Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03
TURKEY AND ENGLAND.
England Recognized as the
Worst Enemy of Islam.
TURKS USED TO THREATS
Nothing More Impolitic Than an
Empty Demonstration.
THE PRESENT SULTAN's TRAITS
He Suffers From the Underhand Dip
lomacy Of Many Ambassadors
and Ministers.
THE PRESENT SULTAN's TRAITS

A dispatch under yesterdays date stated
that the members Of the house of commons
are anxious regarding the probable course
of events in the Angio-Turkish dispute on
the subject of the Tabah boundary 1t has
been stated further that Great Britain Is
waiting for chance to force Turkey into
greater submission. The sultan, on the
other hand. shows independence by declin-
ing to agree to the British view and In
keeping his troops in Egypt.
England has been recognized In certain
quarters to be a friend of Russia and the
worst enemy of Islam," said diplomat
today. But that is belief purely local in
few Moslem communities, and beyond
proof. 1t has always been known that
Russia's aim is to play the part of the
friend of Turkey In order to win the afrec-
tons of the Moslem populace In Asia Minor
England is, according to advices from Lon
don, preparing a naval demonstration at a
Turkish port II she does not obtain satisfac-
ton. Nothing would be more impolftic and
nothing more foolish than an empty demon
stratton of a fleet in the Bosphorus. The
powers, just as they have recently become
accustomed to the American warships.
a Similar Mistake.
England already committed like great
mistake about ten or so years ago when
which act almost destroyed her influence
In that country, to be slowly regained at
the cost OF many humiliations If England
did the same thing with Abdul-Hamid, 1t
may be that she would destroy some of her
influence at STEAMBOAT and ConstantinopIe,
Many countries had decided to war
against turkey, and at the last moment
they gave up the attempt. Why war? Be-
cause the sultan does not accept the scheme
OF reforms presented to him? There Is a
certain amount of misgovernment in Turkey
1t exists not only in the Ottoman empire,
but In all the nations OF the world. Eng
Iand 1t Is true is not wrong in giving adj
wee TO the Turks. who have been her old
friends and proteges. But some English
statesmen advocate certain reforms only
for their sake. the sake of Christianity,
while poor Moslem subjects of the porte are
left high and dry.
IF the British government IN India tnfrod
duced reforms IN that country exclusively
for the Moslems, would not the Hindoos
grow discomfort and furious? Naturally
me sultan objects to being guided, espe-
cialiy when untustly Abdul Hamid Is a
thorough Turk. Whatever else he may not
be. he Is brave. He Is not afraid of his
me- II 1t Is to be lost honorably. He fears
the assassin, just as any man would, II he
could boast as many enemies as the porte
1t Is Indispensable. IN order to understand
the question of Turkey and the powers, to
know Abdul Hamid. Apart from his polfti-
cal Importance, the ruler of the empire "a
caliph of Islam and protector of the holy
shrfnes. exercises a moral influence over
countless millions, which Is quite uurivaled
In this age of unbelfef and skeptieism He
has his shortcomings as g. statesman: but
as caliph Of Islam, he Is the most popular
prince that ever came to the throne.
a Question and It's Answer.
The question arises: Can q Moslem
caliph render any service to great power2
This question can be best answered In the
words of Sir Salar Jung. once prime minis
ter of Hyderabad, apropos of the moral au-
thority exercised in Turkey In favor of
England at a very critical time.
England has QSSO In India some fifty
millions of Moslem subjects including In
their mass the most warlike of the native
races the races upon whom England must
chiefly rely to roll back the tide Of Russian
aggression. England Is not likely to forget
that 1t was these very races who. in 1887
at the bidding Of their caliph. the Sultan
Abdul Medjid, gave their united support to
moment when their detection might have
cost the life of every white man and woman
in India My late father. frequently as
sured me that the whole influence of the
cauphate was used most unremittingly
from Constantinople to check the spread of
mutiny, to rally round the English stand
ards the Mussulman races of India. In this
way the debt that Turkey owed to Great
Britain for British support in the Crimea
paid In full And the time may come
again when the devotion of the Mussul-
VI.
Sophia may be not less necessary to Great
Britain than in 1851
Underhand Diplomacy.
can undesirable state of affairs" said the
diplomat, has resulted from the underhand
diplomacy OF many ambassadors and minis
ters accredited to Turkey. These are the
representatives of six great powers, each
trying to play the game of his own country
and repeatedly mlsrepresenting the ideas of
his rival. The sultan believes and suffers,
and Christian Europe does little to abate
the diplomats there do not understand him.
He resents any encroachments upon his
dignity as an independent sovereign. He Is
bulled too much, and that is disastrous,
Abdul Hamid hates official pressure of any
kind. France and Russia obtain more from
the sultan because their representatives
manage to become private friends of his
majesty. When an appeal Is made to his
friendship or to his generosity he cannot
resist it.
There are people in Turkey who are try
ing to put an end to the traditional allf-
ance between England and Turkey. There
are great many more In England, how
ever, and foremost among them are those
politicians who insist on naval demonstra-
lions or other displays of power.
Now we must not forget that the great
est rival of England in the orient Is Russia.
There is belief In the common sense of Eng
ish interests In the southeast of Europe, as
we'll as the northwest of India, is more
than possible In order to cripple her
power in Europe Russia Will attack England
on the borders of India She has an enor-
nous army even today, and could easily