New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
SALISBURYS RETTCENCE.
LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES INDIG-
NANT.
UNABLE TO OBTAIN LIGHT on BR1TAIN'S
CRETAN POLLCY-RARBARITIEs on THE
ISIAND-TJI pAJ.EOIOGIrFS


CRETAN roLLCy-RARBARITIEs on THE
IsIAND-THE PALEOIOGUEs.
London. March 27.-Prme Minister Salisbury.
who started on Thursday for Cmez, where
Queen Victoria is sojournng. will stay In the
south Of France for five weeks. There he Will
guide Great Britain's diplomacy in silence hav-
ing neither the Cabinet to consult nor the opinion
of the country to consider. Conservatives and
Liberals alike are frettng under the prolonged
reticence of Lord Salisbury in disclosing his
Eastern policy. The Radicals are very indig-
nant and are taking advantage of the apparent
impasse to raise popular agitation when. II
Parliament were approaching It's natural term.
would work no end Of mischief to the Govern
ment 1t may be no fault of Lord Salisbury that
he does not explain his policy clearly to the Brit
ish public Prudence may excuse his silence but
on all sides II is felt that his persistent ignoring
of the demands Of members of the House OF Com
mons for information as TO exactly how Great
Britain stands toward the European Powers Is
largely due to his known contempt for popular
opinion when he thinks he can afford to show IL.
Safe in the confidence reposed in him by his ma
iority in both houses he can put up his colleagues
in the lower house to evade questions decline
TO answer and to balk debate on points which
are Of the most momentous interest TO the coun-
try IT has been often said that even Caplhet
Ministers are not in Lord Sasbury's confidence.
He is understood to consult with or to communi-
cate TO Mr.. Balfour Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
Mr. Chamberlain and the Duke Of Devonshire all
important steps he may decide upon. But even
this inner Cabinet exercises little or no power
in shaping his policy. There probably never was
a Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary in English
Parliamentary history who entirely played
"off his own bat" and who staked the interests
of his Government and country with so gtte def
erence to the opinions Of his Cabinet.
The dissatisfaction In Parliament only partly
reflects the discomfort throughout the country.
More and more the tide of sentiment IA rising
in favor of Greece. which is. even In pronounced
Unionist papers declared to Rave been treated
with scant respect for Justice and humanity
Tho general Irritation has been intensified dur
ing the current week by the prospect OF the
mixed occupation Of Crete turning out to be
not the pacific mode Of settlement which the
diplomatic jugglers promised it would be, ana
by the persistence OF Greece in asserting her-
self against the Porte end the Powers Ihe
occupation threatens TO be a very mixed affair
with no common plan of operation. dishked anu
misunderstood by the Cretan population and
carried out by troops. the best portion OF Whoh
detest their work AS the process of pacfca-
uOr develops tne prospect may piieH'N' Nf'
But one of the first measures proposed to give
Crete chance OF internal peace-the constitu-
ton Of an autonomous government under a
competent chiefs not yet within sight The
few trustworthy correspondents who are tee-
graphing from Canea and other points concur
in stating tha; autonomy means TO the Cretan
Christians the northumberland eXtirpation of
the Moslems and among their notables free
ACQUISITION Of more lard. Massacre and spolia-
ton are described the first principles OF Gre
tan patriotism, among Moslems and CHRISTIANS
alike though it must be acknowledged that
displays Of this sort Of patriotism have hereto
fore been a special prerogative of the Moslem
population, upheld by Turkish bayonets.
The. Paris 'JournGi des Debats" to-day pub
ushed q letter from ar officer Of the French
squadron which shows. if true. an awful con
diton Of affairs. This officer declares that the
facts set forth in his letter are vouched for ny
the surgeons Of the cruisers who are perform
ing duties ashore He declares that many MOS
lem children of tender age have been Vioiated
by so-caled Christians that boys have been
frightfully mutilated and babies sashed "lth
sabres. He adds that in war the Cretan Chrls-
tianT resemble wild beasts
The tremendous difficulty OF governing ny CIV
nized methods such people has exercised the
minds of Lord Salisbury and Nj fidnotauN' the
French Prime Minister more. perhaps, than IL
has the statesmen Of the other European Gov
ernments The lead Of English and French opln-
ion is so distinctly in favor of appointing a creek
Salisbury nor the French Foreign Minister can
risk defying it. The Russian Government has
aims of it's own, apart from justice to Greece or
the pacifcatiOn OF Crete. So Whs the proposals
from England have successively had reference
to the nomination Of Prince George OF Greece
and 70 Prince MaVrOcOrdato, and those OF France
to either Of these or to Prince Wademar Of Den
mark Russia, with its imperial supporters in
Germany and Austria. has put forward first Boso
Petrovitch and next Prince Danilo both Monte
neglins in the actual pay Of the Car. Cndoubt-
edly the selection of a Greek prince as Governor
would help to appease the Cretans. There are
now 10000 Of them under arms. capable, under
Greek officers Of Offering desperate resistance
TO much greater number Of troops than can he
emDlOYed under the mixed occupation. If the Gre
tans feel obliged to fight the occupation will end
i'm a bloody fiasco; and with Greece at bay
against the Turk on the frontier. the European
mess will become worse than ever.
Apropos Of possible Greek claimants. the name
Of the supposed extinct Imperial Greek family
the PaleolOgue-has become the subject OF re-
search. 1t seems certain that The last authentic
Imperial Greek line that ruled in Constantnople,
died al Saltash in Cornwall on January y. 1876.
The church Of Landulph in Saltash contains his
monument. II Is recorded that he left five chill
dren one Of whom. Theodore, settled and mar
ried in England. a branch or the family is
known to have gone to America about 1870. and
is said to have settled in Canada. There are
Paleologues In England, one Of them a we'll
known artist. There is also n branch In Ru-
mania to which belongs Georges Maurice Paleo-
loeue now in the French diplomatic service, and
brother in-law Of Andre Lebon, the French
Colonial Minister out Of the fermont in the
East the Paleoogues may yet emerge from their
long Obscurity.