justest of all causes, prepared for any sacrifice, resigned to all kinds of suffering, and ready to fight and die for its independence. May the Most High protect the right."

These are the documents upon which History will form its judgment.

MAY GOD DEFEND THE RIGHT.

FUTURE.

It has been the endeavour in the preceding pages to place such a succinct account of the "Eastern Question " before the reader as will allow him readily to follow the footprints of the events which have happened in the present generation in respect to this all-important matter. Having done this, it only remains to look the situation frankly and bravely in the face, and to grapple manfully with the evil.

By a brief resumé the situation will be better understood --to commence at the beginning, "the very head and front of the offending," let us take a glimpse at the part played by Russia. That great power holds the most commanding position in Europe, greater even than that of Germany, for its colossal homogeneity renders it practically unassailable from without although weak enough from within,* and its

THE RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS.-The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Posen Gazette tells a curious story, which, he says, is now current in the Russian Court, apropos of the newly discovered Socialist conspiracy. Last autumn, during the stay of the Imperial family at Livadia, an aide-de-camp of the Emperor's suitel one day found in his coat-pocket an anonymous pamphlet, in which a striking parallel is drawn between the present state of Russia, and that of France, before the Revolution. The Government of Nicholas is compared with that of Louis XIV., and the rule of Alexander II. with that of Louis XV., the fate of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette being foretold for the present Czarewitch and the Princess Dagmar, who is accused of frivolity, arrogance, and love of dress. The anonymous writer concludes as follows:-"The Russian Revolution will be far more bloody and terrible than that of France in 1789; for the despotism of the Czars is harder than that of the French kings, and Russian society far exceeds that of France in immorality, brutality, and ignorance." This pamphlet was given by the aide-de-camp to a lady of the Court, who showed It to the Emperor and Empress. The latter, on reading it, was thrown into a paroxysm of fear; she went immediately to the Princess Dagmar, and after reproaching her with her love of finery and want of devotion, implored her to alter her mode of life, as otherwise she was sure the words of the pamphlet would come true, and both the princess and her husband would porish on the scaffold. On hearing these reproaches the Princess Dagmar burst into tears and complained to the Czarewitch. The consequence was that both of them left Livadia a few hours after. Since this family scene, adds the correspondent, the Empress has often had long fits of depression, and passes most of her time in the society of the well-known devote, Countess Bludoff.-Pall Mall Gazette, Tuesday, January 18th, 1870.

diplomatic intrigue here, there, and everywhere, keeps the Czar," forewarned" at every point from abroad. Never before has Russian diplomacy been more active than within the last few years, or possessed a more zealous servant than General Ignatieff, who certainly has been at the bottom of all the Turkish troubles. So long ago as October, 1875, one of the best English periodicals pointed this out, and went so far as to say that "ever since his appointment (as Russian ambassador at Constantinople) he has justified the title popularly bestowed upon him of the Father of Lies.'" Be that as it may, Russian intrigue has certainly re-opened the Eastern Question and brought it to its present position; so openly has this been carried on as to lead to the inference that it was as little worth while to hide her complicity in stirring up the disturbances in Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bosnia and Bulgaria, as to attempt to conceal the notorious fact of the presence of Russian volunteers and a Russian Commander-in-Chief in the army of Servia, when fighting as rebels against Turkey with whom Russia was at peace.

Russia, then, has wilfully and knowingly re-opened the old sore, and by men, money, and intrigue, has done her best to keep that sore open, following up this act by placing two armies in the field, the one to overrun European, the other Asiatic Turkey, besides sending two Naval squadrons, the one to San Francisco, the other to Charlestown, to keep England in check in case of any interference in her ultimate object, the acquisition of Turkish Territory.

The part Germany is playing is as clear as that of Russia; she has fixed her longing eyes upon Holland and Denmark, and if only she could add these two bright jewels to the Imperial Crown of Germany, an empire would have been created far more powerful than that of Russia even; for that newly created empire could not only hold her own by land, but "command the seas," and by that means the world, and, as Sir Walter Raleigh puts it, "consequently the riches of the world." Germany has bargained to let Russia work her will eastward in return for non-interference westward. Moreover, there is no doubt that Germany can view with perfect equanimity any amount of blood-letting and consequent weakness which may be inflicted upon her neighbour and rival Russia.

With respect to Turkey, no impartial person can doubt that she has been more sinned against than sinning.*

Of

*It is unheard of for a Turk to strike a woman. He is always tender to women, children, and dumb animals; and if a dog howls with pain in the streets of Pera, you may be quite certain that it is not a Turk that has struck the blow. A Turk is truthful, and scorns a lie; he is sober, temperate, and

Turkish mismanagement, especially in money matters, there may be just cause of complaint, so there is of English, as witness Admiralty misgovernment and misdoings; but that the bitter fanatical hatred to Christians, a scarecrow which is perpetually being dangled before the eyes of Europe, really exists except in the heated imaginations of certain Levites, may well be doubted.

