The Eastern Question has once more reached a critical stage.
The Powers, hampered by the secret designs of some among 'them, and by a dread of letting the waters loose, have, it is asserted, receded from the Berlin decision. They have accepted -a Turkish proposal to give Greece Thessaly, instead of Thessaly and Epirus. They assign, indeed, a morsel of Epirus, but they stop far short of Jannina, and do not even concede Prevesa, without which Greece is never safe, though, according to one account, Prevesa is to be dismantled. The gain to Greece in territory is considerable, but she does not acquire the most im- portant of Greek cities, Jaunina, or the most threatening of Greek fortresses, Prevesa, or the most necessary of Greek pro- vinces, Epirus, where the most warlike section of the race re- aide. It now remains to coerce Athens into accepting the terms. It is believed that the Court will yield, but it is far from cer. tain that the Greek people will, and it is greatly to be hoped they will not. The time seems to have arrived for them, which arrives to all nations, to show that it is dangerous to betray them. If they take Jannina and keep it, they will be safe for a century, and will be heard when they claim to be the only legi- timate heirs of Byzantium. If not, they will remain a small and powerless State in the Balkan peninsula.
