(ro tie eprtor oF THES SINES.")
Sir,—*The historic truth requires us to say that the balance of criminality lies rather with the revolutionary bands than with the Turkish troops," says Mr, Balfour. What is "the historic truth," what is the "criminality," and what are the "revolutionary bands?" A " historic truth" is presumably a euphemistic term for a Consular report. Having watched a Consular report being hatched, having even assisted in the composition of a Consular report, I should be sorry to apply the term myself. Macedonia" and the Adrianople vilayet, where the conditions, though not so' well known, are identically the same, may be said to have an area of some 40,000 square miles. For information of what is taking place in this area the Foreign Office may be said to be practically dependent on three men. There. is a recently established Vice-Consul at Monastir, a Vice-Consul_at Uskub, and a Consul-General at Salonika. The Vice-Consul at, Monastir can with an escort and not without risk walk along the main streets of the town; when things are wet he may, perhaps, go as far as two miles outside the town, if the all has nu objec and patrols be spared. At Uskub the con-muth the same. Physical ies combined with pressure of work would have prevented the Consu a few ago held the at Salonika, from doing much more. They are not expected to be over absent from. their Consulates for more than few hours at a time. They have no agents outside their own Consulates, anti there are, of course, no local newspapers. Once or twice 2 week, perhaps, the Consul will meet his colleagues or the local Turkish magnate. These gentlemen will in the course of conversation mention anything they particularly wish to be publish-fed. It is hardly upon such materials that a Consular report, an exhaustive account of the state of affairs prevailing in his province, can be drawn up. 1 should be sorry in any way to reflect: on the Consuls themselves; they are the victims of circumstances, and make the very best of a bad job. One British representative with free permission to travel how, when, and where he liked would probably be better able to advise the Government of events in European Turkey than half-a-dozen Consuls under their present restrictions.
"The balance of criminality " presumably means that the Bulgarian atrocities are worse than the Turkish, and that, the Bulgars excite the Turks to reprisals which would not otherwise occur. Different nations, however, have different standards of thought, and what we should call an atrocity would in Turkey be classed as an excess of zeal deserving a slight reprimand. The rulers of a country are, 1 perhaps, responsible for the local stand-Jard; and the Turks rule Macedonia. The Bulgarian revolutionists probably have done terrible things, especially to any one suspected of being a traitor or a spy; but Inerer succeeded—in actually establishing a case, and have never met any one other than a Greek or Turk who had. One day last May I was told by the Vali of Salonika that 2 band of Bulgarian bad suddenly attacked the inciiensive inhabitants of Monastic with bombs; that a skirmish had ensued in which some unfortunate Turks had been terribly mauled and a few Christians killed. The Vali of Monastir confirmed his colleague's report, and gave me_permission to visit the hospital. Turks dislike attend ug hospitals," said the Turkish doctor in charge; "but we have the two worst cases here, one man hac been horribly beaten and the other's skull has been pierced by a revolver bullet." The former, however, was sitting up in bed, with nothing to show; the injuries were internal, but he was eating " bun Th just walked back to bit kome—"he was anxious to dio in the prosont of his family." In another room we found about a dozen men ranging. From perhaps 15 years to 70 Wit
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.