Year: 1878

are apt to get tangled, and to confuse


rather than enlighten the reader. But


when telegraphing is interrupted, and when


many passions and interests concur to put


false interpretations upon fragmentary and


mutilated dispatches, all the news machin-
cry seems to accomplish little more than
make the darkness of ignorance visible


From the Constantinople dispatches it is
possible mainly to make out that events
are in progress at or near the Turkish cap
ital which those most interested do not
clearly comprehend.
| Have the Russians marched upon and oc-
cupied that capital as the panic fears in Eng
land have apprehended, or have they only
occupied certain forts in the defences under
the terms of the armistice. as seems implied
in Prince Gortschakofrs declaration that
vance on Constantinople;" for certainly
such an occupation of the defences would
not come within any proper Interpretation
of that phrase. AS to the simple point
which of these two events has occurred, the
British government itself was in doubt un-
til last night, despite the great interest it
has in the issue-a fact that sufficiently in
dicates how poorly even this plain
part of its foreign service is performed.
But if Mr.. Layard in Constantinople has
comparatively little knowledge Of what is
on foot, which is very probable, and if the
misiniormation he sends only reaches Lon
don three or four days behind time, as
appears to be the case, there is at least one
point as to which British patriotism can
never be at fault. This is the readiness
with which an outrage on humanity at
large is charged against whoever has con-
suited his own interest rather than Eng
lands interest Prince Gortschakoff just
now comes in for the lions share Of hard
Names and his least offence is treachery.
He is charged with this because in London
they do not know just yet but what
he may have denied what has really hap
pened. 1t is true the latest intelligence
gives distinctly the impression that the
Russians have not entered Constantinople,
and seems to indicate that the report that
they had done so only arose from misun-
derstan6ing of the report of their proximity
to the lines Of defence but this confr-
nation of the Russian Premiers contradic-
ton Of London. rumors will scarcely be
accepted as q reason why he should not be
reviled by patriotic Britons who, having no
warlike chance to right themselves, cannot
forego the pleasure Of showering fierce
epithets on their enemies


As the Germans occupied the lines on one
side of Paris on the cessation OF hostilities
tain positions in the vicinity of Constan-
tinople, and they have even done this in
imitation Of the German precedent, though
they have not applied the parallel rigor-
ously. This course is not in contravention
of any of the pledges given by the Russian
Emperor or the Russian Chancellor to
England or any other government. 1t is
not an occupation Of Constantinople, and
the Cars pledge was not to occupy
that city sunless the military situation rem
dered it necessary" That is an elastic con-
dition. Before the negotiations of the
armistice or the bases of peace were con-
cluded a rupture of negotiations was
threatened by the absolute refusal Of the
Turkish plenipotentiaries to accept the
terms. By that fact the Russians were COM
PEELED to urge their advance with great
energy lest at last their success should slip
through their fingers, England was roaring
and threatening intervention at the same
time, and she also might come between
them and their triumph. Hence their strides
in advance, made when the world er-
roneously thought an armistice was already
signed. That advance carried them so near
to the capital that that city then bore to
their front the same relation borne by
Adrianople when the negotiations began,
and no one questioned their right to de-
mand possession of Adrianople. Hence
they demanded with respect to Stamboul
all that could be demanded without viola
ton of the Cars pledge; and they would
have failed in their duty as soldiers and
diplomatists if they had neglected to make
this demand or any other that so plainly
resulted from the necessity of securing
.undiminished the successes already gained.


But now arises a complication from which
it is possible that events may take their
origin which will lead to war between Rus
sia and England. Her Majesty's govern
ment has ordered several ships of the squad
ron to go to Constantinople, not for any act
in violation of neutrality, but to protect the
property in that city of British subjects.
But if there is such q condition existing in
Constantinople as to make this precaution
necessary, may not the Russian army also
be forced to enter in order to prevent massa-
ere ofChristians and to guarantee the safety
of the city itself against the fanatical fury
of an enraged and semi-barbarous popula-
ton? Russia has the same right and the
same duty to exercise this protection with
her army us England with her fleet. But it
is possible that Russia may doubt England's
decloration oS to fba purpoca with which