New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18

eutenants lS7 ensigns. 10000 sailors and s'V" ma


MACEDONIA A FINDER BOX.
HOW AN UPRISING THERE MIGHT START GEN
ERAL EUROPEAN WAR.
How far the Powers will be involved In the COM
ing struggle between Greece and Turkey Is the
question Of most vital Importance In view OF the ac
acknowledgement OF actual hosties A comprehensive
discussion of the political problems which confront
Europe in Eastern question. 1t is called. was
recently printed in The Tribune The first innuehce
European policy is likely to come from the atti-
tude taken by the poyglot population of Macedonia.
which country forms the Turkish frontier. and will
be the of the first open conflicts. An uprising
there against Turkish rule might easily precipiate
a crisis for all Europe. for Macedonia Is truly
debatabe land The Greeks claim II, OF course, on
historic grounds. Besides, 1t contains great many
Greek inhabitants especially Salonca and along the
coast Serva claims II because 1t once belonged TO
her. under the Servian Car Dushan. Bulgaria
claims II because II was part OF the realm OF her
Car Samuel. Russia claims 1t. Of course on the
Panslav theory. Austria Hungary wants II because
she wants Salonca.
The facts of the case. collated by a recent
writer in 1.-The Pail Mall Gazette" are as follows:
Cd Macedonia was province of the Greek Empire
from the fourth to the middle OF the fourteenth
century-that Is to say, for nearly thousand
years, with short interruption during the time
Of the Bulgarian Car Samuel (O Macedonia was
taken from the Greeks and annexed to Servia IN
the middle Of the fourteenth century by the Servan
Car Dushan. C) The third and the greatest and
the only historic fact of practical Importance is
that the Turks conquered Macedonia after defeat
ing the Servian King Vukashin In 1871, and that
since that up the present day they are masters
of that country. To the question to whom Mace
donia belongs historically, the only conclusive an
swer could be that 1t belongs to the Sultan. and
that. after him. the Greeks have the strongest
historic claim At any rate. one thing is beyond
all doubt-the Bulgarians have historic claim on
Macedonia.
THE RUSSO BULGARIAN SCHEME.
Nevertheless Bulgarias claim has been most Wig
orously pushed of all. 1t put forward by Rus
STA at the Congress of Berlin. and has been. both
secretly and openly, backed by Russia ever since.
The of Russias interest Is Of course. evil
dent She expects day to absorb Bulgaria. and
so the more Bulgaria now gets the more Russia
will then get AS in many other cases, Russia has
worked In this largely through the Church.
The separation Of the Bulgarian Church from the
Greek Patriarchate Of Constantinople the creation
of the Bulgarian Exarchate. the nomination of the
Bulgarian Bishops In Macedonia the systematic
support Of the Bulgarian propaganda in that prov
ince and the treaty Of San stefano only the
parts Of one great scheme devised by the Russian
Panslavists and executed by General Ignatieff. The
object Of the scheme nothing less than to
bring the whole Of the Balkan Peninsula under
Russian rule.
When Stambuloff ruled Bulgaria and hostile
to Russia he in turn intrigued for Bulgarian
troll OF Macedonia his motive being to aggrandize
Bulgaria that she would be able TO stand alone
as an independent kingdom. Had he remained
alive and In authority year two longer. Bull
gara would probably have Jumped" Macedonia as
II did Eastern Rumelia.
THE DANGER POINT.
Now Macedonia is always on the verge Of revolt.
except when she Is actually rebelling and fighting.
which is about half the time. And both Greece
and Bulgaria have for years been at the point OF
invading IT to annex 1t. while Austria. with rail-
road from Vienna through Budapest to Saonica.
keeps army In waiting to rush down there at
the earliest opportunity. march OF Turkey
against Greece In that quarter would therefore al
most certainly provoke general Macedonian up
rising in which Bulgaria and Servia would surely
take hand, and into which Austria would also -
drawn That would mean a general European
war and that is why the Powers are NOT AZ oil
likely to let Turkey attack Greece.
The Russian Government under the lead OF Count
Muravieff. new and ambitious man. would doubt
less like to foreclose upon Bulgaria. take Mace
bam Russia u ne from woRd be get
gary and Rumania And Rumania is now a strong
Buchares the most Strongly fortified city C on the
Continent. SO march overland would not be
is needed at the Bosporus: So she is likely TO keep
Turkey. when she will, of course. claim Bulgaria
tributary State. and will be free to enforce the
claim
There is. of course, always possibility Of the
| other Balkan States joining hands with Greece to
| Servia. Bulgaria and Monenegro-they might prove
match for Turkey. At the outset the allies could
and IL batteries of artillery. Yet that would not
amount. n round numbers to the force Of the three
| ordu in Europe that can parade and the ordu in
| Syria would be heavy overweight If called up. In
theory Greece could put 10000 in the field but
| 100000 to keep them there any time. Bulgaria
sqHa p%oud & an9
or 1900 men. II Turkey called out Mustafuz for
sfreneth i9oo men and What with other drafts
and renforcements the authorities belieye she
Under such circumstances 1t seems quite probable
that the Turks comp9T Win any
Greece and the allied Balkan States would have
ANY contest between the allied States and Turkey
both sides would bring into battle some of the most
resolute ighting men in Asia and Europe That
| there are sure to be irruptions upon the Greek
frontier-peace or no peace-now goes almost with
out saying, for the mountain Businesses are infest.
| Delimtation Commission was at work mapping
out the boundary It required the constant presence
country was infested with numerous bands OF bril-
gands teTIor were being added to the
Turks with their usual crassness left their unpaid
79l policemen. who had made such poor trade OF
e. While Keeping the law and protecting life and
nronertv resolved TO try how an opposite course
Would pay and became bandtti.
The frontier between Greece and Turkey winds.
Tor the maor part along the summit OF one Of the
many mountain ranges from east 10 west. Start
ing from the east coast little to the north OF Sa-
ismhria II runs westward 10 point near Metsova.
where il DIVORCES to the southwark following the
course OF the River Arta TO the gulf OF that name.
THE extent of frontier line is between 100 and 200
miles Most Of the main ranges running east and
west well as north and south are very lofty, alti
tudes from feet to 5000 feet being numerous.
and at this season the highlands are covered with
snow only the tracks and roads near the seaboard
on either being practicable for troops at this
period OF the year