The Holbrook news., 1911-12-22


 1 powers stepped in. Great Britain practically nullified Turkish sover- eighty in Egypt in 1883 by establish ing a control there. In 1S95-96 tens of thousand of Christian Armenians were massacred. The protests of Flu rope were of no avail. A rising of the Christians followed a 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 $18,000,000 and make important con sessions on the Graeco- Turkish iron tier
 Meanwhile. Crete was taken in charge by Great Britain, Russia, France and Italy and a settlement was made in 1898 by which the su- zerainty of Turkey was renewed. The people of ancient Macedonia had long been restive under Turkish control and in 1903 there were 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- CT 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 a stronghold of pirates, an expedition was dispatched from Constantinople and the state was made a vilayet of the Ottoman em- 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 on the fertile coast lands.
 Italy and Turkey had a 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 ary in Tripon and the persecution by the Ottoman authorities of natives who had sold land to Italians. Gov ernment circles in Rome had felt for years that Turkey had been taking advantage of the international situa ton to act in a high-handed manner toward Italians and to show little re spect for Italian rights. Italy pre- pared at that time to send a large fleet to Turkish waters. whereupon Turkey immediately withdrew all ob iections to the postoflces and practic ally acknowledged the other Italian claims with regard to the right of the Italians freely to purchase property on Turkish territory and with regard also to coast navigation.
 While Turkey yielded on the ques ton of the postofices. the main req son of difidence, distrust and antag onism remained, as the Sultan wal determined to do all in his power not to yield Tripoli. with Europe's con 1 sent. as a field for Italian expansion In virtue of the accord concluded bI the Marquis Visconti-Venosu witl France, and afterward acknowledged by all the powers. Italy. while re nouncing her interest in Morocco. wal left free to exercise her influence fl Tripoli, and thus she was in a posi- ton to take advantage of any pretex to occupy 1t under the form of pro tectorate" such as France exercises il Tunis and England in Egypt.