TURKS AND TURKS.

Kumara Times, Issue 508, 14 May 1878, Page 2

TURKS AND TURKS.

A. Constantinople merchant writes as follows to the Times in the latter - half ol February last;— -‘ It is incumbent on every Englishman in these critical times to give the benefit of his experience in matters connected with Turkish affairs if, by so doing, he cm throw any light on the subject. And I do not hesitate to say that private individuals like myself long resident in this country, who know the languages and have intimate iclations with the body of the people, are at times better able to give a correct opinion than those who are surrounded by. the atmosphere <<f official reserve. I havt many opportunities of resting the feelings of the Turks, an I I have endeavoured to make the best use of them. 1 They are now divided by unmistakable demarcation into two distinct classes the oflioal world, that is, the mongrel j race, which form the Govormement^le-1 ment, and the non-official world, con- i sistmg of the pure Turks, who form j the governed, inclusive of the army up to the rank of serge mt. The official world,-with self-pre-ervatio.u in view, i have thrown themselves body and spnl into the hands of Russia, and will‘obey her behests against England or any other Power, knowing that Russia'alone, will, for her own purposes, protect them

from the openly-expresspd resentment of their people. The noprofficial Turks, on the other hand, are savagely joyful at the prospect of a war against Russia by England, for they hope thereby to satisfy the two master-passions of their souls—-viz., hatred of Russia, and hatred of their rulers. It is essential to bear this bitter antagonism between the official and in view, for it is clear to me—and there is not a non-official Turk who does not tell me the same—that if England makes war with Russia, an alliance, offensive and defensive, between Turkey and Russia will mean nothing more than an alliance between the present Turkish rulers and Russia, whereas the body of the Turkish people will welcome England as their deliverer, and will fight for her as faithfully as they would have fought for their Sultans in days gone by. I am firmly convinced that if England were to give the signals there would be a rising of the people and the army in her favor, as against Russia, such as would astonish Europe. They say the Turks are demoralised. , ■ The official world is so certainly in every sense, for whenever they turn an abyss is before them, but the people are as eager to fight as ever, provided they can get leaders in whom they can have confidence—leaders who will save them from their present rulers leaders who they hope will continue '' to lead them even after peace is made. Believe me, sir, this is the feeling of the pure Turk, who has as much common sense and as little fanaticism as any ! European race, and is, above all, go- ' verned by an intense anxiety to be honestly ruled over.”