NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 181, 30 August 1878, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE BUSSO-TURKISH DEBATE 11. THE HOUSE OK COMMONS. London, July 2D. — In «h . House of Commons tc- lay Lord Hartiugtou tnoved his resolution, which was received with cheers on the Liberal side of the House, especially among the Radicals. Lord Hartington said a very inadequate idea of tha treaty of Berlin w_s lo be derived from a mere contrast of its provisions with those of the treaty of Sm Ssafaao. Russia, previous to the war, mado demands which did not po anything like so far bs the Treaty of Berlin, yet England never approved them or urged them on Turkey. He said he did not make any serious charge recarding Greece, as oiher Goveruire jls .bared the responsibility ; but the British Government had incurred speci il rerpon.i .iliiy in promises given lo Greece which had not ber-u fulfilled. If the Consemitiva pnriy accepted tho amendment of Mr Piurkett, be raid they approved the conduct of tho Liberals, v. ho throughout endeavored to induce the Government to refrain from assuming too much. Lord Hartinglon Kenerally approved the treaty of Berlin, although not a Goal settlement, it left the future of the Turkish dominions to be determined by natural causes, uninfluenced by foreign coillitary doinieion. Ho made a powerful attack upon the AngloTuikish cenveution, and asked if the British Government would have deemed a simih.r Agreement between Russia aud Turkey justifiable ? Tha island of Cyprus waa useless for the dofeuce of Asia Minor. Even granting tbe Government's nejoition that n necessity existed for a Convention, tha necessity had been created by themselves by uot advising Tuikey to accept the original terms of peace, which would not materially havo increased Russia's dominions in Asia. He denied the existence of British interests in Asia Minor, .8 th.t was not the road to India, ti nd demonstrated that the Government's utterances up to the close of tbe war thewed tbey were of the same opinion. Ho pointed to the tripartite treaty of 1856 to show the impossibility of binding posterity by a guarantee. By tbe p.es.iit Convention the Government had advanced th« time of conflict, supposing there was to be one, by a hundred years. We left a frontier, hestiJ, with which the beat military authorities of ludia wero content, and placed ourselves close to the resources of oar supposed enemy. He wonted to know whether such policy, wbich would compel England to exercise a general protectorate over Turkey was not lightly described as irsane ? He considered BesconsGeid's renmiks on Gladstone insulting to tbe Queen nnd country, of whom thut stat<..aiau ( onco had the coilidtr.ee. The Govern- ' men I might have assisted tha Sultau iv tho woik of reform, then, whou some ; progrese had been made, have a_ked Parliament for tho means to prevent the work Irom being interfered with ; 'but this would not have been a showy policy. Lord Hurting ton said, in con- i elusion, that ii might have been wiser from a party point of view to postpone his motion until it could reap advantage from public disappointment, but he considered it more patriotic to c .able the coun'.ry, while there was yet time, to retreat from an unfortunaie course. London.August 2, — In the House of Commons this afternoon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, replying to Fawcett, said tbat he could not promise that the reforms proposed iv Asiatic Turkey and the guaranty for their execution, which are yet to be agreed upon, would be submitted to Parliament previously for its sanction. Fawcett then gave notice that he would introduce a resolution declaring such prior submission necessary. The debate was continued at length by tbe less known members. At one i time as many as thirty Opposition members rose to their feet simultaneously. "Roebuck said the conduct of the Liberals thaoughout the crisis had been such that be did not think either binself or Gladstone would love to see them in power again. Sir "William Yernon Harcourfc (Liberal) declared he thought the Government was insecure ; that it ha d no belief whatever that any danger was to be apprehended from Russia in Asia Minor, but that it wanted a pretext for acquiring Cyprus. Dr Isaac Butt, Liberal and Home Rules announced that he would support the Government. Sir William Lawson, Radical, expressed surprise that Piunkett's vote of confidence was not more strongly worded, so as to obtain a definite decision before the dissolution of Parliament, which was imminent. Sir Stafford Northeote declared that in regard to the prerogative of the Crown, the Government had acted strictly in accordance with precedent. He pointed out that it was unfair for Lord Hartington to compare the Treaty of Berlin with that of 1856, as the keystone of the Treaty of 1856 — namely, tbe independence and integrity of Turkey— bad been destroyed by the Treaty ot San Stefano. The Government had succeeded in restoring much of Turkey's independence and integrity, though after the results of the war it was impossible to insist upon their maintenance as defined by the Treaty of 1856. He entered into a detailed refutation of Gladstone's statement in regard to the attitude of the British plenipotentiaries at the Congress. The Government had faithfully used its influence to prevent Turkey from attacking Or cc c . whet, she could Jhavo, done

so with overwhelming power. In regard to the .Angle-Turkish Convention, he said it was necessary to prevent Russia from undermining British influence in the East, and secrecy was necessary for speedy negotiations. The principal point of his speech was an emphatic denial of the existence of auy oiher secret engagement, although he admitted it was quite true that there had been confidential communications. In conclusion, he maintained that it was the duty and interest of England to maintain Turkey in as strong a posiaion as practicable. Lord Hartington briefly replied, closing the debate. The House then divided on Lord Hartington's resolution, and it was re-jected,-—11)5 affirmatives to 33S negatives. The announcement of the vote was received with loud and prolonged cheering.