If only the Turks could be induced to see it,
they now have the opportunity of engaging the sympathy and support of Europe in the reconstruction of their Asiatic Empire for a generation to come. They are at present defenceless in Asia and ineffably weak in Arabia. It is in the East, not in the West, that their future lies. We well understand, however, how difficult it is to get this opinion accepted at Constantinople. Adrianople is the "second city of the Empire." Turks of all grades of opinion are proud of it and want to retain it, and as for Enver Bey himself he is in the words of the Times correspondent "burning to retrieve his reputation by some Napoleonic deed." If the Turks want a reasonable rectifica- tion of their strategic frontier along the Enos-Midia line they can have it. Sir Edward Grey has already said so. So long as they hold Constantinople all Europe wishes them to be able to live there, and to be able to protect the straits, without undue military anxiety. The most delicate question now seems to be whether the Porte can restrain Enver Bey if it really wishes to do so. It is pretty clear that the continued occupation of Adrianople will not in itself lead to armed coercion by Russia, but if the Turks tried to hold territory beyond the Maritza Russian opinion would be incensed beyond measure. The rupture of diplomatic relations with Turkey would then be almost inevitable.
