Batoum is to be surrendered to the Russians next week,
and the Lazis are said to be emigrating in masses to the districts left in possession of the Sultan. This is interpreted as evidence that some tribes, at all events, prefer the government of Turkey to that of Russia,—and is, so far as it goes, good evidence. But then so, also, is the statement of the well-informed Con- stantinople correspondent of the Standard, who mentions that so great is the disposition of the Armenians to emigrate from the Turkish into the Russian districts of that province, that the Patriarch has addressed to the emigrants serious remon- strances, and intends to despatch "eminent persons " from Con- stantinople to persuade his flocks to remain. The total evidence from emigration therefore comes to this,—that uncivilised communities piefer Turkey to Russia, and that civilised communities prefer Ramie to Turkey. Doubtless it may be said that uncivilised men have as much right to their opinion as civilised, but then we should not have expected that argument from English Tories.
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