The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-21

be an aggressive power in Europe. Dur
ing the entire eighteenth century she
was In n state of constantly losing war
fare. coupled with official corruption,
both of which cost her heavily in pride
and prestige.
with the beginning Of the nineteenth
century came foreign Intervention in
Turkey. the intervention that has made
her a pawn of the Powers of Europe. Il
tradesman IN political privilege, bar
tering commercial privileges Tor dip-
lomatic support. More than once she
was the victim of .!i"aStrous war, but
each time the poor remnant Of her pride
was saved for her by the Western
Powers. Always "A little weaker, she
was still held up in the semhlanco OF a
Power. the better to serve the political
schemes OF the West.
More than once during this time was
Con~stantiuoplc threatened by force
more than once was the Dardanellcs
passed by unfriendly warships. But not
n single time did the city actually sns-
tain other than a diplomatic siege. IN
1907 an English fleet under Admiral
Duckworth entered the Dn~rd1nelles n
appeared before C0nstan'inoplc, but
the Turks %entangled the Admiral in
diplomatic negotiations. at the same time
huiriedly strengthening their fortified
lions until he was obliged TO retreat
beyond tho Da~rdanclles. and ON
s%tantinople was saved.
About this time the Peace Of Tl,S't
between Napoleon and the car was per
fected The scheme for the partition
of the Turkish Empire which was
sketched out between Napoleon and
Alexander az Tflsit had ~ least one re-
sult-it gave to the world Napolcon's
estimate Of the value of Constantin)ple,
The Car was willing to concede the
Emperor almost. anything provided he
should be apTortioned Rumau'a and
Constantinople. Napoleon placed his
finger on the spot on the map designating
the Turkish capital and replied, Con
stantinople, Constantinople' Never! For
1t Is the empire of the world"
In 1929 C~onstantinople was seriously
threatened by Russian land forces. but
not until 1873 did Russia actually ap-
pruach the goal Of her ambition. Not
until her soldiers were actually I'm sight
of Constan.inonle did the suit an &C.
cept her proffered terms ~ peace. A
treaty was signed NJ san Stcfano in
1878, but this proved SO favorable TO
Russia that Lord B~eaconsiicli inter-
fered. thereby committing England to a
policy which has persisted until the re-
cent utterance of Sir Edward Groy an
nouncing England's sympathy with Rus
sian aspirations. I: was this treaty
that paved the way TO the more famous
treaty of Berlin, signed In 1879. a treaty
always regarded as n remarkable dirlo-
matte document hut which has scarcely
had n single ono Of It's well balanced
provisions effectually enforced.
From 1873 until 1912 Constant'nople
was not menaced by an enemy. But in
the fall IS 1912 the Balkan Allies. after
n series OF amazing and dramatic VIC
tories. swept over the plans " Thr7ce
and attacked the defencts Of Tchltdljl.
practically the last defence OF TIE city
What the discrGan'zei Turkish armies
would have done al'n" cannot ho
guessed. but they had their Old a..t.
diplomacy. on their 40. as well as the
dread cholera which 'tt1"tcd tro rul-
garians and Turks alike in the trenches
For many days the people Of Constant
norle listened unpe'turhed 20 the = ar
of the distant guns. But nee aEua
the Grace OF Allah prevailed. the en-
envy Withdrew from Their position and
the city was saved