Year: 1869

A Review Of the Eastern Question and the


Policy Of the Great Powers Regarding it.


From the London Morning Post Dec. 49,


The policy OF the Western Powers ls and must be the
same that which they pursued In 1854, when they
formed a coalition to defend Turkey against threat
ened Russian invasion. To some extent u may per.
modification, inasmuch as both France and England
would not now so readily as fourteen years ago be
induced to active part in the quarrelS OF 0tner
States. Non-interventon, SO long as the national
interests and national honor are not affectel Is the


ruling principle IN 40 pUf
have consistently pursued IL may be taken, tnere-
fore that the Western Powers are necessarily strain
ing every effort to preserve peace; that they seek
to induce the Hellenic government to comply with
the lust reQuistiOns or the Porte, and tat IN tile
event Of war; long at least as Il is confined to the
original beigerents, they will not interfere. The
substitution OF NJ. de Layaette for NJ. de Mousner
at the French Foreign Oice jusnes the Delief that
while the Emperor has secured the advice OF a
statesman who IL perhaps more conversant than any
other with all the intricacies OF the Eastern ques-
tion he equally intends to leave no stone unturned
to prevent a conflict the consequences OF which
must be more less disastrous TO those who are
concerned In H. The position which Prussia mas re-
Gently secured In Europe gives TO her an interest IN
the impending issue which she would not otherwise
have possessed and it Is gratifying TO learn that her
representative mt Athens has Ucen instructed to CO.
operate with those OF the protecting Powers in en-
deavorng TO induce the Hellenic government to act
with moderation and enter INTO inose engagements
TO respect the rights OF Turkey which have been de-
manded by the Porte. Nor Is there any reason to
question the sincerity OF the Cabinet OF Berlin in





Thc neutral Power whose movements will at the
present moment naturally excite the greatest atten-
ton is unquestionably Russia. No one affects to
conceal the fact that II the attitude now assumed
by Greece be dictated by Russia the position OF
affairs the east OF Europe has become very serious
indeed. While, on the other hand, Russia has never
directly or indirectly encouraged Greece IN her veX-
atous treatment Of Turkey since the outbreak OF
the Candiote nsurreclon, on the other she Is said
to have abandoned the fatal policy which theUlate
CZar attempted to carry out IL Is or course only
possible to Judge Of nations, as OF individuals, by
their words and actions and, in the absence OF eyi-
dence to the contrary, to give them credit or being
sincere. And we are bound up to the present TO
believe that the Cabinet OF St. Petersburg has
acted with perfect loyalty towards the West
ern Powers. II, however, we assume that
there is in fact, no conspiracy between Greece and
any other Power TO disturb the peace OF Europe we
must refer the present complication TO the perversty
OF the Greek nation and 10 their belief that any
attack on them by Turkey would excite 30 much DIS
content among the Christian subjects or the Porte
as would ultimately lead 10 the disintegration OF the
Turkish empire. Contempt for the armaments OF
Turkey, confidence in their own powers OF resist
ance reliance on possible revolt OF the Christian
SUBJECTS OF the Sultan, and hope that r placed In
jeopardy she may obtain the protection OF some OF
the neutral Powers, are the cards with which the
weakest Power in all Europe is apparently going to
play for very high stake. With nothing to lose
and everything TO gain, 1t Is perhaps not surprising
that, even III braving war. Greece should pursue
the same oDesided policy she has hitherto adopted
In the management Of her monetary TRANSACTIONS