The morning times., 1897-02-15
The Eastern War Cloud.

The Eastern War Cloud.
The political and military situation which
has arisen in Europe as result of the
Cretan insurrection, and the Greek naval
movement to prevent Turkey from re-
enforcing its troops on the island, is grave
complicated that it would be useless, at
! this distance, to indulge in predictions
based upon appearances
The Island of Crete is regarded as a
| point of great strategic Importance, and
the key of the Egean Sea. Its possession
by Greece probably would be opposed by
the powers or general principles, aside
from their several interests in the settle
ment OF existing questions at CONSTANT
nople. With Crete in Grecian hands, which
ever great power happened to exercise
dominant influence at Athens practically
would control the position, and the re-
naming members of the concert would be
| left in the cold. Still, 1t may become
necessary to place the island temporarily
under. the King OF Greece, with restrictions
prescribed by the powers. But this idea,
! as well as all others in this connection,
merely amounts to diplomatic gossip, in
the presence of q general state of angry
| suspicion into which the various cabi-
nets have fallen. From many quarters the
opinion comes that some one powerful
| influence has encouraged Greece to at
tempt taking the island This line Of ac-
| tion is 10y some attributed to Lord Sails
| bury, by others. TO Russia; and sovereigns
/ and ministers are anxious aud nervous.
! There is pretty good reason for believ
ing that the Cretan uprising itself was
fonented by the sultan as a means OF
setting the nations by the ears His
governmenthasa always foundit advantage
| in such policy.
only one thing is sure in the whole
situation, and that is that Europe is mo
| bilizing its military forces. Prince George,
/ in command Of the Greek fleet, is re
| ported to have landed arms and animu-
LiAlOl lOl VIC NitNdl ihSuI Sthls- VI MY
has ordered a formidable demonstration in
! Thessaly, with a view to the invasion of
| Greece unless the powers drive her away
from Crete. Russia has 81 900 men at
| odessa ready to sail at an hours notice,
| and a fleet of transports, with steam up,
ready TO carry them. Military and naval
| tnl I'm
Germany and Austria Hungary Everybody
is making ready for a desperate war, which,
after all, may be no nearer in fact than
it has been at any time this dozen years
on tie other hand, the conviction has
become profound that, even if Asiatic
empire in Europe is to be longer tolerated
| the present Turkish ruler Will have to be
| disposed OF and replaced by somebody
susceptible of control; otherwise the month
| ly crises, which the sultan lately has man
aged to precipitate, will continue to wreck
| confidence and constantly menace the
! peace Of the world But before this can
| be agreed upon and effected a sirgle ad-
ditional spark may blow up tie concert
and all hopes Of International solution, and
force the war which nobody doubts must
| DC fought enc day or another. 1t is ap-
| pretended that Greek success III the matter
| of Crete would lead to n Turkish attempt
to massacre the 2CO,000 Greeks now in
Constantinople. Such movement would
bc certain 10 set in flame all Macedonia
and the Balkan peninsula, and then prob
ably the hand of the car could not be
stayed.
Judging from the facts and the phe-
nomena of the situation, as they are pre-
scented i'll the pless DISPATCHES, ii is Ciffi-
| cult TO escape the suspicion that the status
| OF affairs is rather close to what Russia
would have sought to bring about if that
! power expected to accomplish its religious
| mission and once more display the cross
| from the dome Of St Sophia III the near
| future