The National tribune., 1903-09-24

War of 1876, by which Great Britain
and France assisted Turkey to drive Rus
STA back across the Pruth, abolish her pro-
tectorate over the Danubian countries. and
exclude Russian vessels from the Black
Sea. In spite of her defeat Russia con-
! tinued her intrigues for the dismember-
ment of the Turkish Empire. She had al
ways claimed the right to interfere for the
protection of the people of Turkey in Eu-
rope, because they are Slavs in race, and
Greek Catholics in religion. Consequent
| ly her agents have all the time been at
work in Moldavia, Wallachia, Servia, Bull
garia, Montenegro. Bosnia, Herzegovina.
and elsewhere stirring up rebellion, and
furnishing arms and ammunition for re-
sistance to the Turkish troops.
THE LAST RUSSIAN WAR.
Russia took advantage of the crushing
of France by Germany, and the unrest IL
Europe, which ensued. to declare that she
was 10 longer bound by the treaty excluding
her warships from the Black Sea. This
was in 1871, and she followed it up with
| starting an inSurrection in Herzegovina
| and Montenegro. All the other Slavs pro-
fessed sympathy with these and the re-
bellion which smoldered on for two years.
4 threatened revolt in Bulgaria in 1879
was repressed with such cruelty that the
| sympathy for foreign nations was alien
| ated. and active encouragement given to
Servia ans. Montenegro to rise in rebellion.
In 1877 Russia declared that the condition
of her co-religiOnists, the Slavs i'll Turkey.
demanded her assistance, and she declared
war. After much severe fighting her ar
mics came within eight miles of COnstan.
tinople, and had also gained great deal
| of territory in Armenia. when England
was aroused to action, and threatened war
4 if Russia took Constantinop1e. The re-
suit was the Congress of Berlin, attended
by the representatives of all the great
powers. made Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria.
and Montenegro independent, and gave
Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria. This
left Turkey only the provinces of Rune
liza. Macedonia. and Albania. Greece did
not get anything. much to her diSmember-
ment. and later started a war in which she
was badly whipped. Crete started a re-
bellion which threatened to destroy the
Empire. but finally, with the assistance of
the English. the island was quoted down.
Everybody recognized, however, that the
ulcer was. not healed, merely filmed over,
and a new outbreak was liable at any
time.
Crete. while being left nominally under
the suZerainty of the Porte. is really uil-
der the Government of Prince George OF
Greece. whose position is guaranteed by
Great Britain, Russia. France and Italy.
This happened in 1898.
The Island of Cypress. which is the
third largest in the Mediterranean, and
the strongest strategical position in the
eastern end of the sea. was ceded to Eng
land in 1873. and has been made an i'm
mensely strong naval base.
| In 1882 France invaded Tunis and took
that country under her protection.
For 20 years the Powers had compelled
the Khedive of Egypt to recognize the Sui
tan as his overload. but the Khedival Gov
ernment falling into bankruptcy, England
in 1882 occupied the country, and Though
still keeping up a pretense of Khedlval
Government, and allegiance to Turkey, has
made Egypt as thoroughly an English pos
session as any of her colonies Thus. the
Sultan has lost the last vestige of his pow
err in North Africa except in Tripoli, where
once he ruled clear to Spain.
All that the statesmen of Europe could
hope for in the past was TO postpone the
inevitable. but whether the day of dismem
berment has now come is the all-impor-
tant question. The Government of Tur
key is now 80 absolutely inefficient and
corrupt that nothing can be compared to
it. England has tried every means to help
Turkey maintain herself. but without re-
suit She had one time built a fine navy
for Turkey, and put it under the COM
mand of one of her own officers. but the
Turks stole the supplies and let the YES
sells rust until the Englishmen quit the
service in disgust.
The Turkish Empire in Europe has by
these successive wars and revolutions been
reduced from its former widespread area
to a small strip of only 65.572 square
miles stretching across from Constantine
pie to the Adriatic. with n population of
over 100000. This territory is but lit
tie larger than the State of Illinois, but
it contains the all-important city OF Con-
stantinOple. which is the commercial CAPT
tai of vast territory in Europe and Asia.
1t is divided into TIE following Nilayets: