The Turkish Government has recognised the situation so far as
to ask for mediation. In a circular to the Powers it professes its entire innocence of having in any way provoked the war, suggests that the military honour of both nations is satisfied, offers the " Constitution " of Turkey as a full guarantee for redress of all wrongs, and expresses perfect willingness to treat on the bases rejected at the Conference. It is, in fact, quite ready to forget and forgive everybody, including the population of Batak. The German and Austrian Governments refused to forward this childish document to Russia, and the British Government, though it considered it, seems at last to have discerned that these propositions were a little too inconsistent with the facts, and to have declined to mediate upon such bases. The first effort towards negotiation has, therefore, failed, and it is improbable that it will be renewed until Adrianople has been taken. The Turks, indeed, now say that they do not ask for mediation, and the sudden and unexpected arrival of Suleiman with 10,000 troops in Constantinople, to form a "new army," is considered to make peace nearly impossible, more especially as the hope of British aid has suddenly and strongly revived in Constantinople.
