“Wars and Rumors of Wars.”
All Europe Likely Soon to Become Involved in the “Eastern Question”—Progress of Popular Freedom—Threatened Destruction of Turkey.
The cable announcement that the Turks have made a levy of 150,000 troops to suppress the Greek revolt, confirms the previous news that the insurrection of the Greek subjects of Turkey, which began in Crete, was spreading, and had broken out in several of the insular dependencies in the Archipelago, as well as in Thessaly. In fact the whole of the Greek subjects of the Sultan, as well as the population of the Greek kingdom itself, are thoroughly excited and aroused by their sympathy with the struggling Cretans, and it seems impossible to restrain them longer from taking part in the war against the Turk. But it is not only in the Greek portions of the Turkish Empire that the spirit of revolution is rife. We have a dispatch that an insurrection is on the point of breaking out in the Province of Bosnia; and we learn by the latest mails from Europe that Roumania and Servia are preparing for the opportunity—which the present insurrectionary movements will give them—to shake off the last shadow of allegiance to the power that rules at Constantinople. In fact, in every part of European Turkey, and among all its Christian peoples, Sclavonian as well as Hellenic, there is an agitation which is too profound, and has already gone too far, and covers too much surface, to have any other ending than in such a war as will break down and smash up the tottering Turkish Empire. It is assuredly a critical time for the Turk—the most critical he has seen during all the centuries of his encampment in Europe. The vital question, however, in the whole matter, is as to the action of the great European Powers. England and France have long been trying to stave off and postpone this terrible and intricate “Eastern Question,” which is ever looming up ominously and ever threatening to come to a crisis, and which they declare is certain to involve Europe in a general war. The Crimea settled nothing. It was merely a war of postponement. The issue is now assuming a form which will not much longer permit of this style of treatment. Turkey has broken off diplomatic relations with the kingdom of Greece, and the ambassador has been recalled from Athens. The Greeks, on their part, are actively continuing their assistance to their revolutionary brethren in Crete, and the Cretans are reported to have received from Greece large numbers of military reinforcements, with fresh supplies of arms. This rupture, which, unless prevented by outside force, will result in open hostilities between the two governments, necessitates the interference of the Great Powers. Neither Greece nor Turkey have been permitted to exist for their own convenience, but for the convenience of Western Europe; and the fundamental condition of their existence is, that they maintain the peace between themselves. If they fail to do this—if they create an opportunity for Russian aggrandizement—they fail in the purpose for which one was called into existence and the other protected. The next thing is for their masters to take them in charge. The Russian feeling, the Russian interest, and the Russian designs, in regard to this Eastern question, never have been, and are not now, in any way concealed. We learn by the cable that the Czar and the Imperial family have just given their countenance and their presence at a ball, in aid of the suffering families of the insurrectionary Cretans, and this is an incident which will not be without effect upon the revolt itself, and will be construed as of the utmost significance throughout Europe. It has been the common accusation in the Journals of England and France, since the beginning of the present Cretan difficulties, that they were stimulated by Russian emissaries, in the interest of Russia; and the Czar was only waiting the opportune moment in the progress of this affair, when the condition of Turkey should be such that he could at last carry out his designs upon Constantinople. He will not have to wait long for a pretext, if in addition to the Greeks the Sclavonic population in the North has also risen in arms against their Turkish masters. The sympathies of the Liberals of Continental Europe, and also of England, are with the Greeks. Representative men, like Mazzini and Victor Hugo, have spoken eloquently in their behalf, and it is reported that Garibaldi has carried out the purpose which he had previously announced of going to aid the people of Candia. It is impossible yet to foresee the precise course of the Governments of England and France. Of course, should Russia prematurely take a hand in the affair, the policy of the Governments just mentioned will very soon be apparent. They will, from necessity, combine to restrain the ambitious designs of the Czar, as they did twelve years ago; and both Russia and the Western powers will attempt to form the best combinations possible with Austria and Prussia; for in the present condition of European affairs, the Turkish question cannot be settled without the active interference of these two Governments. Austria has purposes of her own to accomplish on the Danube, and Prussia has ends to serve, for which this would be her best opportunity. But if, as is likely, England and France have the first word in this matter between Turkey and Greece, they will doubtless make the most strenuous efforts to secure peace, and once more postpone the Eastern question. Upon any principle other than that of temporary expediency—which is no principle at all—it is certainly impossible to see how these Powers can take any further steps for supporting this wretched farce and wretched despotism, the Turkish empire. They know it is doomed, and they might as well make preparations at once for the new order of things—the new arrangement of nationalities that must follow it. Bitterly opposed as they are to Russian aggrandizement, it goes altogether against the Christianity of England to support the Mahometan power over a great Christian population; and it is impossible to see how France, which, with Napoleon at its head, supports so strongly the doctrine of “united nationalities,” can take part in suppressing the aspirations of the Greeks. The English press is calling for a European Conference to settle the question.—N. Y. Times.