The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-25
ABDUL HAMID THE CRAFTY.
ruE PAST GRAND MASTER OF THE
ART OF DIPLOMACY.
s.,orIed for n Quarter of "A Centu-
~ for His Position in Europe-His
poIicy of Delay.


From the Chicago Tribune.
In their efforts 20 compel the Sultan of
rrrkey TO pay long-oyerdue claims for
..5ernity. President Mckinley and Sec
-.,ary Hay have entered upon a struggle
NTH the past grand master of the Fa-
t3an school of diplomacy. Abdul Hamidd
II &c far and away the craftiest and most
-liu cunning, boldness have been con-
emily exercised in contests with the
chest statesmen of Europe for quar-
tor of a century, and, while he has not
alvays come off victor, he has won more
freouently than he has lost.
ABDUL Hamid is a Turk and Mussul-
man of the old school, He is fifty-eight
years of age, and the Innovations of mod
ern civilization have left little impression
rnon him He rules Turkey as his prede-
cassors ruled it, and has only yielded
grudgingy to the progress of the age.
He became the ruler of the Ottoman
empire in August, 1876, at a moment when
the Servian and Bulgarian provinces were
IN the revolt which Immediately preceded
the Turko-Russian war, and when the
combined powers of Europe were exert
ing their utmost pressure to compel Tur-
KEY to adopt new policies.
IIpou his ascension to the throne Abdul
Hamid was confronted by the immediate
danger of the disintegration of his en-
,1ire At that time Turkey in Europe in
cluded Servia, Bulgaria. Roumania, Mon
II tenegro. Bosnia, Herzegovina and Thes-
saly These provinces were not only in a
4 seate of revolt, but Russia and Austria
we're known to have designs upon terri
tory which would extend their own from
/ tiers to the Mediterranean. The dissolu-
/ ton of Turkey was freely predicted in
every capital of Europe, and the strife
befween the powers for possession of the
broken parts of the empire, for the spoil
of Constantinople and the control of the
Dardanelles promised to embroil all
4 Europe in general war
Abdul Hamid undoubtedly realized that
# was too late to save the Balkan prov
81 inces but he was quick to recognize in
Fl tbe general European situation the oppor-
tnity of saving his throne and his foot
ine in Europe and of still maintaining Con-
stantnople as the seat of Mohammedan
power
Il For the first time he played his game
on the chess board of Europe. All the
world knows what followed. The war with
Russia lost Servia and Roumania to the
Il Austria, but Montenegro was erected into
buffer state that for the time blocked
Franz Josef's pathway to Salonica. The
Cars victorious armies were at the gates
of Constantnope, and Turkeys position
8 In Europe hung only by thread.
Then il was that Abdul Hamid taught
Europe its first lesson in oriental state
a craft. By a secret treaty with Lord Bea-
consield the Sultan coded to Great Bril-
81 ram The Island of CtI-rlrecs Tn return ord
d Beaconsfed guaranteed the territorial in
tegrity of Asia Minor and sent the British
n fleet through the Dardanelles.
Russia was checkmated. The Gar at
once realized that his troops marching in
10 COnstantinople would be shelled by the
81 British feet. He was reluctantly COMPEL
Il Cd to give up a project long dreamed of
81 by Russia and TO submit to the terms OF
81 the treaty of Berlin. dictated by an Eu-
Fl r09ean congress demanded by Lord Bea-
FL I0nsield, who really acted as the agent
FL OF the crafty Sultan.
81 In June 1878 the Powers were compelled
81 to take steps to secure the enforcement
OF the terms of the treaty of Berlin with
Fl reference TO the ratification of the Monte
negrin frontier. In this controversy the
Fl Sultan lost. He endeavored to save him
Fl self by changing his ministry, thus CIV
Fl ing Great Britain almost complete ascend
ency at COnstantinOpe. He watched the
III negotiations of the Powers closely, wait
III ing to make the most of any apparent
81 disagreement. But in the end he failed,
81 being compelled to cede Dulcigno 70 Mont
a enegro, bur not until after having received
n Two ultimatums backed up by the allied
81 fleets Of the Powers.
81 Sultan Abdul Hamid's position in Eu-
# role was rapidly becoming precarious.
81 Nearly every Power had claims upon him.
# de owed money to every banker in Eu-
81 rope He could only pay in territory, as
Ri cash he had none. The territorial demands
Nj Of Greece We're still unsatisfied and the
russian war indemnity yet unpaid.
81 50 long as the concert of the powers ex-
ed the ottoman empire was doomed.
Fl bis was Abdul Hamids situation in 1880
FL and 1851
II Ire Eng ish and French rivalry for pos
n Session of Egypt gave Abdul Hamid the
u coVetei opportunity for breaking the con
Ia cert ef the powers. The powers had united
M I pressing the demand for the compile
l'n OF he Berl n treaty with reference to
t.e territorial ella ms Of Greece. The Gre
cah government was camoring for a set
leIent and was actively preparing for
war GLADSTONE bad succeeded Beacons-
Il i'll ana was e couraging Gr.ece. Austria
wa suspected CT designs in Salonica bay.
,"dlsiohe reversing the policy of Bea-
Vousleld, sliced with Russia.
ihe sultan saw in the situation an OBJ
pNftunl TO divide the Powers. He APP
M'd TO France. reminding the republic
I'S interests in Trpoli and 'runis, TO
"'h England was hostile and Germany
Gnu austria fri ndly. England and France
ere a once embroiled in a quarrel over
l8ul -'''9 wa -9
Inc Powers were oitted against each
~, u.r ana the European concert broken
ne sultan fortified the Dardane!les, call
na ne iefs 10 their colors. and made
""Ve show Of preparing for war. His
p "S partly succeeded, for, although in
' t4d he was compelled 20 give in t.
"ethan Is of Greece, he only gave a
W.. Oh the territory originally demanded
o." 1850 the Powers again came together
'uhsld the Bulgarian question after
pg revolution which finally ended in
.-"ce AleXander's resignation. Russia
'' austria working together, demanded
restoration of Prince Alexander, who
as entirely under Russian influence. Ger
III TN ana italy took the same position
n g, uIian appealed to England assert
"a To- mat Russia was intriguing to secure
s,tnaNeut control of Bulgaria, from
IA 1n 10 menace Turkey with another ad.
~, on ConStantincp,e.
4 al 10 nd ani