The Eastern Question Association, with the Duke of West- minster
at their head, have issued a very sensible circular, calling upon the country to strengthen the hands of the Govern- ment at the present crisis, if it adheres to the policy of neutrality, by the declaration that we intend to maintain a strict neutrality in the war between Russia and Turkey, or to weaken the hands of the Government if it contemplates anything like a deviation from that policy, by a similar declaration. The circular, signed by the Duke of Westminster, Lord Shaftesbury, Mr. Mundane, and others, so far as it urges on the country the necessity of an explicit declaration of its purpose as to neutrality, is an ex- ceedingly able one. But it rather lacks one thing,---an explicit declaration that, even for the defence of Constantinople as a Turkish city, or for the embargo on the free passage of the Dardanelles by Russia, the country ought explicitly to decline to go to war. Of course the Government will say that at present war is not contemplated,—but that if Constantinople, or the right of imprisoning the Russian Fleet in the Black Sea, were endangered, then it would be necessary to go to war, and that for such contin- gencies we should prepare at once. What is now chiefly wanted from the public is an explicit protest against going to war with Russia on either of these issues, since it is neither in itself desirable that Constantinople should remain in Ottoman hands, nor that Russia should be humiliated by having her fleet perpetually "interned" in the Black Sea.
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