WHAT THE TURKS THINK OF US.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5076, 30 June 1877, Page 3

WHAT THE TURKS THINK OF US.

The following is a translation for the Native Opinion from the Jawab of Constantinople : The Government of England is unique ; it never changes nor deteriorates ; it guards the rights of the Sublime Porte agreed upon in the treaty of Paris, and who ever thinks that it behaved treacherously to the Sublime Porte is mistaken. England desires the Sublime Porte to improve its administration, and to dispense justice to its subjects, so that Russia may not advance any arguments; and let this be known to all our Moslem brothers in the Bast as well as in the West.. There is no doubt that the English Government is just and righteous ; it keeps its treaties and fulfils its promises, it promotes friendly relations, encourages enterprise, protects the oppressed, aids the helpless, and its highest object is to civilise countries, to spread knowledge and industry in the world. There is no country in Europe the laws of which can be compared to those of England as far as justice is concerned;, take, for instance, the case of the Queen's son and heir apparent, viz., the Prince of Wales, who was on a certain occasion summoned by a court of justice, where he made his appearance in person and exculpated himself. On another occasion an , Irish vagabond behaved impudently towards the Queen when; she came out from her carriage. After being taken to the police court, the Judge pronounced him to be a madman, and sent him to a lunatic asylnm. Since the day her Majesty ascended the throne till this time, no human being has attributed any wickedness to her ; and Bhe is universally described as perfectly virtuous, generous, and most noble in all her dealings. When about four years ago, a man believed to be the Nana Sahib—the greatest foe of the British Government during the rebellion which had occurred in 1857 —- was captured, and a difference arose among the witnesses about his identity, he was discharged. When three years ago a famine broke out in India, the Government of Calcutta hastened to relieve the sufferers by spending more than nine millions of pounds sterling, and employing also hundreds of thousands on various kinds of works. This year also a scarcity has broken out, and the Queen ordered it to be remedied. According to the Pall Mall Gazette, the. extent of territory which suffered from famine in 1873 amounted to 40,109 square mileß, with a population of 1,776,465 souls. The Government of India aided according to its ability this famine-stricken population by spending £9,177,000 sterling on food, and of which £1,500,000 was disbursed as wages to laborers, the remainder serving. to purchase grain and food so as to enable the inhabitants again to cultivate their lands, the total amount of food being not less than 480,000 English tons. During the present year the Government feeds in the Madras Presidency 116,363 persons daily, and employs 1,125,117 on works of utility. In the Bombay Presidency 287,000 persons are employed, and up to. this time the expenses amount to £160,000, whilst thoso of Madras have reached the sum of £4,580,587, besides other sums of money. In this mannor the British Government is relieving distress far and near. The English were the first to aid the French when overtaken, by famino after the Franco-German war, by sending them food, clothing, and bedding. When lately in Anatolia famino broke out, the English helped the people from all sides ; at the present : time . the - English are assisting ' tlie sufferers in Bulgaria, and are sending money for the wounded and sick of the Turkish army; and how many poor and destitute unfortunata persons burdened with large fanai-

lies have they in their own country, but how many noble-minded physicians have they who treat the sick gratis, and how many benevolent societies ; nor does any sudden or great catastrophe arise in the world but some of them will hasten to relieve the sufferers by fonniug associations for the purpose. In short, the English are a great and celebrated nation, with firmly established and just laws according to which the big and the small, the rich and the poor, the noble and the base, the master and the servant, obtain equal justice ; but if some of these laws may in certain cases be found not to be perfect, let Him be praised who alone is perfect.