A great meeting was held in St. James's Hall on
Monday to support the Government in its efforts to arrest the career of the Sultan. The meeting was attended by a great many Bishops and other persons of distinction, and was most enthusiastic, but was rather wanting in practicality, though the general tone was one of adhesion to the policy of making an agreement with Russia. The most eloquent speech was that of Dr. Percival, Bishop of Hereford, who would, if we understand him aright, go forward alone, even if a great war did result, rather than, as the Bishop of Rochester had said, " postpone the interests of humanity to the interests of England," and submit to a humiliation "perilously near dishonour." There was no sign in the meeting of difference of opinion, and the resolutions are all intended to leave the Government a free hand. Mr. Gladstone, in a letter read to the meeting, also advocated support of Lord Salisbury, though be refused to believe it good policy to "cut down" our action to what the most backward of the Powers which signed the Treaty of Berlin might think sufficient. The evidence that all England desires to act is in fact complete, the only uncertainty being, as before, whether action is pos- sible without suicide. We think it is, but the country, under the influence of warnings_ like Lord Rosebery's, is still not assured, and only resolves that so far as Lord Salisbury thinks it wise to go it will with its whole heart accompany him. It is a strange position of affairs, for which we re- member no true precedent.
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