A course of action has just occurred in Turkey, strongly
marking the growth of European influence, though it may be described in few words. Moved by the sanguinary execution of some persons who had been converted to Islamism front Christianity and had re- lapsed—an offence for which the Mussulman penalty is death—the representatives of France and England have obtained a formal as- surance that such extreme punishment shall not again be inflicted. This concession excited a fanatical feeling, and the Turkish Go- vernment detected a most extensive conspiracy to massacre Chris- tians, or make some other religious demonstration. The danger was stopped by a bold measure : the Porte suddenly discovered a necessity for recruiting its army and navy ; and, under the name of recruits, no fewer than fifteen thousand persons, suspected of con- spiring, have been comet ed ft.( m Constantinople to an island in the sea of Marruora ; whence they wid be distributed among the naval and military forces.
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