Notwithstanding all these pacific auguries, the Turkish papers write with
a certain sseva indignatio against the mere idea of the Conference, and suggest that all sorts of difficulties will arise to prevent its meeting. Turkey will never consent to all the terms ;—for not only is the autonomy of so large a Bulgaria a pill almost too bitter to swallow, but a great part of the Turkish Fleet, it is asserted, must be surrendered to Russia, and that will be a new affront to England. Also, if Russia enters Constanti- nople, as she still may, all the old anger will revive, and England of course would never go into Conference with Russian troops in Constantinople ! All these gloomy prophecies, however, are indulged in chiefly because they relieve the sense of deep humiliation which the newspapers anxious for war, rather than see European Turkey annihilated, naturally feel at the present crisis. The danger of war of course is still great, but it has been much greater than it is at the present moment, at any time between the assembling of Parliament and Lord Derby's speech of Thursday.
