The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4,1897.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXI, Issue 104, 4 May 1897, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4,1897.

Professor Harper, of Melbourne, speaking reoonty of the treatment Greece was receiving from the European Powers, and of her betrayal by the neighbouring States from whom she had hoped for help, made the appended ominous prodiction :—" The Powers have allowed Greece once more to stand alone against all lhe forces that Asia could bring to bear upon her. We cannot foresee what the end will be, but we can see that Greece has co>ered herself with immortal fame, and that those nations — England included, though unwillingly — who have perpetrated this great wrong will assuredly suffer the retribution that is coming upon them. The great war. that they are fightiug so hard to keep away, will come wi h more terrible severity and with bloodier results because of their iniquity " How far this prophecy will be realised it is difficult to say, but (he southwnrd march of the Turks in Greece, the panic which has taken the place of pluck among the Greeks, and the disorder at Athens which threatens a revolution, all point to serious developments and complications in the near future. According to the Melbourne "Argus," which reviews the si uation irom theconUudiingextremse of Greece triumphant and Greece defeated, the Greeks ai'e between Russia on one side and Turkey on the other. Had she won forward and ensured a Macedonian rising, spreading the flame of rebellion throughout the Balkan provinces, .Russia might have bidden her disarm, for beyond doubt thf-re exists ii seerot Russo-Tnrkißh alliance, arranged by the late Prince X.ob»noff. In that event Greece con Id not expect support from the European Powers, for she undertook the war agunst' their pxpre.-s commands. If, as now happening, the Turks coniiriuo victor ions and march on Athena, there is no te ling what complications from a Russo- 1 nrkish alii uco may arise ; but the "Argus" thinks that the danger to tho maintenance of Grecian nationality will be very great. Not only is she threatened with revolution, but she may be confronted with the alternative of embroiling the European Powers in war, or of sinking her national identity asi Poland's was sunk, In •he pißt Greek independence has reate > very greatly on Russian support. " Whenever," says our contemporary, " for a century past the torch of war has been lighted in the Balkan Peninsula, the probability that the Muneoyjt.e sword would be thrown into the soale against Turkey was alwayß present It was to the Kussian arms, nv>re than to the efforts of the allied Powers, that Qfreece owed her independence." To whom, then, can Greece now turn, Russia and hor neighbours having failed her ? Unless jn the break up of the E.uroppan concert ?nd a general war Gre,ece can rally, and spread rebellion throughout Macedonia us she had hoped to do, she will be at t

he meroy of Turkey on one side rad of Eussia and Austria on -he other, 'lhe significance of the meeting of the Czar and Francis Joseph will therefore be realised. Eussia and Austria, continues the " Argus," ore the two prreat Powers which are likely to first find themselves at blows in the Bilkans in the event of a partition of Turkey in Europe, and if peace be meant an arrangement between ihem will go far to secure it. An Außtro-Russian agreement, with Germany consenting, and with Turkey having a secret compact with Eussia, would leave Greece impotent, for in such circumstances even France would not aid her, France is Russia's henchman first, and the friend of liberty afterwards. It was in spite of these tremendous odds, and with only the hope, ssemingly vain, of he p from oppressed Eastern Christianity tjenernlly that Greece 100k arms against her big; and formidable neighbour and former tyrant, and it is small wonder, though pitiable, that she hits apparently tailed. It is fern vently trusted that the horrors of revolution will not .be added to those of war, and that the little nation will at least maintain its territorial integrity, though crushed and humiliated. Put the punishment of the Turk may yet be achieved, with Greece as an indirect instead of a direct means. The rnlor who has become iniquitously notorious for broken pacts throughout the century— the empire which haß been threatened with European veugeance again and again because it respected neither pledge nor treaty — ia hardly likely to give up the spoils of war till forced. In that event it will be seen whether the JRusso-Turkisb alliance will hold good, whether the meeting of the Czar and the Emperor of Austria and the brotherly kiss have any meaning, and whether the European Armageddon, so long menacing the world, will be fought once and for all. ! ——