Evening star., 1913-04-13

possessing Montenegr0
The Temps expresses regret that tho
speech Of Sir Edward Grey in the house
OF commons was not
Regret at more just to the al
Grey's Speech. the nrs.sn, % .i,us,,.o Haeu 70
II was necessary to concede something
to the changed condition OF affairs: tho
orient had ceased to be the plsything OF
diplomacy; the Balkanic states by their
victorious alliance had conquered their
grand naturalization In the family OF ma
tiens. Formerly IL was the custom to
send them remonstrances like a village
schoolmaster II was q grave fault TO
continue this custom-grave. especially
for the triple entente.
As for wretched Turkey. her wretched-
ness speaks for itself. The capture OF
Adranople shows that il is I'm the Bal
kans hereafter that the Balkanic affairs
are to be settled. The solutions of these
last fifty years have not been 80 bril-
liant that one should regret the change.
Sir Edward Grey In his speech on the
25th ultimo said: I'VE have arrived at
a point where danger Of a general crisis
has been avoided. The great powers
proclaimed their territorial disinterested-
hess
The powers. he said, had declared Al
bania an autonomous state and assigned
to 1t the Adriatic as a western frontier.
They had agreed upon the frontiers in
the north. IL was now a question of fix-
ing the southern limits.
Sir Edward appeared to be wholly un-
conscious Of the fact that the powers
had planted, under the spur OF Austria
Hungary, a spear in the side OF the Bal
frontier and with Italy and Austria In
joint control in Albania was a situation
quite as deplorable as that Bosnia-Herz
govina situation beaueathed 10y tho
treaty OF Berlin I'm 1873
The powers In offering their mediation
had proposed to the allies the frontier
line of Enos- Midia because its accept
ance would prevent the question OF Con-
stantinople. Dardanelles and Asia Minor
from coming up.
The main point of the speech OF Sir
Edward Grey Is contained I'm the remark
that IL these conditions We're acceptsble
the allies and Turkey could arrange mat
ters without the Intervention OF the great
powers. But IL the conditions were not
accepted. IL they insisted upon "A frontier
line affecting Constantinople and the Dar-
danelles, and if the war was prolonged
and the questions attaching to Asia
Minor were brought up, then. one
more of the great powers might be in
terested in the conclusion of peace. not
as mediator. but a party.
Sir Edward bankers manifestiy after
the f1eshpots of Turkey. broken as they
are, and hopes. doubtless.
FleshpOts to preserve enough VI
OF Turkey. Asia Minor to PERM,
England. If possible. to be once more the
power behind the throne. The Turk Is
the most forgiving of all orientals
When Sir Edward Grey delivered his
speech Adrianople had not fallen. and
cording to the Turks they had stores of
cheese there which would take them over
many months to come. But the Turks had
not yet felt the fury of the Bulgarian
and Servian soldiers maddened by the
rigors Of winter and Adrianople was
taken by sheer desperation:
1t Is the second time that Bulgarians
have captured Adrianople. The first time
thousand years ago the Bulgarians
took Ii from Baudoin I.
In 1860 the city was taken by the Turks
after the victory Of Sultan Mourad l. For
nearly a century 1t was the capital OF
the Ottoman empire and the favorite resi-
dence Of the sultans. Since the capture
of Constantinople Ii has become the Sec
ond city Of Turkey in Europe.
In 1879 the Russians captured Adri-
anOple and obliged Mahmoud III to sign
the treaty of Adrianople, which assured to
them full liberty of commerce and gave
them the months of the Danube and a
part of the paskalik of Akalzik, recog
nizing the independence of Greece and
regulating the situation Of Moldayia Val
lachta and Servia.
In 1878. during the Turko- Russian war,
Gen. Gourko occupied the city. while
Skobelef followed closely upon the re-
treating army of Suleiman.
Picturesquely situated at the confiu-
ence of the Martha. toundja and the
Arda, AdrianOple stretches to the north
from a great and monotonous plain sur
rounded by hills. In the distance 1t Of
fers fine view with green gardens. IL
possesses forty mosques-one, that of
Selim IL, is the most .eautiful i'm Turkey;
the aqueduct of Soliman supplies water To
the city. Situated forty leagues from
Constantinople and thirty from Philppoli.
Adrianople is the most important station
which connects the capital of the Otto
man empire with Sofia and Belgrade.
The speech of Sir Edward Grey. which
is taken as threat to the allies. was
followed closely by
Immune from the capture of Adrian
Intervention ople. The allies b.
this timely victory
have cut themselves away in fact from
any further Intervention in their affairs
by the powers And this has been made
apparent by the declaration of NJ Stan
ciof. Bulgarian minister at Paris, who
has invoked the Bsmarckian doctrine that
force precedes right The force mani
tested by the allies at Adrianople creates
for them new rights. Ii is no longer a
question for European diplomacy to as
sure to Bulgaria a city which she now
possesses. She cannot be asked to aban-
don any part of the territory she has
conquered by force ''at the price of sac
rifices which exact a compensation
Henceforth the allies may exert
stronger pressure on the Tchatalja lines
and perhaps add other trumphs which
will merit new recempenses.
What indeed, If the allies should now
oppose to the note Of the powers a
downright refusal? VIII the powers dare
to take the risk of concerted action
against the allies?
We have read the expression In the Ber-
liner Tageblatt which IL is assumed s
fully appreciated at Berlin and at Vienna.
warned already by the agitation existing
among all Sav peoples There may be re-
called in this connection the phrase OF Won
MOltke when, writing on the value of
naval demonstrations In the orient, he
said: "!All the fleets of the world may
not suffice to realize the partition of the
Ottoman empire nor prevent it,
There appears to be an accepted princi-
pie with the allies to suit the action. to
the word. They have doubled up diplom-
acy on several occasions and placed
ILL., =