It seems from a reply of Sir Charles Duke's to
Mr. A. Balfour on Monday, that all the Powers of Europe have at lust withdrawn their objections to the mobilisation of the Greek Army, England having been the last to give way. The Greek Government had stated that their object in proceeding forth- with to the mobilisation was not so much an immediate increase of their force in the field, as to retain in their ranks the trained soldiers whose time would otherwise have expired ; and it was so clearly desirable that just at this crisis Greece should not need- lessly lose in military strength, that that reason had apparently been sufficient for all the Powers of Europe. That is a very con- ciliatory, and, no doubt, also a very true, if not a completely exhaustive, mode of presenting the matter; but the plain truth, of course, is that Greece is certain to be very soon in the posi- tion in which Italy was in 1860, and ought to be prepared for that position. She will have to occupy and govern very dis-
turbed districts so soon as the decision of the Berlin Con- ference is carried into effect; and even if she is supported by other Powers,—as no doubt she must be, even though promises are made to do duty for performances,—she will need all the strength she can display, and all the self-confidence which only
conscious strength can give. The critical moment for Greece is near at hand, when " blood and iron " may be for once the chief conditions of progress and justice.
