A TURKISH VIEW OF THE SITUATION OF ENGLAND.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 21 July 1880, Page 2

A TURKISH VIEW OF THE SITUATION OF ENGLAND.

_ 4 Tlip foliowins nrticle is transited from a Constantinople newspaper :— What concerns us most is to know wliofher this change of Ministry in Eng.« Innd will injuriously affect the interest of Muslim sovereignties in general and that of the Su'olime Porte in particular. Those vrho desire to lenrn the opinion of the Opposilion on the latter point have only to peruse the speeches made by Mr Gladstone. We hesitate to reproduce even a sketch of them here lest we should

expose ourselves to the charge of e^dors* iiiif tliem. Suffie it to say that dv ma the Ute conflict between Turkey *nd Russia tbe gentleman referred to did hi best to prevent the English from rendering nny assistance to the Porte, and proposed to settle the Eastern Question by drivng the Turks, 'bag an 1 baggage,' from the Lome of thtir forefathers. Such is Mr Gladstone's strange policy; hut what appears sliU s'rantrer to us is the fact that whi'e the Beaconsfield Ministry was doing all in its power to support the rights of Turkey, and to promote its welfare, certain Turkish local journals hare been loud in abusing it, throwing obloquy upon it, and charging it with sinister designs. The mischief of such a course is obvious, since only a few here know that it was Lord Beacons* field who pre7ented the Russians from occupying Constantinople and who up* lielJ the ju<t claims of Turkey at the Berlin Conference. Many people hoped indeed that the English Premier would aid the Porte with a grant of fifty mil" lions sterling and 30,000 soldiers, as was done during the Crimean war. Those who entertain such i leas should remember that the British is a Parliamentary j Government, that the Ministry may not en'erupona war without the consent of t'»e Lords and Commons, and that the main cause which has led to the fall of the Conservative Cabinet is attrii'uhible •o Lord Beaconsfielii's intervention in behalf of Torkev. The British people saw that this intervention in the case of the Eas'ern Question had cost the conn* t y three millions, nnd in the case 'f Afghanistan fire millions. What would 'hey hare said had Lord Beaconsfield rxpendfd fifty millions in a war against Russia? Tn that event the Opposition would have been strong enough to des m*nd his dismissal m 1877, not in 1830, and the Eastern Question would have been settled in a fashion which would have done serious mischief in Mosl m States generally. While Lord Beaconsfi Id, a statesman renowned for his sagacity, held the reins of Government b. 9 was able to arrest the evil up to a certain poini. After setting aside the bipartite Tre.ity of San Stefano between Turkey and Russia, and assembling all the powers at the Berlin Conference, he tamed his aHen'ion to securing the rights of the I'or'e in Ronmelia. We dare not venture further into this matter for fear of the censorship, so we turn to that of Mr Gladstone's possible elevaMon to the Premiership, and the couse wh'ch he wi'l pursue in the Eastern Question, in tbsj of the alliance between Great Britain, Germany, and Austria, and that of Cens tral Asia. These are the tonics which ar* absorbing the attention of European statesmen ; and on them will depend the issue of peace or war. The general opinion is that Mr Gladstone will not deviate from the policy of his predecessors in office lest he should get the country in'o a mess. We gather, indeed, from the late speeches of the Opposition leaders, that they do not intend to disturb the treaty abont Cjprns or that of Gundamuk, and that the new Ministry will direct their attention mainly to the reforms wh'ch the Sublime Porte intends to introduce. These are numerous • first ; there is thp financial difficulty, and the task of unifying the public debt ; next the speedy settlement of the differences between Turkey and Greece ; and then establishment of an efficient police for maintaining public order. These are the principal points now under discussion, and those once disposed of, Turkey may be left to carry out all other necessary reforms. If the Gladstone party wish to avoid embarrassing themselves with the Eastern Question they will rest content with this programme. As to Lord Bea* consfield, we owe him onr best thanks for what he hss done towards the settlement r.f that q-iestion, and we sincerely hope that his successors will fo'lotv the same wise and lav lable course." (Sign<^) " Paltm Fari*."