There is practically no news from Turkey, except a rumour
that Zeitun, the mountain fastness of the Armenians, which they recently seized, capturing a whole Turkish battalion, has fallen, and its defenders have dispersed in the hills. The Turks intended to massacre all the people of Zeitun, who for unturies have maintained a kind of independence, and the Ambassadors at Constantinople have pressed on the Sultan the necessity of sparing them. The Sultan has not, however, yielded yet, and alleges that the people of Zeitun have com- mitted atrocities,—a statement which, though they are un- doubtedly fierce and addicted to brigandage, does not appear to be true. The Sultan, however, being confident that America and Great Britain are at variance, will probably delay his reply until the soldiers have done their work, and will then issue orders that all who submit—that is, who do not fly—are to be spared. The English people do not recognise even yet that the extirpation of Christians who resist is no momentary resolve of Abd-ul-Hamid, but the foundation of the permanent Turkish policy. Massacres of Christians have been going on at intervals within the Turkish Empire ever since the fall of Byzantium, on May 29th, 1453. The Ottomans regard the sword as the easiest and most proper instrument of rule.
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