EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 6871, 22 April 1897, Page 1

EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

To-day is the twenty-first anniversary of the first issue of this journal, and, having 41 come of age," we are privileged to say a few words for ourselves. Looking back over the past twenty-one years, we find much reason for thankfulness and much upon which we may justly indulge in jubilation. As many of readers are well aware, the Mail was brought into exist-, ence to champion the Liberal cause, and to advocate the extension of the rights of the people. It was then a very modest sheet, and had a hard struggle fcr life and the opportunity to fulfil its mission. Liberalism was not popular, and strong prejudice and thepowerof money had tobeencountered and overcome. But the Mail, we may without egotism claim, remained steadfast to the Liberal cause, s Iways buoyed up and sustained by the conviction that in the end right must prevail over might. Into the history of the past twenty-one years we need not enter. It is sufficient for the occasion to remark that with each passing year the Liberal cause advanced, and with that onward movement the Mail grew in popularity, in size, and in usefulness. To-day we have the satisfaction of knowing that many—very many—of the principles promulgated and contended for in these columns have been embodied in the Statute Book of the colony, and that their wisdom has been proved by the results. But the work of reform has not yet been accomplished. There still remain rights to be established and wrongs to be redressed, and so it will be until the recognition of the universal brotherhood of man—aye, and the universal sisterhood of woman—proclaims the advent of the millennium. Conscious of the fact that much hard work remains to be done and full of the belief that the Mail has yet a useful purpose to serve in the community, we enter upon our journalistic manhood grateful for the support that has been accorded us in the past, and encouraged by what has been so far accomplished, to continue the fight— For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

In view of the outbreak of war between Greece and Turkey, it will be interesting to examine the relative strength of the two nations on land and sea. In Greece all able-bodied males of 21 years of age are liable to military service for nineteen years, two of which must be with the colors, the remaining period being spent in the reserve and militia. On a peace footing the numerical strength of the army is 24,076 men, consisting of 16,136 infantry, 4877 cavalry, and 3063 artillery and engineers. On a war footing the army can be mobilised to a strength of 100,000 men. But the law of conscription has been somewhat of a dead letter. The army has been organised by fits and starts, and is admittedly below modern requirements. The infantry is still armed with the obsolete large-bore rifle of years ago, and the artillery consists of oldfashioned Krupp guns. In Turkey all Mussulmans over 20 years of age are liable to 20 years' service—six years in the regular army, eight in the reserve, and six in the militia. According to the latest returns, the effective combatant force numbers 700,620. made up of 583,000 infantry, 55,300 cavalry, 54,720 artillerymen, and 7400 engineers. It will be seen that the Turkish army is seven times the strength of the Greek army. If, therefore, it be true that " Providence fights upon the side of the big battalions," the end of the conflict upon land would not be difficult to forsee. Unless the Greek army has made much greater progress than the experts suppose, it should experience great difficulty in holding the Turkish troops in check ; and, indeed, some military authorities believe that, unless the Balkan nationalities sprang to the assistance of the Greeks, the Turkish troops could reach Athens in a fortnight, when the Greek capital would be plundered and burnt to the ground. But the Powers would be certain to intervene long before the classic city was threatened with such a disaster. There are, however, other things to take into account than mere numbers. On the side of Greece there is strong patriotism, united determination, and readiness to make great sacrifices at a critical moment, even the women, according to M. Gennadins, would rise up against the invaders. Then the Turkish army, though strong numerically, is weak [in every other respect. It is, according to a writer in the London Daily News, unpaid, scarcely fed, clad in rags, and wretchedly armed. But the greatest weakness of Turkey lies in the widespread and growing dissatisfaction of a people depressed and angry with the Sultan, whom they call a robber, as well as a murderer. Even in the army the smouldering embers of disaffection might be fanned into a flame were a military adventurer to arise, and offer to pay the starveling army by confiscating the estates the Sultan has seized and plundering his treasury of jewels. The people are ripe for revolution, and it remains to be seen whether religious fanaticism will prevail over the desire for relief from oppression.

On sea there is a similar disparity of numbers as shown upon paper, but that disparity disappears under an examination of the readiness of the respective navies for action. The Greek navy consists of 2 ironclads, 3 first-class cruisers, 17 thirdclass cruisers, and 17 torpedo boats, manned by 3165 officers, sailors, and stokers. The Turkish navy, on paper, comprises 9 ironclads, 10 first-class cruisers, 2 second-class cruisers, 59 third' class cruisers, and 37 torpedo boats; while the naval force is set down at 920 officers, 30,000 sailors, and 9000 marines. But the navy so carefully organised by Hobart Pasha has been allowed to sink into a wretched condition. According to a writer who speaks from a knowledge of the facts, a large proportion of the ships have long lain dismantled in the Golden Horn, all the fittings and munitions that could be turned into money having been sold. The case of the flagship Assar i-Tevfik is quoted as an example of the manner in which the Turks have neglected a navy that was a one time rpckoned little inferior to any in the world, that of Great Britain, of course, excepted.. This vessel has been lying two or three years without boilers, and a large number of other ships are in a similar condition. Then it is also alleged that the number of men available has been grossly and- that there are not sufficient to efficiently man the fleet, but as the law of conscription applies to the navy equally with the army, this deficiency might be remedied to some extent. The great thing is that the navy cannot be equipped within a reasonable time, and that so far as the present war is concerned account need be taken only of the few ships at present in commission. "The Greek fleet, on the other hand, though small, is thoroughly efficient, being well manned and completely equipped. Expert opinion is that were the two fleets left to settle the whole matter, a week would suffice to ensure victory for the

Greeks. So far, however, no trial of naval strength has taken place, and it is questionable if the fleets will come into conflict. The most likely meeting place is in the neighborhood of Canea, and the presence of the combined fleets of the Powers in those waters may render such an encounter impossible.