ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1912. BRITAIN AND" THE BALKANS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 262, 5 November 1912, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1912. BRITAIN AND" THE BALKANS.

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The vagi%?ness of the expression, "London is horrified at the position of affairs in the Balkans," which appears in our cablegrams to-day is specially to be regretted. Whether London is "horrified" at the crushing defeats sustained by the Turks, or whether the "horror," has been occasioned by the reports of the disgusting atrocities which the "Unspeakable One" has inflicted upon innocent peasants j and citizens, whose only offence was their religious faith, it is impossible to say. Probably, had the term "anxious" replaced the word "horrified," the cablegram would have been nearer the truth. It would not, however, be the first time that London, nay all, Britain, has been "horrified*' at news coming from the Balkans, as all who can remember or have read about the sensation caused in 1877 by Mr Gladstone's famous pamphlet on "The Bulgarian Atrocities" can testify. But even in those days considerations of la haute politique prevailed over sympathy with the oppressed Bulgarians, and the Beaconsfield Ministry supported Turkey not only as strongly as diplomatic effort would, avail during the three months preceding the outbreak of the RussoTurkish war, but went so far as to despatch a British fleet to the Dardanelles, and made it plain to the victorious Muscovites that they must not enter Constantinople. The effect lof that action was that the Russians remained in camp at San Stefano until peace was signed,, and the future fate of the Balkan States Was left, to be decided by the "diplomatists at the Berlin Conference. By the time the Conference had closed and Lord Beaconsfield had. returned to London with "peace.and' honor" assured, the British sympathy with the victims of the' "Unspeakable Turk" had practically died out. * It will be interesting to watch the course of events and see how the position in 1912 may resemble that of 1878. It is quite possible that England is to-day "horrified" at the vile deeds of the Turks, the deeds probably of Asiatic irregulars, but still, nevertheless, deeds for which the Turkish Government must" he held responsible. But how far disgust with, these horrors will affect the policy of the British Government : with regard to the general political situation in the Balkans is quite "ainother matter. The feverish activity- which is being displayed at Portsmouth, the fitting but of battleships, the preparations made for the massing of torpedo destroyers, give fair color to the .rumor that Great Britain intends to play a-promi-nent part in the Near Eastern drama at no very distant date. Speaking generally, the policy of the British Government has been, for more than, twenty, years' past, to oppose any movements having for their objective the further dismemberment of the Turkish Empire in Europe. But the position to-day' presents many new, and to the advocates of a pro-Turkish policy, many disquieting features. The Balkan States, in alliance with Greece, have beaten and keep on beating the Turks "off their own bats." There is no Russian army in the field to-day to complicate the. position from an international point of view, and with Russia of to-day Great Britain is on totally different terms from those which held good in tlie later 'seventies of the last century. Sir Edward Grey's policy has been to placate aaid. be friendly with Russia as a set-off against any German enmity, and although there may not be any such definite and accepted entente cordiale between the Cabinets of London and St. Petersburg as exists between London and Paris; still it is clear that there is an unwritten understanding which makes not only for friendly settlement of mutually, interesting questions, in Persia, and elsewhere, but for an agreement for mutual co-operation in European international matters in which both Governments are concerned. The Balkan States, flushed with victory, will probably demand more than Turkey is ; likely to concede, unless absolutely forced into such concessioia, and it is doubtful how far the Powers can interfere, even should they decide to do so. It seems practically certain that Turkey will lose control over Macedonia, and will have to grant local Christian administration to other provinces wherein the Christian population is large. Whether, however, either Austria or Russia would look on quietly and inertly whilst the. Balkan Allies dictated terms to the Porte which would practically leave the Sultan master of only a circumscribed territory immediately adjacent to Constantinople, is very doubtful.

The action of the British Government in pressing, forward naval preparations is probably due to a fear that, between the ambitions of the Balkan States and Greece on the one side and the jealousy which is well ! known to exist between Austria and Russia on the other, there is a very grave danger of an international quarrel of the most serious magnitude and gravity.. Qreajfy;Britain's role must inevitably be tliat of a would-be peacemaker. Were she calmly and quietly to acquiesce in the spoliation of the Porte being carried to extremes, she would run the risk of mortally offending millions of her Asiatic and African subjects who are of. the Mohammedan faith. On the other hand, as a world-acoepted, champion of liberty and an opponent of tyranny and oppression, she cannot possibly come forward^ and support any return to the position quo ante bellum. That is impossible. The Bulgarians and their allies have made too many sacrifices, have fought too gallantly, to permit the Powers to step in when victory has been achieved—without their aid —over their traditional enemy, and rob them of the just rewards of their triumph over an horrditary foe. Some far-reaching alteration of the map of Eastern Europe is bound to result j from the war. That such result shall bo one which, although propei'ly advantageous to the Christian peoples

of the Balkans, shall not mean the complete dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire in Europe, will probably bo the dominating motive of such British action as may be taken, either by diplomatic or by other means, in the near future.