THE TABLET

A Weekly Newspaper and Review

D u m VOBIS GRATULAMUR, ANIMOS ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN INCCEPTIS VESTRIS CONSTANTER MANEATIS.

From the Brief of H is Holiness to T h e T a b l e t , June 4, 1870.

Vol. 48. No. 1912. L o n d o n , D e c e m b e r 2, 1876.

Price sd. By Post s % d .

[Registered at the General Post Office as a Newspaper»

C hronicle of t h e Week:—

Page

Preliminaries of the Conference. — Mr. Forster and Mr. Carlyle.— Mr. Bright.— Russian Susceptibility.— Russian Views of our Diplomacy.— Russian New Milita ry Organisations.— Greek Interests in the Eastern Question.— An Address sent by some Greeks to the Sultan.— The Khedive's Finances.— The Presidential Election.— The Lord Rector of Aberdeen University.— The late Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.— A Catholic University in the United States.— The French “ Budget of Worship."--The Cyclone in India. Discoveries at Mycenae . . . . 705

CONTENTS.

Page

Leaders :

The Prospects of the Conference 709 The “ Saturday Review ” on Ca­

tholic Intolerance .. . . 709 Weak Theories of Peace . . . . 7 x 1 Religious Education in Prussia.. 712 The Prospects of the N ew Par­

liament in Italy . . .. •• 7T3 Russia and Turkey.— V III. . . 714 Reviews :

History o f the United States Cornelius a Lapide 7T5 716 Short Notices :

Aimard’s Indian Tales . . . . 7*6 Mystical Flora . . . . •• 7*6 Spiritual Exercises.. . . . . 7*7 Mushrooms and Toadstools .. 717

A Thought* for Each Day of the

Page !

Year .................................... 717 Literary, Artistic, & Scientific Gossip 717 I Correspondence:

Reasons for Contentment . . 717 j The “ Saturday Review,” “ Dub- 1

lin Review,” and Professor Mivart .. . . .. . . 718 | War.—The Proper Combatants.. 718 An Enquiry .. . . .. . . 7x8 ; The New Church at Homerton,

Middlesex.. .. . . . . 718 The Alleged Detention o f a

Young Lady in the Convent at | Auteuil . . .. . . . . 719 Rome :— Letter from our own Cor­

respondent . . . . .. 721

Diocesan News

Westminster..

Southwark .. Birmingham ..

Page

. . . 722

. . 72Ì

Clifton Hexham and Newcastle . . . 724 Newport and Menevia . . 724 Salford Scotland— Eastern District . . 724 Ireland

Letter from our Dublin Correspondent ..

... 724

Foreign News

Germany . . . . .. Memoranda :—

Educational .. General News

. . 727

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

'"T_'HE formal Conference of the representaPRE’ I tives of the Powers is fixed for the “ f 5 I Sth of this month- The preliminary ■c o n f e r e n c e , meetings will commence on Friday next.

It seems probable that the Porte will take the initiative in the proposal of all substantial reforms; and that it will publish the more important institutions previous to the preliminary meetings. That the Porte does not intend to submit tamely to Russia may be gathered from the fallowing published item : The Porte intends moving at the Conference for an international arbitrament on this question : *•was Russia entitled to allow volun“ teers to assist the Servians in prolonging the war ” ? Should the Powers decide that such interference was unjust, the Porte will demand from Russia a sufficient indemnity to cover all the expenses of prolongation. If it be true, as it is now confidently asserted, that the Grand Vizier— who, however, according to a recent despatch, appears to have been superceded by Midhat Pasha— is opposed to any interference of the Powers which shall derogate from the Sultan’s supreme authority, a new difficulty, or rather on aggravation of old ones, will beset the commencement of the Conference. It would seem that the old fashioned idea of the absolute sovereignty of the Sultan, absolute not only in power, but in a kind of assumed impeccability, still possesses the minds ofroany Turks, and in particular the mind of the late Grand Vizier. Midhat Pasha has drawn up a new charter, to be submitted to the Ambassadors at the Conference; but the late Grand Vizier objects even to the theory that new charters are possible to his sovereign. Should this difficulty be overcome, there will be another which is serious, namely, the general conviction in Turkey that the constant intrigues of Russia must compel the Porte to resist its demands. Turkey, say the Turks, is being always harassed by Russia ; and when Russia has brought about a revolution, then the Western Powers step in, and treat Turkey like a child, who must be disciplined by those who are mature. This offensive attitude of the West is very galling to Turkey; and possibly the proud bearing of the Grand Vizier is due somewhat to the sense of being schooled. Let Turkey be really left to herself, say the more moderate and liberal of the Turks— let her make her ■ own reforms, without Russian interference— and there will he no need to hold humiliating Conferences within an Empire which should be quite independent. Constitutional ideas have been started by Midhat Pasha ; should these ideas be really carried into practice there will be seen the spectacle of the Tsar left alone in the world as the only really despotic authority. Meanwhile, the Sultan has in

N e w S e r i e s , V ol. X V I . N o . 421.

vited the delegates to meet in his own Imperial Kiosk— an invitation which, if accepted, will make Turkey’s place in the Conference that of a host entertaining his guests. Turkey wishes to preside at the Conference— a position which would be sanctioned by precedent; and it is just possible that this question of “ chair ” will occasion some delicate discussion. There is no settlement, however, up to the present time as to a building, or even a place, for the Conference; one of the embassies, or Lord Salisbury’s hotel, might be prepared at the very last moment. With regard to the warlike feeling in Russia, it is asserted that the nation is less eager, and the Ministers more disposed to be pacific, than recent attitudes have seemed to imply. The Minister of Finance, in particular, shrinks from the consequences of a war; and the Tsar is generally believed to desire peace, if it can be had without sacrifice of prestige. As to the ready subscription of the War Loan, it is an argument more for peace than for war, since the ability of Russia to find contributions is due solely to the long rest she has enjoyed. The squandering Russian money in war would be the wasting the revenues of peace; and this, too, on a pretext of Turkish reformation, which is more likely to be secured without war. It is stated in a recent issue of the Cologne Gazette that Russia has demanded of the Porte the almost complete independence of Bulgaria; a Christian Governor to be appointed every five years, with the consent of the signatory Powers. The militia regiments are not to be mixed, but some regiments are to be made up of Christians, while others are to be made up of Moslems. The taxes are to be fixed for five years. The central authority is to be almost eliminated, so as to preserve the independence of the province. It is unlikely that Turkey would grant this. Such large demands would look more like provocation to war than serious proposals for peace. The real hope for tranquility lies in the moral persuasion which England may be able to effect, or in Russia’s fear of engaging in a conflict which might cost her much more than she would gain.

MR. FORSTER

AND MR. CARLYLE.

Two very distinct persons have given utterances this week on certain phases of the Eastern complication ; yet both are, in some measure, apologists for the Tsar, though Mr. Carlyle takes by far the strongest line. Mr. Forster contents himself with saying that the Tsar is a fair dealing potentate, and must be treated with all frankness and confidence. To such an estimate we need offer no objection. But on the question of a war, in which England should take part, he says emphatically : “ I will say that if it comes to a question “ of war, or a campaign for the purpose of preserving the “ power of Turkey over her Christian subjects to misgovern “ them, there are no constitutional means which I and those