After an all-night sitting at Yildiz Kiosk, probably marked by
some fierce debating, the Turkish Council of Ministers drew up a Memorandum advising the Sultan to accept the proposals of the Powers. The Sultan thereupon accepted them "in principle," which means, as usual, that he will carry them out in practice as little as he can. Hilmi Pasha has been ordered to reside at Salonica instead of Monastir, so that be may be more completely within the grip of Constantinople; and every effort will be made to bewilder the two "controlling" agents of Europe to whom supervision is nominally to be en- trusted. They will, of course, do nothing inconvenient to Vienna and St. Petersburg, where there is no wish to apply coercion, and it may be doubted if the Macedonians will feel their yoke any the lighter. Something has been gained, for the Sultan has been compelled to yield, in appearance at least, to Europe; there will be a sort of tranquillity till the spring; and if then the insurrection breaks out more fiercely than ever, and Servia joins Bulgaria—as it is reported she will join—in threatening war, the Powers will be able to say that no scheme can restore order which does not involve autonomy. This is not much; but time is gained, and Austria and Russia can if they please insist that during that time there shall be no further atrocities.
