The Bee-Hive. — 1876-08-19 (London, England)

TURKISH BRUTALITY.  Europe, it is evident, must hold herself prepared for all the horrors that Turkish brutality can perpetrate under cover of a "holy war." Disorder reigns in every part of Turkey. The local newspapers all tell a similar tale of robbery, murder, and general lawlessness. The Turks have called out the worst elements of their population. The Zeibecks, Volunteers, or Bashi-Bazouks-by whatever name known—have been let loose under the cry of a religious war. In the provinces these disorders are worse than in the capital; but, even there, we hear of abundance of crimes. The fanatical character of the agitation is increasing. The governors of provinces are acting on official order to incite Bashi-Bazouks for a war against Christianity. Correspondents speak everywhere of threats openly made to the unarmed Christians of the interior. Everywhere, reports reach the lower classes of Turks of the fine times their brethren have had in plundering the Bulgarians; and the religious zeal of these robbers is stimulated by the belief that very shortly throughout the country they will be allowed to despoil their Christian neighbours of their property. The Christians, again, about Angora and throughout Armenia, are in terror for their lives. The patriarch has issued a mandate to his bishops to appease the anger of the Turk. The Church, ho says, owes its very existence to the Ottoman Government. This fact is a serious symptom. When the Head of the Armenian Church invites prayers for the success of the Sultan in an anti-Christian war like this, he must be near the point of giving up all for lost; thinking, no doubt, that, if his mandate persuades the Turks that he and his people are not hostile, he will have saved Armenia from a fate equal to that which Bulgaria has endured. In Constantinople itself there there are many indications that the fanatical spirit may break out. "Dark rumours are uttered, and oven reported to come from Turkish Ministers of State, of what may happen. The forbidding of public or private discussion of the proposed Constiution, and the official announcement that secret police agents have been sent in every direction to arrest those found speaking of politics, show that we are rapidly approaching a reign of terror." So writes an informant on the spot who has not yet misled his readers.  The atrocities are become too sickening for description. "The French Consul," writes the correspondent of the Daily News at Philippopolis, "tails me of Basbi-Bazouks relating to circles of admiring listeners, how they cut off the heads of little children, and how the dismembered trunks would leap and roll about like those of chickens; and I shut my ears and say, This is enough; Ido not want to hear any. more; I do not care to investigate any further.'" And so, he adds, it is, that there are people who still 81IY, "Why, you see now how the thing has been exaggerated; how these poor Turks have been misrepresented and misunderstood! They have really not killed more than fifteen thousand People; they have only outraged, perhaps ten or twelve thousand Women; and it, is doubtful whether they have slaughtered more than eight or nine hundred little children." As an illustration of the manner in which these atrocities were regarded by the Turkish Government, it is pointed out, that two of the Ilashi-13azouk leaders, under whose directions some of the worst excesses were eotnmitted, have been promoted. The statement that the Bulgarians commenced the atrocities, and showed themselves as barbarous as the Turks, is not supported by a tittle of evidence yet Produced.