The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-13
IS THE END AT HAND.
PREVIOUS Occasions When the Turk
Has Been in Peril.

New York Sun.
There are signs that the Cars attitude
toward the Sultan has been modified and
that, should another massacre take place
al constantinople Russian, French and
English war ships will be sent thither for
the purpose of maintaining order Such in
reference would doubtless lead to the dep
osition of the present Sultan, and il is
possible that instead of permitting a new
ruler to be chosen, the powers principally
Interested may recognize that the time has
come to divide the Ottoman possessions
although, however, the Turk is sick
man, he has been in a worse plight four
Tunes In the present century, The Ottoman
empire was brought to the verge of ruin
In 1929, when a Russian army under
Delbitsch crossed the Balkans and reached
Adrlanople. Again, in 1893, Mahmoud III
consented, at the bidding of the Gar to
81 sig IT the treaty # Unkiar skelessi which:
IL france and England would have suffered
IL 10 be carried out. would have converted
Iurkey into a vassal state. That treaty
paced the Dardanelles and Constantinople
ItseII under the protection of Russian war
Vessels: and 1t was plain enough that in
fetal acts would be dictated from ST.
IS petersburg. Again, in 1889 when the Turk
Pasha at Nsib ana Wben almost ooraa1ln
poraneously, the Turkish fleet was handed
over to Mehemet Ali at Alexandria, moth
ing but the tnterpostion of England and
france saved the house of Gilman from
dethronement. Once more. in March, 1878,
Wnen russian army had reached the sub
GTDs OF Constantinople, nothing saved the
turkish empire from destruction except the
knowledge that, if the invaders entered the
capital fleet of British ironclads would
be ordered to the Bosphorus On every one
OF the occasions named it seemed improb
able that Turkey would survive, yet it con-
tlnued' to exist; and so it may be that even
now the Ottoman government will be suf-
fered to go under a new ruler who will
make the pretense of instituting some
forms.
The Moorish kingdom of Grenada fingered
for some two centuries longer than in the
natural course of things it could have
lasted, owing to the rivalry of CASTLE and
namely, the rivalry between Russia the
one hand and Austria and England the
other, that the Osmanli have been allowed
to retain Constantinople for the last three
burg has good cause to fear that 1t would
be unable to hold its Slavic subjects in sub
lection should the great Slav sovereign gain
a footing in the Balkan peninsula. English
statesmen, on their part, have hitherto
sumed that their country'S short line of
communication with India would be threat
ened if strong power like Russia, whose
navy Is capable of indefinite expansion,
should gain control of the BOSphOruS. The
political and strategic objections seem as
valid now as they ever We're, and 1t may be
that they will once more avail to postpone
the partition of Turkey. But in England, at
all events, there are indications that public
opinion will no longer tolerate the abandon
ment of the Sultans Christian subjects to
the Levant may remain shielded from Rus
sian rivalry. The day has gone by when
Lord Beaconsfeld could describe an ar
rangefnent by which millions of Armenian
and Greek Christians were left at the mer
cy of a sanguinary despot as peace, with
honor" If to save them. it is necessary to
let the Car take ConStantinople, the En-
glsh people will doubtless authorize Lord
Salisbury to face the risk.