The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-10-09

Truly, Bryan will " his defeat to
his friends.
THE MATCH AND THE POWDER
MAGAZINE.
Eastern Europe has been a powder
magazine for centuries. The Balkan
states, as they are called, have been
a source of trouble since the %organiza-
ton Of the first Bulgarian kingdom in
the seventh century.
After Turkey seized Constantinople
and conquered the Byzantine empire,
the Mohammedan armies reached out
to the north and annexed the king
doms of Servia, Roumania and Bulga-
ria. The onward progress of the Turk
was arrested by the combined Christ
ian powers Of Europe led by the Papal,
Spanish and Venetian fleets, in the
greatest naval engagement in the his
tory Of the world, in 1871, when 5000:
vessels were arrayed in battle. The
Turks were overwhelmingly defeated
and as a result. while she held the
Balkans, her armies never sought to
enter the territory of Rome, Spain,
Venice or the provinces Of Austria.
The ~unspeakable outrages perpetrat-
ed by the Turks caused Russia in the
late 70's, to throw an army into Bull
garia, for the relief Of that unhappy
land.
The occupation Of the Balkan states
by the armies Of the czar aroused the
powers Of Europe as to the ultimate
design. The aim OF Russia for cen
turtles has been to transfer its seat
Of government to Constantinople, from
which 1t might command the passages
to the several seas, and be On the
main highway, by both water and
land, to the Indies.
That the suspicion Of the powers
was not without foundation vas subse-
quently shown by the fact that, having
driven the Turk across the frontier,
the combined Russian and Bulgarian
forces pursued the enemy to the gates
OF Constantinople.
Then 1t was that Great Britain saw
her sea prestige in danger.
An English feet was assembled,
passed the Straits oe the Dardanelles
and dropped anchor in the Golden
Horn, as the curved bay Of Constan-
tinople is known.
The British ships OF war arrived
just as the Russian forces We . as,cut
to enter the place, when a note Of
warning was sent out from tho Eng
Msh foreign office to the effect that
the British admiral had orders to
shell the city when the czar's forces
entered it.
Thus Russia asam Of emp;.e il
Europe faded.
Events crowded fast. England in.
vited the representatives Of the pow
ers to a conference in Berlin-to dis
cuss the matter. Russia, she contend
ed had driven the Turk out-whict
was her avowed purpose at the out
set. Russia, Of course, was still al
war with Turkey, and at that time
Turkey possessed a magnificent army
The representatives Of six powers
the largest number that ever signed
a treaty before or since, then brought
about an understanding with the sub
lime porte which left Russia, in tht
throes Of war, helpless. It was de
cided that the sovereignty of til,
Balkan states was to remain vested IL
Turkey, the states to maintain !,
quasi independence under the nomina
protection of Austria, guarded, o
course, by the signatory powers.
Russia possessed a feet which wa,
rayaging Turkish Black Sea ports
This was bottled up, permanently, b,
a clause in the treaty to the effec
chat no power would be permitted t
send a ship of val through either tn
D%ardanelles or the Bosphorus, an,
upon the signing of that, the Britisl
feet left the sea Of Marmora. TIL
treaty was concluded July 13, 1873. j
few days prior to this, England signe
a secret agreement with Turkey, b
which she agreed to go to her assis
ance, in the event Russia ever sen
an army as far south as Kars, in Al
: menia. This treaty was made publi
after the signing OF the Berlin doc,
ment. Russia protested against til
decree to close the natural water
. ways, but the presence Of the Bri
ish Mediterranean fleet constant
menaces any attempt to evade til
terms Of that treaty.
Since that time, Bulgaria, Servl
= and Roumania have been torn by ii
%ternecine strife. Bulgaria agreed /
u pay Turkey 100000 annually, but IL
tribute has dwindled down to a yea
e ly gift to the sultan.
% The idea Of setting up the Balka
states. vas to provide buffers betwee
the frontier OF Turkey and the balan<
NJ Eh1rnna Tho nnJlyo~A noo,1a A.sl