The Austrian Chancellor, Count Golnchowski, who is a Pole, and
high in the confidence of the Emperor, made an important speech to the Delegations on Tuesday. He characterised the Armenian massacres as " a stain on the nineteenth century," and warned the Sultan that unless he could find men to carry out reforms his declining Empire could not be saved, but he admitted that Austria had sup- ported Russia in preventing the intervention of "a single Power "—clearly Great Britain—on behalf of the Armenians. His Government knew that the Russians insisted on maintain- ing the status quo as the only guarantee of peace, and had, therefore, " out of two evils chosen the least." He disbelieved in danger in the Balkans even if Prince Ferdinand did " bask in the rays of the Eastern sun," and saw danger only in the evil condition of the Sultan's provinces. There must be reforms there, and above all the Convention of Halepa must be restored in Crete. The Government was heartily in accord with the Triple Alliance, and thought Great Britain had acted wisely iu throwing the expense of the war with the Dervishes upon the Egyptian Caisse. We have discussed the speech elsewhere, but may mention here that it is taken on the Continent as indicating that the Emperor's new adviser is a strong man, inclined to make Austrian policy less passive and reserved than has hitherto been the case. The change is attributed in part to the Minister's nationality, but it must be remembered that he is always the mouthpiece of the Emperor.
