It is now almost certain that the " reforms "
promised in Macedonia must fail. Their evocation depends entirely upon the ascendency of the new gendarmerie under the Italian General de Giorgio, and that ascendency in its turn depends upon his power to dismiss recalcitrant Turkish officials. It
• was .originaIly intended- that he should have this power; but the Sultan declared, truly enough, that such a proviso inter- 'fered directly with his sovereign rights; and General de Giorgio, .• as we understand the compromise arrived at, will only te'able to recommend the removal of offenders. The Porte will resolutely protect them, and as the villagers fear the Turks and not the new gendarmerie, it will speedily 6 found. that benevolent orders have in practice no meaning. This is the full conviction, it is said, of the revolutionary leaders, who in consequence intend to recommence their raids in the early spring. That means in all probability war in the Balkans, for the Sultan is released from the fear of Russia; he believes that if Bulgaria. is conquered the agitators will become hope- less ; and he will be at all events strongly 'tempted to let his war party have their way. They think they can crush the Bulgarians as easily as they did the Greeks, and that there will be no " Europe " to deprive them of the advantages of their conquest. They may find themselves mistaken, for Austria is unoccupied, and may like Macedonian help in getting to Salonica ; but if the explosion occurs, the whole Eastern question will be reopened. There is always the chance, too, that the Bulgarians, who are good fighters, may win, in which case Constantinople itself would be almost un- tenable, and every discontented man in Turkey would take the field.
