23rd Feb.
Tux proposition that Lord Salisbury makes, in order to settle for a time the Cretan question and put off the European war which it is feared must accompany the dissolution of turkey, is that Crete should be put on the same footing as Samos, which is a'principality wader the sovereignty of Turkey, under the guarantee of France, Great Britain, and Russia. But the conditions are "not the same, The 50,000 inhabitants of Samos are all, except 86, members of the Greek Orthodox Church, so that there is practically no religious question there. It may be doubted whether autonomous Crete would be a peaceful one, while the Greek Government could exercise the necessary force to prevents the Christians and -Mussulmans flying at each other's throats. To make Crete autonomous would be obviously only a temporary measure Greece would always be on the look-out to annex it, and the majority of the Cretans are ready to be annexed, so that it is simpler and therefore more statesmanlike to let Greece enter into possession-at once.
It will be seen with pleasure that France and Italy are in this matter on the side of Great Britain, Austria, which has the greatest reason to fear a disturbance in South-east Europe, sides with Germany.; but what we want to know is, where is Russia? Her position is a difficult one; she doos not want the dissolution of turkey hastened; while the Czar is allied to the Greek royal family by the closest ties. If the Sultan is obstinate and refuses to let Grete go, there will be war in the Balkans, for which the Greek and turkish armies are collecting on the frontier. Noone can say where that war -will-stop when it once begins; but 4 the Continental Powers are so much afraid of a great war that they may, as [we hope they will, unite to forbid Turkey to move, and Abdul Hamid {will hardly dare to defy all the rest of Europe. Under any circumstances we look to Lord Salisbury not to allow Greek to be oppressed by Turkey or by avy Contiaental Power.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.