Year: 1878

The Belltgefents and the Armtstice'


1t probably astonishes no one in the world,
save some of the Sultan's advisers, to find
that the Russians regard the proposal for
an armistice from an entirely practical
standpoint. In Constantinople they either
do not comprehend the nature of general
armistice or they do not know that in this
war the Russian is already an absolute con-
queror. Indeed. the antics of the Ottoman
statesmen. as depicted in the dispatches
for O few days past, are calculated to
give comical conceptions of statecraft
as understood in that capital. First,
we heard that the Council OF War
was deliberating on the terms OF an armis-
tice; then that the points they had agreed
proved by him and. finally, that an armis-
tice for six weeks was to be Immediately
concluded. And all that time they had
never had word with the Russians about
it. In most lands such simple conceptions
of common sense as that it takes two to
make bargain are understood; but in
Turkey they fancied that they on their own
side could alone determine the conditions
on which the march Of the tri-
umphant Russian armies should be
stayed. That the Russians have rather
brusquely opened their eyes on that subject
will presently be dwelt upon in the English
newspapers as new outrage by the Mus
covite. An armistice may be requested on
any occasion by one OF the parties to war,
but it is not in the nature of thing that
the other party is bound to issue, as a
matter Of course, on demand. On the
contrary. the other party may absolutely
refuse its consent, or it may make
that consent conditional on the accept
ance of any terms it chooses to name.
We're this otherwise the vanquished
would have always IN easy refuge in their
distress Russia has devoted the activity
of eight months, an enormous treasure and
the lives of eighty thousand soldiers to
reach the position she now holds with re-
gard to Turkey. and the peculiarity OF that
position is that sho stands on the very verge
of absolute victory. She has only to go on
and all is eaGy. In that position she is re-
quested by the conquered Power not to go
on. Why should she stop? Why should
she give her enemy month, or six
weeks, or two months, in order that he
may prepare new resistance? In general
armistice either side has the right to do
any act that could not be prevented by the
other side if hostilities were continued.
Therefore, as Adrianople is yet out of Rus
sian gunshot the Turks could organize the
defence Of that place, and send troops and
supplies thither. They could also organize
troops for the reinforcement of Erzeroum.
But if hostilities continue those places must
both fall within few days Therefore the
Russians would be justified in demanding
possession Of both those places as o con-
dition. But a general armistice is not
merely military fact; it is an act of the
government, not merely of the commander,
and it implies consideration Of terms Of
peace. Therefore the Russians act only on
the dictates Of common sense in declining
such an armistice without previously know
ing whether the Turkish ideas as to con-
ditions of peace are such as wosi1d neces-
sarily make the suspension of hostilities
only vain delay.