THE DARDANELLES. CONCESSIONS TO RUSSIA. London, September 5.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7269, 17 October 1891, Page 4

THE DARDANELLES. CONCESSIONS TO RUSSIA. London, September 5.

The Sultan has yielded to all Russia's demands respecting the Dardanelles, which henceforth will be open to Russian vessels when closed to others. The Saltan abjectly apologised for the recent detention of a Russian vessel, and dismissed the officers responsible therefor, and promised indemnity. The St. James' Q^MU tbia evening holds that the submission of the Poito to Russia's demands establishes a precedent which permits Russian war ships to use tbe passage of the Dar* denelles as they please, while tho warships of other nations must not enter thoie strai'e. This new?, therefore, according to the paper, is by far the grayest published for some time. The Standard suggests that tho Sultan'i action in regard to Russia and tbe Dardanelles may be due to p'que and irritation at England's refusal to reopen the Egyptian negotiations. It ■ayi : "Since that refoeal it is reported that the English Ambassador has nut been received at Yildiz Kiosk. It ia for tbe Poweri to oocsider what conns to adopt to enforce the observance of existing treatiA. Clearly tbe strait* must be closed to all nations or open to all nations. England cannot alone champion the rights of the Powers " The German Press ridicules the re« port of the Turkish Sultan's submission to Russia's demands respecting the recent detention of Russian volunteer i fi>et steamers at the Dardanelles. The Voeticb© Zeitang says that tuoh action on the Sultan's part would justify his removal from among the independent itatai of Europe. The National Gazette argues that the initiative in the Dardanelles matter f*H« upon England, saying : " It would be PxceediDgly bitter irony ot fate if, Immediately nfter the Portsmouth reception, England should be oompetled by Russia, France's ally to defend her Interest*." Lord Salisbury's position, as It is understood to have been communicated to the Powers, is that the RusaoTurkish agreement is an evation of the treaty of Paris. Turkey coald net astcnt to an open and flagrant violation of the treaty by giving Russia the right to send warships through the ■traMi, but she makes codccbsiodi that amount to the same privilege in per-

raitting tbe passage through the Dardanelles of a volunteer fleet equipped with guns and filled with soldiers. Ibe Paris Temps distinctly indicates that the French Government intends to support the Sultan's Tight to cntoi into a special contracb with Russia outside of the articles of the treaty. With the straits trouble is directly involved the question of Egypt. Moukhtar Pnsba, the Porte'e Commissioner in Cairo, has lenewed bis dp roand through the Khedive tor tho evacuation of Egypt, by the English. t,\iiro advices stato if this demand is telnscd Moukhtar Pash.i will ask the Sultan lo recall him and loavo the post vacant as a protcsb ngainst the Khedive's contumacy towards his j fuzer.iin. The giavity of the situation is indi c.itid In the summons calling the cnvovs of tho I'oito at Vienna, Berlin, t. Petei slung, and London 10 Con ht,m inop'e. The Kionch Ambassador, Count « f Montebello, who was on the eve of presenting his letters of rrcnll to tho Sultan, has been instructed by bis Government to remain at his post, in order to prevent the Sultan, under tho pressure of other diplomats, from weakening and breaking his resolutions. 'I ho latest intelligence from Constantinople indicates tho continuous success of Franco-Russian diplomacy in Turkey. The Sultan has offeied a place in the Ministry to Chakir Pasha, a declared partisan of the Russian alliance, and known to bo tho foo of England and the Dreibund.