The record-union., 1896-12-09
SULTAN REDUCED TO VASSALAGE.
so DECREED BY RUSSIA, FRANCE
AND GREAT BRITAIN.
If He Fails to Bow to the Inevitable,
the Fleets of the Powers Will
Enforce Their BeheSt.

dispatch to the Sun from London
says: The deadlock which has been
the foulest reproach to modern civiliza-
tion and to the humanity Of the age is
broken at last. SO also is that con-
temptible thing which the world has
known during the past year as the con-
cert of Europe In the place of both,
for they both mean the same thing,
there has been created new and living
potentiality which, while it will not un-
dertake to avenge the innocent blood
already shed, will surely strip the guilt
| of all further power of outrage and
massacre.
| The Turk is to be coerced. The Sui
tan is to be reduced in fact, if not ac-
tually in name, to vassalage. His fate
will be made known to him probably
| before the end of the present week.
Russia, France and Great Britain have
bow at once to the inevitable, then the
| combined fleets of those three powers
| will enforce their behest.
| Such, in brief, is the infinitely well
come news which will bring relief and
a sense of restored self-respect to the
whole Christian world. 1t is not Off
cially announced yet. 1t may even be
discredited in certain quarters for few
hours as premature, but it can be
affirmed, nevertheless, without reserva-
! ton.
| 1t was not until yesterday that the full
consummation was reached. Russia,
| France and Great Britain arrived at
| substantial agreement on plan of ac-
tion last week. There remained the ne
cessity of getting the consent of the
other three Powers which were sigma
| tories of the Berlin Convention. Italy
| and Germany agreed without demur.
Austria hesitated long, and it was not
until after yesterdays emergency Cabi-
net council in London, which discussed
and approved the whole plan, that the
Austrian ambassador notified Lord
| Salisbury of the rather unwilling as
sent of his Government that the Rus
sian, French and British fleets shall
| force the Dardanelles, if necessary, in
the execution of the new policy.
| It is impossible at this moment to fur
nish the exact details of the solution of
the Turkish problem, which has been
agreed upon. 1t may, however, be par
| TALLY defined in a negative way. 1t
provides nothing SO radical as division
Of the Turkish empire. Such project
has not been for moment considered.
The integrity of Turkey will be substan-
TALLY maintained.
The terms of the new policy have
been dictated practically by Russia. 1t
,came about finally that English and
other representations brought home to
! i1a of
the fact that the parity of inaction, for
which it was partly responsible, in the
| face of accommodating horrors of the
| Turkish misrule, had become intoler-
able. Even French influence has been
| for some time strongly in favor of some
form of Intervention. Russia eventually
yielded in principle. but the discussion
of the ways and means has occupied
| nearly three months.
There are two or three versions in
diplomatic circles of the. policy at last
| decided upon This is: That Russia
| shall occupy the northwestern corner
formed by the Bosphorus and the Black
| Sea, and extending to point about
half way down the Bosphorus. That
| Constantinople and the Dardanelles
shall be placed under European protec-
1 IL.
Sultan, the forts at the Dardanelles be-
! ing dismantled and the passage be-
coming entirely free. No further
change is suggested in regard to the
integrity of the Turkish Empire.
| This version includes also the English
supervision Of some of the Sultan's ap-
pointments, but I believe this assump-
ton of virtual Russian domination is
| somewhat too sweeping.
| Two things may be assumed regard
! ing the modus vivendi or whatever the
new agreement between the Powers
| may be termed: First. that substantial
| guarantees of good government for all
races in Turkey will be provided; sec
ond, that Russia will retain her prac-
| teal mastery of the situation in the
| Sultan's domain.
| Orders have already been given to the
| British, Russian and French squad
| rons in the Levant to assemble at the
! entrance of the Dardanelles and to the
| Russian Black Sea fleet TO prepare to
enter the Bosphorus in the event Of the
| Sultan's failure to comply. These de-
| mands are in the hands of Nelidoff who
| left ST. Petersburg to-day for Constan-
tinople. If Abdul Hamd is in a sane
mood it is to be expected that he will
submit with the best grace possible If
| not, then it may be the final great trag-
edy of Constantinople. which could not
fail to cause more radical and per-
| ntanent solution of the Eastern question
| than is contemplated by the present
| agreement