As a matter of fact, the "Christians" under consideration are about as un-Christian as well can be. They are bloodthirsty, cruel and not overburdened with honesty. Their conduct to wounded Turks, as illustrated by the woodcut on the other side, from a photograph taken from life, speaks volumes for their Christianity.

England has never before in her history been placed in a position so embarrassing as that which has ruled for the last two years. With the warlike spirit of the past completely undermined; with an enormous proletariate eating into the very vitals of the State; with a serious falling off in trade; with a mercantile marine of badly constructed ships manned by foreigners; with an inefficient Navy, and with an almost entire dependence upon foreign countries for food. With all this and more, the result of a so-called Liberal Policy during the last forty years, no wonder the Government

never a drunkard or a gambler; he is honourable in his dealings, kind to his neighbour, and charitable to the poor. In Turkey no man, woman, or child can really want bread, much less die of starvation.-St. James's Magazine, October 1875.

* I had often been informed by intelligent educated Russians that, "The nations of the West," such was the substance of innumerable discourses which I had heard," are at present on the high road to political and social anarchy, and England has the unenviable distinction of being foremost in the race. 'The natural increase of population, together with the expropriation of small landholders by the great landed proprietors, has created a dangerous and ever increasing Proletariate a great disorganised mass of human beings, without homes, without permanent domicile, without property of any kind, without any stake in the existing institutions. Part of these gain a miserable pittance as agricultural labourers, and live in a condition infinitely worse than serfage. The others have been for ever uprooted from the soil, and have collected in the large towns, where they earn an uncertain living in industrial occupations, or swell the ranks of the criminal classes. In England you have no longer a peasantry in the proper sense of the term, and unless some radical measures be very soon adopted, you will never be able to create such a class, for men who have been long exposed to the unwholesome influences of town life are physically and morally incapable of becoming agriculturists. Hitherto England has enjoyed, in consequence of her geographical position, her political freedom and her vast natural deposits of coal and iron, a wholly exceptional position in the industrial world, Fearing no competition, she has proclaimed the principles of Free Trade, and has inundated the world with her manufactures, using unscrupulously her powerful navy and all the other forces at her command for breaking down every barrier intended to check the flood sent forth from Manchester and Birmingham. In that way her bungry Proletariate has been fed. But the

TURKISH Soldiers with their faces MUTILATED by CHRISTIANS.

The above horrors were committed on Turkish Soldiers BY CHRISTIANS when the latter found them on the battle field frightfully wounded. The Photograph was taken at the instance of Captain CHARLES CHAPMAN, in the presence of Dr. TEMPLE BEY, Physician to His Majesty the Sultan, in the grounds of the Hospital, at Scutari.

These "atrocities" committed by Christians on Turks from the commencement of the

is in such a strait, and with such responsibility has proved undecided and uncertain, and seems scarcely to know what to do for the best. The remedy, however, is clear and to hand.

It is not in Besika Bay alone that the main strength of England's Navy should be concentrated; the Admiralty surely would do well to strengthen the squadrons in the Pacific and in China with fast ships capable of keeping the sea under sail (if there are any), rather than to weaken the hands of the Commander-in-Chief on the latter station, as they have just done. In the Pacific the danger is even greater, and the Admiralty passive. It may well be questioned if the Board of Admiralty is aware what a close neighbour Russia has become to Hong Kong; but of this there is no doubt, that our Government does not know the number and efficiency of the ships, guns, fortifications, and offensive resources of Russia between Petropaulofskoi and its southernmost naval station in the Sea of Japan, or even where that southernmost station is located, and not only does not know, but refuses to be informed, blindly shuts its eyes in fact, and makes no sort of preparation to meet a danger staring them in the face.

1. England wants to reconstruct her Navy in the direction of obtaining real ships and real seamen. These are the most glaring defects which call for immediate remedy; well, nothing is more easy than to remedy them.

2. England wants to weed her mercantile marine of unseaworthy ships and unshipworthy men.

3. England wants to protect India at the least possible outlay.

4. England wants to draw her food supplies from the nearest and the cheapest market.

5. England wants to utilize her surplus population.

I have pointed out from my place in Parliament, how easily and without cost the first two points may be dealt

industrial supremacy of England is drawing to a close. The nations have discovered the perfidious fallacy of Free Trade principles, and are now learning to manufacture for their own wants, instead of paying England enormous sums to manufacture for them. Very soon English goods will no longer find foreign markets, and how will the hungry Proletariate then be fed? Already the grain production of England is far from sufficient for the wants of the population, so that, even when the harvest is exceptionally abundant, enormous quantities of wheat are imported from all quarters of the globe. Hitherto this grain has been paid for by the manufactured goods annually exported, but how will it be procured when these goods are no longer wanted by foreign consumers? And what then will the hungry Proletariate do ?— "Russia," by M. Wallace, vol. i. pp. 179-81,