cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第86部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


provinces　of　Asia　Minor　would　have　proved　to　the　various　races　our
positive　determination　to　uphold　their　rights；　and　to　defend　them　from
the　oppression　and　extortion　to　which　they　had　been　subjected。　Such　a
position　would　have　given　England　the　control　that　is　absolutely
necessary　to　effect　the　reforms　in　the　administration　of　Asia　Minor；
without　which　the　result　will　be　anarchy　and　revolution　within　a　few
years；　fostered　by　Russia　precisely　in　accordance　with　the　policy　that
has　terminated　in　the　disruption　of　Turkey　in　Europe。

In　the　same　despatch　of　30th　May；　1878；　Lord　Salisbury　continues：

　　　　〃Her　Majesty's　Government　intimated　to　the　Porte　on　the
　　　　occasion　of　the　Conference　at　Constantinople　that　they
　　　　were　not　prepared　to　sanction　misgovernment　and
　　　　oppression；　and　it　will　be　requisite　before　they　can
　　　　enter　into　any　agreement　for　the　defence　of　the　Asiatic
　　　　territories　of　the　Porte　in　certain　eventualities；　that
　　　　they　should　be　formally　assured　of　the　intention　of　the
　　　　Porte　to　introduce　the　necessary　reforms　into　the
　　　　government　of　the　Christian　and　other　subjects　of　the
　　　　Porte　in　those　regions。　IT　IS　NOT　DESIRABLE　TO　REQUIRE
　　　　MORE　THAN　AN　ENGAGEMENT　IN　GENERAL　TERMS；　FOR　THE
　　　　SPECIFIC　MEASURES　TO　BE　TAKEN　COULD　ONLY　BE　DEFINED
　　　　AFTER　A　MORE　CAREFUL　INQUIRY　AND　DELIBERATION　THAN
　　　　COULD　BE　SECURED　AT　THE　PRESENT　JUNCTURE。〃

The　italics　are　my　own；　for　the　weak　point　of　the　Convention　is
exhibited　by　this　sentence。

No　〃general　terms〃　should　ever　be　mentioned　in　a　communication　with
Orientals；　and　no　convention　should　have　been　concluded　with　the　Porte；
unless　every　detail　had　been　previously　considered　and　specially　agreed
upon　between　the　contracting　parties。　When　this　Convention　was　made
public；　I　concluded　that　the　British　government　contemplated　the
official　employment　of　a　certain　number　of　their　own　officers　to　carry
out　the　spirit　of　the　agreement；　without　which　the　Convention　would　be　a
farce；　at　the　same　time　I　was　convinced　that　the　suspicions　of　the
Turkish　government　and　the　stubborn　pride　of　the　race　would　resist　any
such　direct　interference　upon　the　part　of　England。　Under　these
conditions　Asia　Minor　would　remain　exactly　where　it　was。　A　grand　scheme
which　would　have　had　immense　political　results；　had　the　Turks　accepted
our　interference　in　the　honourable　spirit　of　our　intentions；　has　been
frustrated　by　their　want　of　confidence；　and　the　Convention　remains；
containing　an　agreement　of　stupendous　importance；　by　which　England　is
committed　to　a　military　undertaking　of　the　first　magnitude；　while　Turkey
risks　nothing　except　her　〃PROMISES　OF　REFORM　in　the　administration　of
her　Asiatic　provinces。〃

〃British　interests〃　in　this　transaction　are　represented　by　Cyprus；　which
we　occupy　as　tenantspaying　96；000　pounds　a　year　for　the　ruined　house；
and　leaving　ourselves　no　balance　from　the　revenue　for　the　necessary
repairs。

There　is　no　more　difficult　political　associate　than　the　Turk；　his
defensive　weapon　is　delay；　and　in　moments　of　the　greatest　emergency　his
peculiar　apathy　or　patience　never　forsakes　him。　Proud　and　haughty　to　a
superlative　degree；　in　his　heart　he　detests　all　extraneous　counsel　and
interference；　and　would　rather　glide　onward　to　destruction　than　grasp
the　hand　stretched　out　to　save　him。　Turkey　has　expected　much　from
England；　and　has　made　a　poor　return　for　our　sacrifice　of　blood　and
treasure　during　the　Crimean　war。　She　obtained　an　ephemeral　financial
reputation　through　the　aid　of　France　and　England　in　becoming　guarantees
for　a　public　loan；　upon　this　false　position　she　traded　until　the
inevitable　bankruptcy　plunged　her　into　ruin；　and　opened　the　gate　for　the
entrance　of　her　enemies；　at　the　same　time　that　dishonesty　entailed　the
severance　of　friends。　England　has　from　mutual　interests　endeavoured　to
preserve　her　from　absolute　dissolution；　and　the　Protectorate　of　Asia
Minor　was　a　step　of　political　audacity　in　her　favour　that　surprised　the
world。　This　extraordinary　offer　of　material　aid　has　been　met　by　the　same
want　of　confidence　that　has　marked　the　decline　of　the　Turkish　Empire；
the　only　extra　interference　in　Asia　Minor　has　been　the　appointment　of　a
few　additional　British　consuls。　These　gentlemen　will　report　long　lists
of　abuses；　and　the　general　mal…administration　of　the　Turkish　officials；
they　will　be　hated　accordingly；　and　being　absolutely　powerless　for　good；
they　will　simply　keep　the　Foreign　Office　informed　of　what　was　thoroughly
well　known　before。　Remonstrances　upon　our　part　will　be　made　to　the
Porte；　who　will　deny　the　accuracy　of　the　consular　reports；　and
ultimately　a　special　commission　will　be　sent　out；　which　will　prove　their
correctness；　the　Porte　will　again　promise　amendment；　but　will　not
sanction　the　appointment　of　British　officials。　In　this　old…fashioned
course；　so　thoroughly　understood　by　all　who　have　any　knowledge　of
Turkey；　the　affairs　of　Asia　Minor　will　be　conducted；　until　revolution
shall　bring　Russia　upon　the　scene　at　the　most　favourable　opportunity；
and　England；　who　has　been　thwarted　by　the　Power　she　has　endeavoured　to
save；　will；　by　the　terms　of　the　Convention；　be　compelled　to　appear　in
arms　as　the　defender　of　the　remnant　of　the　Turkish　Empire。

