Sir Hardinge G-iffard made a speech at Launceston, on Thurs-
day, upon the Eastern Question, in which he stated that England was bound by treaty to maintain the integrity of the Ottoman Empire ; that "Russian atrocities" were as bad as "Turkish atrocities ;" that "the agitation of last autumn was a mistake "; and that the Government had secured the confidence of the people, by -doing their duty "in the interests of the country they are -governing." He held it a duty to maintain our Indian posses- sions, for what chance would there be of Christianising the Hindoos if India were lost ? and called on all patriots to help the Govern- ment, "in order that England might speak with united voice." He denied that the Government bad ever made light of atrocities in Bulgaria. We should have thought the Solicitor-General had picked an old speech written for last autumn out of a drawer, hut for that bit about Christianising Hindoos. That is new. No one but Sir Hardinge Giffard would have argued, and he only after Turkish victories, that the hope of Christianising Hindoos wee a reason for giving up Bulgarians who have been Chris- tianised to be massacred by Turks.
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