DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. THE NOVIBAZAR RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 49, 27 February 1908, Page 7

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. THE NOVIBAZAR RAILWAY.

REFORMS IN MACEDONIA.", LONDON, 26th February. Etui Percy, who was. Under-Sec'retary for Foreign Affairs in the Balfour Administration, during a debate ■in • tho House of Commons on the situation in Macedonia, declared that theMurzstez programme, which was the outcome of the conference between the Tsar and the Emperor Francis Joseph of -Austria at that place, had. failed. ' ' ' ./ 7* Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, said that- so', far as railways favoured trade theyjhad Britain's goodwill. He trusted that the Novibazar scheme ,would not. 4ead to difficulties within the concert" of Powers. Great Britain was .prepared to relinquish her scheme for the eskb» lishment of a gendarmerie force- if a better one could be suggested. ' Sir Edward said he • was -cei-fcarrt .that if the concert were determinedi the question could be sfcttfod ' by 1 th£J ap. pointment of a Turkish . Govtrnor of capacity and character known to.rtha I Powers, who should, be irremovable; for a term ol years. He 'should' be given, a freo hand to secure eff.ectiyg' 'administration. If the appointment were accompanied by a' reduction in 'the" dumber of Turkish troops'; "a collective guarantee- should be given that Turkey's dominions would not bo interfered 'with from outside. The danger' was'- not that the Powers were likely to quafrrel, but that the concert might, perish, irom lack of vitality, and failure*'- to sto£ the present condition of' "affairs' in 'Macedonia. If neglected these" niigh£ precipitate a catastrophe- ' This 'Would be preventable by 'the union andT determination of the" concert,' which, the Government would continue to do its utmost to secure. • , >- ' In 1904, at the instance of. th© Powers Lieutenant-General limilio de Giorgis, of the Italian Army, .was 'appojn^g& vo take command of fhe gendarpierie in Macedonia. The work of the foreign officers was, however, obstructed by tha Turkish Government and officials, tho result being that the gendarmerie proved quite unable to cope wif-htho Various bands, the Turkish troops therefore r»maining the real police. Some months ago Sir Edward 'Grey said that, further, reforms there must b» if things in Macedonia" Wgre 'ridt ;to get worse. It had been pressed' on tha British Government that. nothing' v»ould do much good short qf completo European control. By that ho understood the appointment oi a Governor-General, appointed witJi thd. fcensenV ,of tho Powers, irremovable without their consent, and therefore responsible- to tho Powers. '', " ',' UNDER-SECRETARY'S OPINION. BRITAIN'S OBSERVANT' ATTITUDE. (Received February 27, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, '26th February. Lord Fitzmaurice, during tho debate on Macedonia in the House, p{ ijjords, hinted that some of the Powers feared judicial reform. That was not' what was most urgently needed to stop outrages or suppress' t'hb bands; soma more effective proposal ought to be forthcoming. Tho Marquis cf Lansdowne, formerly Foreign Secretary, said hs gathered-that Great Britain was keeping an obsprvaufc attitude.