The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 24, 10 January 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1877.

We may now reasonably indulge the hope that all danger of an European war has passed away for the present, — a fact which is matter for congratulation to us, New Zealanders, not only from considerations of humanity, but also for reasons founded m sell-interest, and arising from the reflection that such a war would almost inevitably entail upon us financial disaster. What happened m Greece fifty years ago has now taken place m the Sclavonic provinces at the opposite extremity of Turkey. The Great Powers of Europe have at last interfered decisively m the quarrel between the Porte and its subjects, and as neither of the belligerent parties is m a position to resist this interference, the conditions imposed by the Conference at Constantinople will have to be accepted. Those conditions are of such a nature as to shew that the Powers have fully made up their minds. The provinces m which the revolt originated — Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Herzegovina — are to be placed under Christian Governors subject to the approval of the Europen Powers, and protected by the troops of the latter. Servia, which has hitherto been almost defenceless against invasion, its open frontiers being exposed to every attack, is to have those frontiers revised, doubtless with a view to rendering them more defensible ; and Montenegro is to be enlarged. The two latter provinces, it will be remembered, have long had local self-government and Parliaments of their own, paying a tribute to the Sultan ; and they took par"t m the war through sympathy with their countrymen m the provinces first mentioned. This movement the Great Powers have now practically stamped with their approval, by enlarging the territory of Servia and Montenegro ; and there can be little doubt but that they intend to confer the same right of local self-govern-ment on Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Herzegovina ; and that the appointment of Christian Governors under European protection is only a transition state of things. It will indeed be no easy matter to devise a constitution for Bulgaria, where the Turkish and Mohammedan element of the population is large and powerful ; and it is not improbable that the division of this extensive province into two is intended as an expedient for lessening the difficulty. It will be a new experiment indeed — a Turkish or semi-Turkish House of Representatives — but why should it not succeed ? By all accounts there are many educated Turks who can fully appreciate European civilization, and are quite capable of taking part m the working of free institutions ; and a Bulgarian Parliament composed m part of such representatives might be the beginning of Turkey's regeneration, and lead m time to the union, and finally to the fusion, of the two races under a constitutional Government at Constantinople. Still the class of Turks of whom we speak are, of course, insignificant m point of numbers, and here is the danger. If the religious fanaticism of the great mass of the Mohammedan population can be kept m check, Turkey may pass safely through the present crisis, and eventually become united, civilized, powerful, and free ; but an outbreak of fanatical fury on the part of the Mohammedan populace, at the present juncture, would be ruinous. Religious wars are the most fearful things with which history is acquainted ; and the upshotr of such a war m Turkey might be the repetition of the tragedy enacted nearly 400 years ago m Spain ; that is to say, the European Powers would have to interfere, and pi'obably drive the Turks out of Europe. However, we have great reason to be

thankful to Providence for the turn which events have just taken, and which, by uniting the European Powers m one decided line of action, obviates the danger of their coming into collision with one another. It waa their mutual jealousy that induced them to take prompt action m the matter at last. It happened m this way apparently. In the beginning of November the Servians had been reduced to such straits that they sent a message to the Czar, imploring immediate aid to prevent their being completely crushed by the Turks. Thereupon the Czar instructed his Ambassador to demand a six- weeks' armistice, and to inform the Porte that if this demand were refused, all diplomatic intercourse must cease between the two courts. This alarmed the other Powers and the Conference at Constantinople was the tfesult. It had become evident that the Czar, though personally unwilling to go to war, could not much longer resist the pressure of public opinion m Russia, where sympathy with the Servians, combined perhaps with the traditional desire for making the conquest of Turkey, had nearly reached a white heat.