GREEK POLICY AND GREEK PREPARATIONS.
ON Friday, the 10th inst., the Czar delivered to the municipality of Moscow that exposition of the "sacred mission" of Russia on behalf of the Sclavonian cause which has rung like a trumpet-note throughout the Eastern world. The very next day, Saturday, the 11th, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs replied to an interpellation in the National Assembly on the future policy of Greece, in terms which im- pressively reflect the circumstances of the new situation, created by the obstinate incorrigibility of Turkey and the accentuated Pansclavism of the Czar's declaration. Left face to face with the unendurable tyranny which the Turks exercise over the Hellenic provinces subject to their yoke, and at the same time conscious that the primary concern of Russia is not for all the Eastern Christians, but for the Sclavic Christians alone, the Government of independent Greece has not shrunk from the responsibilities imposed upon it by such a position. In clear and distinct terms, the Foreign Minister lays down the course which Hellas must pursue. "We have been partisans of peace," he said, and none can deny the extraordinary forbearance of the Hellenes in the crisis, "and we shall not cease to practise a peaceful policy, unless the course of events compels us to adopt another line of conduct." What the course of events is which will compel the Greeks to take up arms after the manner of the Sclavs, and we expect, with ,better fortune, is no less unmistakably indicated by the petty Hellenic State than by the ruler of All the Hussies. "In effect," continued the Minister, "I should be wanting in frankness to you, if I tried to dissimulate that it would be difficult, not to say impossible, for the Hellenic kingdom to remain unmoved and inert while the destiny of the unemancipated Greeks
is in question Free Hellas has never lost, and can never lose, the memory of the fact that the liberty of the pre- sent Hellenic State is the result of the common efforts and sacrifices of the whole Hellenic world. Accordingly, then, there is no authority, no power, sufficiently strong to impose patience and tranquillity on free Hellas, in presence of injustices committed to the detriment of that Hellas which is still en- slaved." In a word, if the Hellenic provinces of Turkey are not made to share every benefit which the Russian sword may extort from the despotism of Constantinople, the Greek State will undertake "a sacred mission" also ; and the Greeks do not seem to fear the result, so long as they have only to fight the Turks, or that portion of the Turkish forces which can be spared from the garrison of Bulgaria and the defence of the Danube.
We have pointed out again 'and again that it can be no part of a wise policy for the British Empire to allow any un- due advantage of Sclavic Christians over Greeks in the prci- sxiised settlement of the Eastern Question. If, then, the Greeks have to enforce their rights at the point of the sword, their success ought to be a matter to be hoped for by every British patriot, as well as by every large-minded politician. The only doubt, down to the present, was whether the little kingdom, which can depend on no more than a half-hearted support from Russia, would have the resolution to enter into the arena in reliance on Hellenic resources and on Hellenic courage alone. That doubt is now dissipated by the declaration of the Greek Government, and still more de- cisively by the action of the Greek people. The Greeks are now drawing the natural profit from the enterprise which has placed the Greek mercantile community in such a leading position in the ports and marts of the world. From far and near the subscriptions of wealthy Greeks flow into the national collection for aiding the Government in the armament and training of the national forces. The first contribution from the Greek community in Egypt was for £3,000. At home the smallest villages are holding their popular assembly, ' and voting a general and voluntary contribution. The island of Cyprus, in spite of bad harvests and local die- tress, has sent £500 to the collectors. There can be no doubt that the Hellenes will be in a more advantageous pecuniary condition than the Serbs, and there are two other advantages on their side of which the Serbs were more or less destitute. In the first place, the Greeks can fight with a fierce courage only to be matched by the Montenegrins among the Southern Belays. In the second place, it is not a timorous Bulgaria that will be the scene of the Greek insurrection in Turkey itself. The Hellenes of Thrace and Macedonia and Albania are not considered inferior in courage to any members of the race, and if they take up arms, they will not tamely surrender them to the butchers of Turkey, like the wretched inhabitants of Batak.
All the accounts from the Hellenic Provinces of Turkey show that the preparations for the Greek insurrection are far advanced, and that the moment for the opening of the struggle cannot be further off than a month or so. "We live in the midst of passionate agitation," writes the correspondent of a Vienna semi-official journal from Janina, "of excitement and conspiracy, whose end must be a violent outbreak." Ever since the middle of October the smuggling of arms into Albania and Thessaly has assumed enormous proportions ; every mountain village is collecting its store of arms. The Hellenic organisers of the coming insurrection are to be met almost openly, for the Turkish authorities are paralysed by the want of troops, and by the universal disaffection of the population. The Greeks maintain a severe calm, which contrasts strongly with their usual quick and vivacious character. The Turkish authorities wildly endeavour to come upon some of the secret magazines, but hitherto without result, although it is certain that Prevesa, Arta, and other towns are full of concealed weapons. Even in Janina, not- withstanding the considerable Mahommedan population, there is not a merchant, or shopkeeper, or even a porter of the Greek community who is not intent upon providing himself with military equipments. Meantime, fiery manifestoes are distri- buted on all sides, and the frantic efforts of the Turks to stop the propagation of such exciting appeals are as vain as their endeavours to discover the supplies of hidden rifles and yataghans. The suspension of hostilities in Servia has recently enabled the Seraskier to send a few regiments to reinforce the Turkish garrisons in the Hellenic provinces, but the plans of the Ottoman Government do not seem to go be- yond the defence of the more important towns. The leading mountain passes from Hellas into Turkey are also being fortified by Turkish engineers, but as it is not likely that the Greek armies will be burthened by heavy artillery or much baggage, there will be plenty of guides capable of directing the liberating troops by paths unknown to the Turkish authorities. At the present moment, it is the hope of the Turks that the insur- rection will break out before the entry of Russia into the field. It is not likely, however, that the Hellenes will allow themselves to be provoked, like the Bulgarians, into a premature rising, when six weeks will assure everything.
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