Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-11-17


/ powers stepped in. Great Britain
! practically nulii5ed Turkish soyer
eighty in Egypt in 1888 by establish
I ing q control there In 1885 tens
Of thousand OF Christian Armenians
were massacred- The protests OF Eu
rope were OF no avail. A rising OF
the Christians followed year later
in Crete and was the signal for long
repressed hostilities In Greece Greece
was forced TO sue for peace. pay the
Turkish government an indemnity OF
s1s.00o.000 and make important con
cessions on the Graeco-Turkish from
tier
Meanwhile. Crete was taken in
charge by Great Britain. Russia,
France and Italy and a settlement
was made IN 1898 by which the SUI
zerainty OF Turkey was renewed. The
people Of ancient Macedonia had long
been FESTIVE under Turkish control
and in 1903 there we're bloody mass
acres and conflicts over a large terri
tory. The rivalry Of Bulgaria and
Greece and the influence of the great
powers have made a successful re
volt difficult, however.
In the last thirty years Turkey has
been the scene of almost continual
warfare This eliminated about two
years ago in the overthrow of Abdul
Hamid and the usurping of the throne
by the young Turks
Trouble With Italy.
The quarrel between Turkey and
Italy over Tripoli arose out of Italy's
old desire TO have possession of that
portion OF the northern coast OF Afri-
ca. desire dictated by political rath-
er than commercial reasons. Of the
old Roman colonies Egypt. Tunis. AL
geria and Morocco have passed out Of
the hands OF the modern government
of the Italian peninsula and OF the five
powers on the Mediterranean. Great
Britain. France. Spain. Italy and Aus
tria. only the last two are without
base for their fleets on the south
shore
Although the country has formed
a part of the Turkish empire since the
middle of the 18th century. until 1885
the authorities of the Sultan had long
been purely nominal. Then. after an
extended period. during which the
country was stronghold of pirates.
an expedition was dispatched from
Constantinople and the state WAS
made a vilayet OF the Ottoman EN-
pire-
Formerly Tripoli was of high COM
mercial importance as the gate TO the
interior. but since the Sudan has been
chiefly approached by way of the At
lantic. Tripoli has dwindled in this re
spect and her commercial value today
rests chiefly OF the fertile coast lands. (
Italy and Turkey had dispute in
April. 1908. over the refusal Of Turkey
to permit Italian postoffices in Tur-
keys territory At the same time con /
siderable irritation was felt in Italy
over the murder OF an Italian mission
airy in Tripoli and the persecution by F.
the Ottoman authorities of natives I
who had sold land to Italians. Gov
eminent circles in Rome hat felt for
years that Turkey had been taking
advantage OF tie international situa- Z
ton to act in a high-handed manner 4
toward It1liens and TO show little re-
spect for Italian rights Italy pre-
pared at that time to send large 4
feet TO Turkish waters whereUpon 1
Turkey Immediately withdrew all or
jections 20 the postofices and practic
ally acknowledged the other Italian 4
claims with regard 10 the right Of tie
Italians freely to purchase propes "
on Turkish territory and with regard +
also 10 coast navigation.
While Turkey yielded on the Quss-
ticn of the postodices. the main rea
son of difiidenee. disrust and antae
cnism remained. as the Sultan was
E termined to do all in his power net
yield Tripolf with Europe's cor
sent. as field for Italian expansion
In virtue of the accord concluded BY
the Marquis Visconti-yenossi with
France. and afterward acknowledged
by all the powers. Italy. while re
nonncing her interest in Morocco. was
left free to exercise her influence in
Tripoli. and thus she was in a post
ton tc take advantage of any pretext
to occupy il under the form OF pro
such as France exercises in
runis and England in Egypt