The Holbrook news., 1911-12-22


 by scenes of massacre and
 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.
 Its downfall began in 1883 when the porto took up the cause of Tokoly1, the leader of the Hungarians in their revolt against Leopold I. 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 a Polish and German army, went to the rescue and In 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- witz, 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 TUT key again captured Moldavia and Morea In 1715. however, they were beaten by Prince Eugene of Austria, who forced them to give up part of Servia and Austria
 In 1737 Russia entered upon its role as a great assailant of the Ottoman empire with the seizing of Azow and the invasion of Crimea. In 176S Sul- tan Mustapha III. ventured a war on Russia which proved disastrous. Fur key was forced to renounce it's su- 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 17S7 fresh war between the two countries broke out Austria took hand and fresh disasters overlook the Ottoman arms. Napoleon Bonaparte swept down on the country eleven years la- ter and wrested Egypt from the Sul- tan's grasp. After this a six years war with Russia, ending in the treaty of Bucharest in 1872. was staged. Servia shortly afterward obtained a partial freedom, which was followed in 1827-29 by another war with Rus sia. In the peace of Adrianople in 1929 Turkey surrendered to Russia the northeastern coastland of the Black l key the treaty of Unliar Skelessi, which closed the Black Sea to the yes sells of war of all nations save Rus sia.
 Alliance Saves Turks.
 In 1S4O the quadruple alliance alone saved the entire downfall of the Fur 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 1t felt itself no longer bound by the treaty.
 Numerous insurrections between 1854 and 1871 raised the Turkish debt by $500, ,0OO. .OOO. and in 1875 the porte was driven to a partial repudiation of its obligations. In 1876 frightful nassacres 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 c stand. A conference at Constants 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 in 1877 declared war. After three years oi ? fighting Turkey gave up and in the traaty of San Stefano the European