25 JANUARY 1913, Page 17

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE prospects of peace, which seemed bright in the middle of the week, were on Friday suddenly darkened. On Friday morning came the news that a coup d'etat had taken place in Constantinople, that Kiamil Pasha, who had the day before obtained the assent of the Grand Council of the Turkish Empire to making peace on the Allies' terms—the surrender of Adrianople and of the ../Egean Islands—had been dismissed from the office of Grand Vizier and Mahmud Shefket appointed in his place. We have described elsewhere the facts of the revolution, but must add here that Nazim Pasha, the Commander-in-Chief, was mortally wounded in an exchange of shots between his staff and the supporters of Enver Bey, the leader of the revolution. Our belief is that the prospects of the Turks are not really improved by the revolution and that the desperate gamble in which the politicians of the Committee are engaged will end not in the redemption of Turkey but only in a greater loss and degrada- tion. The correspondents at Constantinople dwell upon the ease and " smoothness " with which the revolution was accomplished, and note other signs of careful preparation. No doubt. What, however, is more alarming is the want of any attempt to resist the revolution. The deposed Vizier and his colleagues seem to have been glad to have had power taken out of their hands.