The searchlight., 1911-10-27

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 a large part
| Of its Asiatic domain.
Its downfall began in 1888 when the
porte took up the cause of Tokoiyi.
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
bieski, heading 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 a 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 Theiss. to restore to
Poland a 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 17l5. however. they were
hoatop hv Drfpno g,pgapo ~ Auatrta
who forced them to give up part OF
Servia and Austria.
In 1887 Russia entered upon its role
as great assailant of the Ottoman
empire with the seizing of Azow and
the invasion of Crimea- In 176s Sui
tan Mustapha Ill. 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 nayiga-
ton Of Turkish waters. In 1887
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 grasp After this a six years
war with Russia. ending in the treaty
Of Bucharest In 1912. was staged
Servia shortly afterward obtained a
partial freedom. which was followed
in 1929 by another war with Rus.
sia. 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
sia.
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.
sia merely awaited an opportunity to |
press its old policy. In 1871 the Rus.
sian government. taking advantage Of
the Franco Russian war. declared Il
felt itself no longer bound by the
treaty.
Numerous instructions between
1854 and 1871 raised the Turkish debt |
by 100000. 900. and in 1875 the porte |
was driven to partial repudiation 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 4
stand. A conference at CONSTANT.
nople was rejected by Turkey. but TO ]
this the government be-
slowed q parliamentary constitution
on the empire. Russia. however, re-
fused to accept this move. and In 1877 /
declared war. After three years Of
6ghfing Turkev 1ava nm and In eh.