The sun., 1904-12-02
Difficulties Of Turkey.

The Turkish plenipotentiaries at the
Congress Of Berlin in 1878 protested
against the 4mutilation' Of the Ottoman
Empire by the handing over OF Bosnia
and Herzegovina to Austria, Dulcigno
to Montenegro, the Vranya and Nish
districts to Servia and OF Thessaly and
part OF Epirus to Greece, over and above
Cyprus to Great Britain, Lord BEAcoNs-
FIELD objected to the term "mutilation. "
He explained the action of the congress
as based on scientific principles, and COM
pared 1t to a surgical operation, as an
"amputation," designed to save the pa
TENTS life and conserve his strength.
The British Government seems to be
still acting on the principles laid down by
BEAcoSsFIEID. 1t is taking advantage oil
the general confusion in Asia caused by
the war in the Far East and the paralysis
at Constantinople due to the hamidism
affecting the Ottoman political system
and Is endeavoring further to aid in con-
solidating the Turkish empire by lop-
ping off some Of its decaying limbs in
Arabia.
The Turkish Ambassador in London,
under instructions from his Government,
has been making energetic remon-
strances against the presence at koweit
of British Indian diplomatic agent in
violation of the law OF nations, and has
demanded his recall, pointing out that
while he remained in that place there
would be delay in the settlement OF the
Alden Hinterland boundary question.
Lord LANsDowNE, as reported from Con-
stantinople, replied that he would not
discuss the Koweit question while the
other remained unsettled. At the last
accounts no way had been found out OF
the difficulty, and so thorough has been
tho defeat Of the Sultan's partisans in
central Arabia in the conflict with the
allies OF the Sheikh Of Koweit that the
Sultan has decided not to send them any
reenforcements, but to trust to negotia-
tions with the victorious tribes to re-
store harmony.
In the meantime the advance Of the
British in the south has given them prac-
tical control of the route leading through
the Nejd by Riddh to Koweit, thus cut
ting off from the control of Constanti-
nople the part of Arabia east of line
drawn between Alden and Koweit; and
the delimitation Of the new Alden frontier
ia going on following the British demands
and is supported by warship on the
Yemen coast in the Red Sea.
To add to the Sultan's disquietude,
it is reported that the Mussulmans OF
Egypt and French North Africa are
pressing the British and French Govern
ments to take steps to protect them
while passing through Turkish territory
on their pilgrimages to the shrnes OF the
Prophet at Mecca and Medina. Should
these requests be complied with
further "amputation" of the Ottoman
Empire may be looked for at no very dis
tant date, and one more serious than
any before, as it would necessarily mean
the loss Of the spiritual force that gives
what strength is left to the political power
of the wearer of the sword Of OTHMAN
at Constantinople.
How far France can cooperate with
Great Britain in bringing about such
result while the Franco-Russian alliance
lasts is not easy to see. NJ. HANoTAUX
while Minister of Foreign Affairs having
pledged his Government to Russia not
to take any action separate from the
other Powers OF the European concert
that should in any way weaken the au-
thority of the Sultan ABDUL HAND II.
throughout his dominions.