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Page 5
Lord Salisbury's reason for yielding is rumored to be that the five
ambassadors, representing France, Germany, Russia, Austria, and Italy,
were ready to sign the first treaty without waiting for the consent of
England.
This is said to have alarmed the British Prime Minister, and made him
fear that the other Powers would combine against England if he persisted
in his determination, and so he weakly deserted Greece; and the Turks
will remain in Thessaly until the war indemnity is paid.
It is, however, stated that the British, French, and Russian ambassadors
have all sent word to their governments that it is quite impossible for
Greece to pay the sum demanded by Turkey.
Steps are therefore being taken to induce the Sultan to accept a smaller
sum, but the chances are that his success in securing Thessaly will make
Abdul Hamid refuse to take a piaster less. He will be sure to think that
if he only holds out long enough he will get everything he asks for.
In Athens the people are not at all willing to accept the proposed
treaty.
At a mass-meeting the other night a resolution was prepared and sent to
the King, asking him to reject the treaty and resume the war.
The general feeling throughout Greece is, however, against a continuance
of war.
* * * * *
The news from India is of a gloomy character.
Fresh revolts have occurred on the frontier of Afghanistan. A tribe, the
Afridis, has joined the rebellion against the British rule.
The disaffection of this tribe, which numbers about twenty thousand
first-class hill-fighters, is most serious to the British cause. It is
not its strength that alarms the English, however, but that the English
army in India has been largely recruited from the Afridis, and so the
rebels are not confined to the enemy that has to be faced, but numbers
of them are found in the very regiments that are being sent to the front
to quell the disturbance.
The Afridis have until now been most loyal to the Government, and were
looked upon as safeguards in case the rebellion assumed a more serious
form. During the Afghan war this tribe held the Khyber Pass for the
British, and did them great service, as this pass is the main mountain
route in the north between Afghanistan and Hindustan.
A revolt of the Afridis was the event most to be feared by the British,
and it now appears to have taken place.
A large force of tribesmen entered into Khyber Pass, attacked the forts
which guarded it, and unfortunately were successful in capturing them.
The force of British soldiers at hand was not strong enough to drive
them back, and they were able to swarm into the Pass in great numbers
and possess themselves of it.
The Pass once taken, they had the temerity to offer to treat with the
British for peace, and promise to go peaceably back to their homes if
the soldiers should be withdrawn from all the forts on the frontier.
The British Government is incensed that the tribesmen should be so
little afraid of the power of the English arms, and has determined to
conquer this rebellious tribe, and give it a lesson in obedience that
will not soon be forgotten.
Now that the outbreak has assumed such a serious form, every one is
trying to discover a reason for the rebellion. Some think that the
Sultan of Turkey is at the root of the matter, and that he has caused
the news of his victory over the Greeks to be spread broadcast
throughout the whole Mohammedan race, thereby creating the impression
that the power of Europe has been shaken, and in this way has given the
natives of Hindustan an idea that it is an excellent opportunity for
them to try to throw off the hated European sovereignty.
Another rumor is that the Ameer of Afghanistan has incited the tribes to
rebel, and that he is secretly giving them his support and assistance.
All the revolting tribes dwell on the borders of Afghanistan, and it is
known for a fact that the Ameer distributed among the native Indian
regiments a book of treasonable character, telling them all about the
Jehad or Holy War. This war, according to the Mohammedan belief, is to
be undertaken by the Moslems against the Christians, and is to result in
the spreading of the Mohammedan faith throughout the world.
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