the quarrel was stopped.
Inc quarrel really owed its climax to the
TACT that Baron Won -Berenberg, Presi-
dent of the Reichstag, who was in the
chair at the time, is deaf, which fact pre-
vented him from hearing the wordy war
between the two, and consequently he did
not catch the full meaning of the exchange
OF words, which began with an insulting
re mark by Herr Kardoff, who directed his
words in the form of rebuke to DR.. Barth.
The latter's response, though harsh, was
fully justified, and the judgment of the
house was with him. With the exception
OF this episode the proceedings of the
Kelchstag were rather slow.
Yesterday. during the sitting of the
Relchstag, DR.. Bachem, one of the Centrist
leaders, accused the Government of having
hlndered the Catholic officials in their
work OF assisting at the funeral functions
upon The occasion Of the burial of Cardinal
Meiehers. In the course of his speech DR..
Bachem gave other instances of similar
discrimination against Catholics on the
part OF the Government officers, whereupon
Dr. MIGUEL, Prussian Minister of Finance,
replied that no distinction was made in