THE TABLET

A Weekly Newspaper and Review

D u m V O B IS G R A T U L AM U R , A N IM O S ET IA M ADDIM U S U T IN IN CCEPTIS V E S T R IS C O N S TAN TER M A N E A T IS .

Prom the B r ie f o f His Holiness Pius IX . to T he T ablet, June 4, 1870.

Voi. 517. No. 1993. London, June 2 2 , 1 8 7 8 .

P r ice sd. By P ost

[R eg i st e r e d a t th e Gen e r a l P ost O f f ic e a s a N ew spaper.

C hronicle of th e We e k :—

Pasje

The Anglo-Russian Agreement. — The Stipulations Contained in I t .— Summary of its Effect— Its Real Nature.—The Source and Manner o f its Publication.— The Congress. — The German Emperor.— Mr. Hanbury’s Motion.— Mr. Roebuck at Sheffield. — End of the Strike in Lancashire. —Volunteers in Ireland. — The Galtee Estate. — Extradition. — Women’s Disabilities. — Disestablishment in Scotland . . 769

CONTENTS.

Page

L e a d e r s :

The Obligations o f Princes to the

Holy See .. _ ......................... 773 Public Opinion in Germany on the Dissolution .. . . . . 773 Greece at the Congress . . . . 774 Secular Results in Irish National

Schools .. . . . . •• 775 The Railway Commission .. 776 R eview s :

Social Aspects o f Catholicism and

Protestantism . . -. . . 778 Our Flag and other Poems .. 778 Short N otices :

The Augustinian Doctrine of Pre­

destination . . . . . . 779 Revue Générale . . . . . . 779

S hort N otices (continued):

Page

The Christian Life and Virtues.. 779 The Pianist's Practical Guide .. 779 Wonders o f the Life o f St.

F r a n c i s ......................... .. 779 C orrespondence :

Faith of our Fathers.— X V I I I . . . 779 The Title of “ Father ” . . . . 780 Church Music .. .. . . 782 A Welsh Prayer Book . . . . 782 Catholic Home for PoorChildren,

South Wales . . . . . . 782 Was Jeanne d’Arc Burnt ? . . 782 P a r l ia m en t a r y S ummary 782 R ome : — Letter from our own

Correspondent . . . . . . 785

D io ce san N ews

Westminster.. . .

Page

. . 787

Birmingham.. . . . . . . 788 Hexham and Newcastle .. . . 788 Liverpool . . . . . . . . 788 ~ •" * ......................... 788 Salford S cotland :—

Dunkeld . . . . . . ., St. Andrews and Edinburgh . . Argyll and the Isles I r elan d :—

788 789 789

Letter from our own Corre­

spondent ......................... F oreign N ews

Poland Switzerland.. . . . . . . 790 M em oranda :—

78g 79 o

R e l i g i o u s ......................... . . 790 G en er a l N ews ............................ 791

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

AGREEMENT. T

THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN

HE Anglo-Russian Memorandum, pub­

lished by the Globe, has no doubtg iven rise to a very uncomfortable feeling. It was disavowed by Lord Salisbury before his departure as “ unauthenticated,” and “ undeserving of the confidence of the House ” of Lords, but, when it had been reproduced in other papers and fresh questions were put in both Houses on Monday, nothing was elicited from Ministers as to the points in respect of which the document gives a false impression of the Government policy. Lord Granville asked whether the Memorandum published was “ substantially correct,” and if it were, whether the Lord President would give any further information as regards the paragraph about the protectorate of Asia Minor; and Lord Hartington, inquiring whether the Government were now prepared to confirm or deny the authenticity of the agreement, gave a more precise form to the question respecting Asiatic Turkey, by requesting explanations concerning K the special duty which would henceforth rest upon England of protecting the Ottoman Empire in Asia from the danger of the extension of Russian conquests in that direction.” The answer to each was that the paper had been obtained by some one who had had access to confidential communications, and “ as far as her Majesty’s Government are concerned it was not only unauthorised, but surreptitious, and as a statement of their policy incomplete, and therefore inaccurate.” The Government thus guards itself against saying that the publication of the paper may not have been authorised by Russia, and indeed it is obvious from the order of Count Schouvaloff’s and Lord Salisbury’s signatures that it was the Russian copy that was got hold of. Further information, in the interest of the country, the Ministers declined to give, and a question from Lord Robert Montagu, as to the existence of other agreements between England and any other Power, or between Russia and any other Power, was put aside by Sir Stafford Northcote with an appeal to Parliament to support the Government in not answering particular questions unnecessarily. The still more vigorous attempt of Lords Grey and Houghton to obtain an admission of the authenticity of the document was met by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon with the declaration that he had thoroughly considered and weighed the answer he should give, that he had given that answer, and that Government did not think it expedient in the public interest to enter further into the subject at present.

New ,Series. V ol. XIX. No. 502.

THE STIPULATIONS CONTAINED

IN IT.

But, before we say anything in the way of a judgment on the grounds which may or may not exist for the dissatisfaction which undoubtedly prevails, it will be well to examine the actual stipulations contained in, the memorandum, which we will assume for the moment to be genuine, though not complete. In the first article Russia gives up the longitudinal division of Bulgaria, if England, after hearing in Congress the arguments in favour of it, should still object to it. In the second Russia concedes the point that the new Southern State shall not extend to the coast of the Higean Sea. In the third Russia consents to alter the western boundary of Bulgaria so that the nonBulgarian populations should be excluded from it. In the fourth Russia consents that there shall be two provinces, one, north of the Balkans, autonomous under a Prince; and the other, south of the Balkans, with a Christian Governor named by the Porte (with the acquiescence of Europe) for five or ten years, and that it shall enjoy the same kind of administrative self-government as is possessed by English colonies. In the fifth article Russia and England are agreed as to the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the Southern State, but leave to the Congress the settlement of “ the mode and cases ” in which they may re-enter it to resist insurrection or invasion, and they announce their intention to take opposite sides on the question whether the Sultan is to have a right to station troops along its frontiers. The sixth article records the demand of England that the commanding officers of the Militia in Southern Bulgaria shall be named by the Porte, with the consent of Europe, instead of that of Russia only. In the seventh it is stipulated that the Turkish promises concerning Armenia shall be made not exclusively to Russia, but to England also. In the eighth Russia conc ed e to the other Powers, and notably to England, a voice in the future organisation of Epirus, Thessaly, and the other Christian provinces of Turkey. In the ninth Russia repudiates the idea (which the Emperor is declared never to have entertained) of converting the war indemnity into territorial annexations, and “ does not refuse to give assurances in this respect.” England’s rights as a creditor of Turkey will remain intact, and she reserves to herself the right of arguing in Congress against the excessive amount of the indemnity claimed. The next two and last articles of the Memorandum are the only ones which contain any concession whatever on the side of England. And as these are, consequently, those to which objections are taken, we will give them at length.

10. As to the valley of Alashkert and the town of Bayazid, that valley being the great transit route for Persia, and having an immense value in the eyes of the Turks, his Majesty the Emperor consents to restore it to them, but he has demanded