Common　sense　would　suggest　the　absolute　necessity　of　special　and　clearly
defined　conditions　in　concluding　an　alliance　with　Turkey　which　may　at
any　moment　demand　our　military　interference。　If　we　are　bound　to　assist
by　force　of　arms　in　the　defence　of　Asia　Minor；　it　is　equally　necessary
that　Turkey　should　be　bound　to　qualify　herself　for　resistance　to　an
attack　from　Russia。　It　should　have　been　distinctly　agreed　that　Turkey
should　raise　a　territorial　army　of　an　estimated　strength　for　the
protection　of　Asia　Minor；　and　that　a　certain　number　of　British　officers
should　hold　important　commands；　to　ensure　the　regular　payment　of　the
troops　and　to　maintain　the　necessary　discipline。　Had　such　conditions
been　defined；　and　the　civil　courts　been　placed　under　the　supervision　of
British　officials；　the　Protectorate　of　Asia　Minor　would　have　become　a
practical　combination　that　would　have　been　an　effectual　check　to　Russian
encroachments；　but　as　the　affair　now　stands；　the　alliance　is　fraught
with　extreme　danger　to　ourselves。　I　cannot　conceive　the　possibility　of　a
credulity　that　would　induce　experienced　statesmen　to　believe　in　the
assurances　given　either　by　Turkey　or　by　Russia。　The　history　of　the　past
is　sufficient　to　prove　the　utter　fallacy　of　assertions；　promises；　and
treaties；　Turkey　will　persist　in　mal…administration；　Russia；　who　is　now
marching　upon　Merv　in　spite　of　former　assurances；　as　she　advanced　on
Khiva　under　similar　pretexts；　will　at　the　moment　of　her　own　selection
assuredly　break　through　her　boundaries　in　Asia　Minor。　The　position　of
England　will　be　contemptible。　We　have　thrown　down　the　gauntlet　to　Russia
by　an　ostentatious　alliance　with　Turkey；　but　we　hesitate　to　insist　upon
the　overwhelming　necessity　of　British　official　and　military　officers
to　organise　the　civil　administration　and　an　army　of　defence；　thus；　when
the　sudden　emergency　shall　arise；　Turkey　will　be　totally　unprepared；　the
various　races　that　comprise　her　Asiatic　dominions　will　already　have　been
poisoned　by　intrigue；　and　the　only　defence　that　can　be　offered　to　a
Russian　advance　will　be　afforded　by　Turkish　neglect；　which　has　left　the
country　devoid　of　roads。

Under　these　inevitable　circumstances；　England　will　probably　accuse
Turkey　of　neglecting　to　fulfil　the　conditions　of　the　defensive　alliance；
and　the　〃back…door〃　will　offer　a　convenient　exit　from　the　difficulty；
in　which　case；　Turkey　will　be　compelled　to　make　terms　with　Russia　that
will　probably　terminate　in　a　Russo…Turkish　alliance　AGAINST　England；　who
will　be　accused　of　having　treacherously　deserted　her　after　breaking　a
solemn　engagementand　obtaining　Cyprus。

This　may　be　a　gloomy　prospect；　but　it　is　not　one　shade　darker　than　the
reality　of　the　position；　unless　the　Porte　will　sanction　the　assistance
of　a　British　administration　that　would　entirely　change　the　political
aspect。　A　reform　of　administration　in　Asia　Minor　to　be　effective；　should
be　based　upon　the　judicial　system　pursued　by　the　English　in　the　courts
of　Cypruswhere　the　Turkish　laws　remain　undisturbed；　but　they　are
administered　under　the　supervision　of　specially　appointed　officers。　For
the　most　part　Turkish　laws　are　based　upon　pure　equity；　and　leave　little
to　be　desired　beyond　their　faithful　execution。　The　oppression　and
extortion　prevalent　throughout　the　Turkish　dominions　are　directly
contrary　to　the　laws；　and　are　the　result　of　personal　tyranny　on　the　part
of　the　authorities。

In　the　event　of　a　rupture　with　our　ally　that　would　result　in　a
Russo…Turkish　combination；　Cyprus　would　exhibit　its　importance　as　a
strategical　position　that　would　entirely　command　the　coasts　of　Syria　and
the　approach　to　Egypt。　As　I　have　already　stated；　the　value　of　the　island
is　conditional　upon　the　permanence　of　the　Turkish　alliance；　should
Turkey　and　England　remain　friends　and　allies；　Cyprus　is　quite
unnecessary　as　a　British　military　station；　but　our　possession　will
probably　ENTAIL　THE　ABSOLUTE　NECESSITY　OF　TURKISH　GOOD　FAITH；　as　the
restored　arsena