The Yale expositor., 1896-09-18
TREMBLING THRONE.
THE SULTAN OF TURKEY TO
BE DEPOSED.
Mediterranean Sea and are Ready to
Fight as Soon as the Word is Given
Massacre OF Armenians Must Stop.

Dispatches from Constantinople say:
A feeling of the greatest anxiety pre-
walls in all circles There is no doubt
that a crisis of extreme gravity has
been reached and that the powers
are discussing the deposition of the
sultan, that being, apparently, the
only means of restoring quiet and con-
fidence within the Turkish empire. A
British fleet of about Is warships is off
the island of Thasos, and within easy
striking distance should an emergency
arise, and it is believed that Great
Britain will not hesitate to act alone in
the matter of putting an end to the
present disgraceful state of affairs if
the other powers delay action too long.
AS almost generally expected, the
extraordinary tribunal which has been
trying the men accused of massacreing
Armenians in the streets of CONSTANT
nople and its suburbs has turned out
to be nothing more than a whitewash-
ing court. The men who were arrested
for brutally killing two Armenians be-
fore the guardhouse of the British en-
bassy and in full view of several Brit
ish officials, have been acquitted. AS
there was no possible doubt of their
guilt, their acquittal is regarded here
as showing that il is useless to expect
the Mussulmans will be punished for
crimes committed against Armenians.
1t is also looked upon as defiance of
the powers as they had demanded that
these men be punished. AS usual, the
porte is relying upon the jealousies eX-
isting among the six powers to save
the sultan once more and, at the last
moment, from being brought to terms,
and as Abdul Hamid has so frequently
escaped punishment during the course
of his long and much troubled reign,
the porte has grounds for believing
that even now Europe will not step in
and put an end to the disgraceful con-
ditions prevailing in the Turkish EN-
pire.
There is no diminution in the rancor
displayed by the Mussulmans towards
the Armenians. The actual number of
the victims of the recent disorders was
certainly 1000, and will probably reach
5000. The troops are warned that
they will be held responsible by the
Turkish government if outbreaks in
volving the destruction of property and
loss of life occur again, but they are at
the same time authorized TO use their
arms in elfdefense if they are attacked.
These so-called precautionary measures
have not improved the situation, but
have rather served to extend the feel
ing of terrorism. This has aroused the
greatest Indignation among the foreign
population and serves TO greatly in
crease the feeling of uneasineSS which
prevails on all sides. These things
show that the peaceable residents of
Constantinople are absolutely without
guarantee that their lives or property
are safe and that they must henceforth
depend almost entirely upon the war
ships of the powers for protection.
News from Armenia shows that
very serious condition prevails there
and that further massacres are antici-
pated. 1t is also asserted that whole
sale massacre of Christians is planned
to occur within a fortnight and that
Armenians have been deported on
board ships and have been drowned.
Great Britain 10 Aroused.
London cables say that the deposi-
ton of the sultan of Turkey is regarded
even in the most conservative quarters
is the only way TO put an end to the
terrible bloodshed in Constantinople
and Armenia which has become dis
grace to European civilization. Every
where, on the continent, in Great Brit
ian and in Constantinople itself, plans
are being discussed to supersede the
sultan and there is no doubt that
Great Britain will be the leading spirit
in the new move. She is even pre-
pared to act alone if the powers are
too slow in cooperating with her.
There is no fear, ii is said, but so soon
as the British fleet clears for action
the fleets of the other powers will fol-
low the example if for no other reason
than the apprehension that some one
of them will gain a point of vantage
in the long-lool1ed for settlement of
the affairs of the Turkish empire.
The British fleet in the Mediterranean
has been reinforced by fiotilla of tor
pedo boat destroyers, commissioned
last month for service in the Mediter-
ranean. They are under the convoy
of the cruisers Blenheim and Charyb-
dis, have passed Gibraltar. and will
soon join the British fleet which is now
anchored in Kavala bay, Salonica,
within easy steaming distance of the
Dardanelles.
Probably the best indication that the
British premier has got the bit in his
teeth is found in the outspoken editor
ials of the conservative press, evidently
inspired from high quarters, demand
ing change in the occupation of the
throne of the Turkish empire.
Lord Rosebery, the liberal leader
and former premier, has written let
ter condemning in strong terms the
recent massacres at Constantinople.
Hon. w. +. Gladstone has written
another letter denouncing the sultan
of Turkey as an assassin. and declaring
that Europe is responsible for the mas
sacre of helpless Armenians by their