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The real attitude of the various Governments does not seem

to be very clear. It is said that Russia wished to insist on the

" political " autonomy of the Christian States, which Austria opposed, and that Lord Derby wished for the word "administrative autonomy." However, this was all mere verbal discussion. What is more importanto if true, is that the Czar still holds fast by the Emperor of Austria, and that the Sultan is said to be strongly in favour of concession to such terms as England has proposed. And well he may be ; for they really mean the old state of things, with a new batch of political promises,—the form of inconvertible paper which Turkey has always found most pro- ductive and least embarrassing.

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