NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE quarrel between the Sultan and civilisation has been marked this week by a singular incident. Lord Salisbury, addressing the " National Union of Conservative and Cottsti- tuticnal Associations" on Tuesday at Brighton, apologised for introducing foreign politics, but said he was bound by his respect for an "august" correspondent to read a letter from him. The letter was from the Sultan, and stated that he had been "deeply pained" by Lord Salisbury's disbelief in his promises, and that the reason must be "the intrigues of certain persons here." Therefore, "I repeat I will execute reforms. I will take the paper containing them, place it before me, and see myself that every article is put in force. This is my earnest determination, and I give him my word of honour. I wish Lord Salisbury to know this, and I beg and desire that his lordship, having confidence in these declarations, will make another speech by virtue of the friendly feeling and disposition be has for me and for my country. I shall await the result of this message with the greatest anxiety." "It would not be seemly," said Lord Salisbury with calm scorn, "for me to comment on those words," more especially as he was bound by the concert of Europe. So be passed on to lament the mortal illness of Rustem Pasha, the aged Italian who, till Wednesday, represented Turkey in London, and to regret that the Sultan had now no men of his stamp around the throne. "I cannot enter into the question why there are no such men now," but "five-and-twenty years ago there were plenty of them." Abd-ul-Hamid, as is well known, has dis- missed them all,—some to exile, some to retirement, some to another life.
