Russia's Trickery.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12168, 15 January 1903, Page 2

Russia's Trickery.

A few months ago Court and diplomatic circles were considerably agitated beeaus? of reports circulated,anent Kussia and Turkey and t the . . future of the Dardanelles.* The first intelli^enqo to roach (3reat Britain , came from . Farts correspondent of "the. jiStandard, who, with »" all re- ' serve/* . alluded to the "strange report" v that, Had been in circulation. ,The rumoui 1 / was to the effect that 'private ue^Miations were taking place and INirlcey., which, if successful, would enable Kussia to j accomplish a similar coup to that with which I J rince Gortchakoff astonished Europe just 32 years since. On October 31,_J : Bg),_a-iiussian Cir"cular JNote announced the abrogation of the Euxihe clauses, of t§e Treaty of: Paris. It W§Costated that the ne\r surprise was to take the/ form of a -Urcular-, J^iplomatie-^ote -that TW ' an arrangement With 'Ihirkey, the Uardanelles would be open to the egress anrl ingress of. Kussian battleships, but elbsed to the squadrons of all the other powers; The ' Bucharest correspondent -of the Mail next sent an informing, telegram concerning Kussia's latest diplomatic ' advances towards > JJurkey. lersely put, the position is • as follows : .Russia has offered Turkey . a^evivil 61- a- treaty signed at Un-kiar-Skelessi, a village of Asia Minor ,°, n : ;tke .^o^phorus, eight miles northeast' 61 ' Constantinople. This treaty on . June 26, 1833, established: an alliance between Kussia ancl Turkey, and w.a^, stated in the. docujmexit t<?_ be,, "the rpsult- of . the - most ' ar#eftt- 'cfesire\- to, ensure tlie duration, the maintenance, and the. entire independence .'ofjthe Bubiime : Porte." Whilst it* 'cleverly yeilecl the/truth, it literally reduced Turkey to "tfie posii tion of a subject State*. On the other hand, -it bound Kussia, at Turkey/s request; vto^' furnish J by land and hy sea as .many and forces as thY two contracting, parties should. v deem necessaryl ■" r The > v phraseology undeniably showed -the. dependence of Turkey on Kussia, f dr. the latter was to - be called in -.whenever .the, "sick man" Required her services. The Forte last " of all bargained^, when Kussia- re--quested; and -in war time, not to fi lo^^ foreign battleship to enter the Black ' Sea under, any -possible pretence. ' After being »ih vogue for some eight years, the .Unkiar-Skelessi -treaty; (was no Vrehewed,- chiefly because it was so. definitely opposed bY .thejWestern , Jfo,wers. Ut^was recently that Kussia, had: Suggested .that Turkey should not merely revive -the treaty, but should also- introduce points into it that would strongly strengthen jts, meaning. It is beh'eved that such a proposal was made by+he ■,9?<?^'JP u^ e Ni c J»ol«8 during hjs- visit, wi^h^tne, fullest Approval of ih.e Bussian 'Government. Wta\t the attitude 6f 'the Sultan will be it is not easy to conjecture. Should Russia hint that her "proposal" is a "request" — which. theKMair thinks it really. is — he will "be feompfeiled to concur. The customary -Turkish policy of "letting JtliFngs drfft" may Ke 'useful in dealing with .less , questions and ,with a' ? legs^pcj^'e*rrul^rjnation than Russia.i3^/;^th"'JWgard-^ to a subject v of . such vital*; interest ,as '\tbe control* oftß"e DairclaneHes tßet.rusual v meihod^ r of proc^astinatio??' wtlr^olt 1 be toiejfated. s Before, ho|ieever;; Turkey consent^, jt -is-gwMii^nel3r^ped--<^tcsherwiH'7ca.n-sult - jthevf f^ignatorv^j- 'Powers of,, .the 'Tr^afy 'of ' Paris, Two !' castles were ifkKomfet [ IV.. .ill, 1(»S— "oSp ;2>i£jSh[ §ite^ pV the jahcie'tfC.Se^tos. %ntJ / /ttieTjf>jher on the feite of ,tKe o)d- / to defend - the ."rfassgfije ' of th%;StßQits o£ .the * Dardanelles/.^Resides the -Jcastlfs, the Turks buiitl a', lairge dumber of'other forts. -i •* ~