Rumours are current, and are partly authenticated by the Times,
of the recall of Midhat Pasha to Turkey. It is stated that he is not to be employed at Constantinople, but to be sent to govern Asia Minor as Chief Commissioner. This is, of course, only the latest idea, and may be abandoned to-morrow, the truth of the situation at Constantinople evidently being that Sir Austen Layard and the Turks are fighting about the amount of reorganisation to be conceded in Asia Minor. The Porte does not want to give any, and the British Ambassador therefore tries to enlist the Sultan on his side, — we fear, by conces- sions which will make all " reforms " nugatory. At first, there were to be British " Residents " in Asia Minor, with direct powers ; then there were to be Residents with supervisory powers only ; then the Residents were only to be Consuls, sending up reports ; and now a Turk is to be Governor-General, and a Turk whom the Palace will thwart at every turn. He would not keep power six months. The Sultan is not prepared to create a second Khedive, and unless he gives the new ruler a fixed tenure of office, he will be able to accomplish very little. Sir Austen Layard wants the Convention of May to succeed, and is probably striving hard ; and he is finding, like every other Ambassador, that the Ottomans want first of all to go their own way, and intend, unless force is applied, to go it. And as it is Lord Beaconsfield's mission to protect the independence of the Sultan, the necessary force cannot be readily applied. According to the very latest rumours, the Sultan is becoming fretted with Sir Austen's importunity, and will concede nothing.
