The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-14
THE EASTERN SITUATION
In this Problem Lies the solution OF
Grsecs's Treublss-IIss the Crafty suls
tan Worked Up the Whole Muddles



Publishing Association-)
LONDON. Feb. 1s.-It would be easy
to present the array Of authentic informa-
tIon from Athens. Crete. and CONSTANT
nople In such q way as to indicate that
wsr II inevitable and close at hand. There
are some observers in ali European capt
tails, especially Berlin, who take that
view OF the situation. and are alarmed
accordingly. Even the stock markets.
which are. after all. the best political
barometers IN Europe, indicated for
day or two that a storm had been i'm
pending. There II no doubt that II the
future developments depend solely upon
those directly concerned. namely tne
Turks, Greeks and Cretans, there would
be iikhting within a week on both sea
and land Everybody knows, however,
that the progress OF the quarrel Is not
within the control of those actually In
volved, and that there will be no blows
exchanged unless at least one OF the
great powers is willing that war should
come.
THE SOLUTION.
The solution Of the problem really lies
in the answer to the question, Has the
representative of one OF the six great
powers whispered in the ear of Greece?
Now Is your opportunity, go ahead. take
Crete. and we will keep our hands on.
Some loud oices in France, and many
more In Germany. are accusing England
Of having done just that thing. No one
of them, however. has suggested even q
plausible motive which would lead Great
Britain to adopt such course. On the
other hand, there are overwhelming rea-
sons why Great Britain should be the
most strenuous OF all in suppresslng dis
turbance until the powers had an oppor-
tunity OF enforcing on the Sultan the
scheme of reforms, which has Just been
formulated. One would more naturally
suspect Germany herself or France OF
melting the mischief for the purpose of
discomfiting Lord Salisbury, who from
the first has been the leader in urging
harmonious action In dealing with the
Sultan.
There Is as q matter of fact no adequate
motive visible which would lead any
great power to create this fresh and
dangerous complication at a moment when
the virtual settlement OF the Turkish
question seems within reach. There does
exist, however. ample and obvious incen-
tives to induce the crafty and still potent
Sultan to seek once more to set his men,
tors by the ears by means of a fresh
crisis in Crete.
1t seemed week ago that he was not
directly responsible for the recurrence
of the troubles there but there have been
many indications since that his subtitle
cunning instigated the whole affair.
THE HOPEFUL FEATURE.
The one luminous and hopeful feature
of the situation Is the fact that thus far
the Powers have maintained their unity
Of attitude. pugnacious Greeks sent
off their feet with instructions to pre-
vent by force any fresh Turkish troops
from landing In Crete. The Powers had
no opportunity to prevent this step. but
they promptly and unitedly notified
Greece she would not be permitted to In
terfere on the island itself and at ths
same time Offset chance collision by
preventing the Porte from sending any
more troops. The Sultans scheme has
therefore been failure UP to date, and 1t
remains to be seen what his next move
will be.
The situation on the whole has not
reached an ominous or threatening stage
/ in the view of those persons In whose
Judgment l have the greatest confidence
and although II contains element OF
serious danger as II has for more than
eighteen months, II does not justify any
grave forebodings with regard to the
peace of Europe There is another view
of the crisis in Crete and Turkey which
should not be lost sight Of. These fresh
troubles prove anew that a radical solu-
ton OF the Turkish problem is absolutely
imperative and that all hope In allowing
the Ottoman Empire to exist IN peace
under the full sovereignty OF the present
Sultan is vain.
A GLOOMY ARTICLE.
The Spectator to-day in a gloomy arti-
| Gle on the situation emphasizes the ne
costly of drastic measures and says:
Europe Will not permit the Sultan and
| his Asiatic hordes TO threaten its peace
| every minute, and as Crete cannot be left
| to itself 1t must be handed over 10 Greece
| ad interim, the arrangement 10 be after
| wards ratified by European conference.
| That will pacify the Island, as the Mus
| sulmans will either submit or fly 10 Asia
| Minor. but then the gravest of ali dan
gers will arise. The Mussulman mob OF
| Constantinople may enteavor 10 take
vengeance upon the Greeks OF the capital,
| and 1t Is doubtful whether Abdul Hamid
| has either the power or TIE wish 20 re-
strain their ferocity. Tia Greeks of
couatantinople. however exceed 200 900.
They have been arming for months and
:, 10 exceedingly doubtful II hey can be
summarily suppressed. They at not like
the Armenians in temper, andtf driven
q. desneration they would raiA for
m,dable civil war which would \ rev
DAVIS compel the powers to occily Con-
stantinople. the precise danger thy have
all been dreadinR.
"Matters may go differently becike the
Sultan and his advisers must beware
| that a massacre of Greeks would Il the
beginning Of the end of Ottomafirule,
but the danger is undoubtedly grea and
| Imminent. 1t has not been less bl the
| fact that the Macedonians, who aretniy
| waiting an opportunity, VIII pro tbiy
| seize this and by a simultaneous upflns
will compel the States of Eastern Eu'pe
tn show their hands and decide wheler
they are for or against Asiatic rulan
Europe.
These statements may be consioey
sensational, but we take II to be certa
that horror of Abdul Hamid has enter1
| too deeply into the souls OF the Christia
population of European Turkey to ailo
any palliative to be effectual, and th'
| IL he continues to reign no lull OF wee
or a month can In any degree remove Il
danger of an explosion
WILL THE SULTAN SUBMIT?
There is no doubt. some basis for III
dark forecast, bu. 1t has to be consider
with the larger questions whether Il
| Sultan will in the end submit to the d
| mands of the Powers, which will soon
placed before him. That is the cruicl
point of the situation, and nobody. g
cent Abdul himself, can decide II. y