NEWS OF THE WEEK
LONDON was startled on Tuesday by the announcement that Midhat Pasha had fallen, and that Edhem Pasha had been appointed Grand Vizier, and has ever since been full of explana- tions of the event. The most probable of these is that Midhat, partly by his "reforms," partly by his indiscreet talk, and partly by his refusal to allow the Palace sufficient money, had annoyed and affronted the clique of favourites round the Sultan. On Sunday night they persuaded their master that the Grand Vizier was dangerous, and the order was issued for his deposition. That once obtained, all the rest was easy. Midhat had no more real power in Constantinople than any porter in its streets ; he was sum- moned to attend the Sultan, was arrested, and after hearing, or not hearing, the charges against him, was placed on board the Sultan's yacht and forwarded westward, whither is not known. On Monday morning, when the event was rumoured abroad, there was great interest in Constantinople to know who would succeed him, and the first intimation was given by the passage of Edhem Pasha, lately the special plenipotentiary at the Conference, through the Hall of Audience to the office of the Grand Vizier. No overt resent- ment was expressed by the populace, the officials crowded to con- gratulate their new chief, and it was formally announced that no change in policy would be made. The Sultan had put an end to the reforming hero of Turkey with a pat of his finger, crushing him as a child crushes a fly on a pane of glass.
