Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-12-14


w rapine which have made
the civilized world blush
with shame, has been Turkeys lot for
centuries. Once probably the greatest
of all eastern powers, Turkey has been
shorn of practically all its possessions
in Europe and Africa, and large part
of its Asiatic domain.
It's downfall began in 1888 when the
porte took up the cause Of Tokolyi.
the leader of the Hungarians in their
revolt against Leopold |. of Austria.
The Moslem invasion rolled up to the
gates of Vienna. The fate OF central
Europe hung in the balance, but, after
two months of siege, King John So
biesk. heading a Polish and German
army went to the rescue and in a
heroic battle put the Turks to flight.
Austria. Poland and Venice made an
onslaught upon Turkey, following the
memorable conflict They drove the
Turks out Of Austria, Moldavia, Wal
lachia and Morea. In 1895 Peter the
Great wrested Azov from them and
the Austrians annihilated Turkish
army at Zenta. In the peace OF Karlo-
WITT, in 1899, Turkey was forced to
give up all of Hungary between the
Danube and the Thesis, to restore to
Poland great part of the Ukraine
and to surrender Morea. In the early
part of the seventeenth century Tur-
key again captured Moldavia and
Morea. In 1715, however, they were
beaten by Prince Eugene Of Austria,
who forced them to give up a part Of
Servia and Austria.
In 1877 Russia entered upon its role
as a great assailapt of the Ottoman
the invasion Of Crimea. In 176S Sui
tan Mustapha III. ventured a war on
Russia which proved disastrous. Tur-
key was forced to renounce its SUI
zerainty over Crimea and the Tartar
territories in the region OF the Black
Sea and to give Russia free naviga-
ton of Turkish waters In 1877 a
fresh war between the two countries
broke out. Austria took a hand and
fresh disasters overlook the Ottoman
arms, Napoleon Bonaparte swept
down on the country eleven years Ia
ter and wrested Egypt from the Sui
tan's grasp. After this six years
war with Russia, ending in the treaty
of Bucharest in 1872, was staged.
Servia shortly afterward obtained
partial freedom, which was followed
in 1929 by another war with Rus
STA In the peace of Adrianople in
1929 Turkey surrendered to Russia the
northeastern coastland of the Black
Sea- In 1888 Russia forced upon Tur-
key the treaty of Unkiar Skelessi,
which closed the Black Sea to the YES
sells of war of all nations save Rus
STA.
Alliance Saves Turks.
In 1910 the quadruple alliance alone
saved the entire downfall of the Tur-
kish empire. Again in 1854, when at
tackled, by Russia, Turkey was saved
only through the Intervention of Eng
land and France The treaty of Paris
in 1856 restored to Turkey the COM
mand of both sides of the lower Dan
ube and revoked the treaty of Unkiar
Skelessi At this time the porte is
sued a proclamation OF equal civil
rights to all races and creeds in the
Turkish dominions.
The treaty of Paris was supposed to
settle the eastern question by guar
anteeing Turkeys integrity, but Rus
STA merely awaited an opportunity to
press it's old policy. In 1871 the Rus
sian government, taking advantage of
the Franco-Russian war, declared 1t
felt itself no longer bound by the
treaty,
Numerous instructions between
1854 and 1871 raised the Turkish debt
by 5000, 900, 900, and in 1875 the porte
was driven to a partial reputation of
its obligations. In 1876 frightful
massacres of Christians took place in
Bulgaria. These were followed by the
deposing of the sultan, Abdul.Aziz. In
the same year Servia and Montenegro
declared war, but Turkey whipped
them.
The greater powers then took a
stand A conference at CONSTANT
nople was rejected by Turkey but to
counteract this the government be-
slowed a parliamentary constitution
on the empire Russia, however. re-
fused TO accept this move, and i'm 1877
declared war After three years of
fighting Turkey gave up and in the
- Co., Ctnfano tba L.ro,...