468 



The Review of Reviews. 



Turkish Government has the right to do so. The 

 Dardanelles are governed by various treaties, several 

 of them vague enough, in 1841, 1856, 1871, and 1878. 

 Treaties, even treaties affecting Turkey, are not inviol- 

 able, as Bosnia-Herzegovina demonstrated, and even 

 although, as someone wrote, " International law, as 

 far as Turkey is concerned, may be defined as a set of 

 restrictions on Ottoman sovereign rights for the better 

 safeguarding of Christian interests," there has been no 

 serious attempts made to question Turkey's rights. 

 There have lieen protests from various Powers, notably 

 Russia, as the most interested party, but nothing more. 

 The Turkish Government's attitude has been correct, 

 deprecating the necessity, I'ut sticking to -its point, 

 that there must be some guarantee against Italian 



Why the War 



does 



Not Stop. 



I'lwti'gniph /y] 



Turkish Mines Exploding in the Dardanelles, 



attack before the Straits can be permanently opened. 

 In short, Turkey says, " Why make complaints to us .' 

 It is Italy who is responsible." And to address remon- 

 strances to Rome is more than likely not to be a pro- 

 position enthusiastically entertained by the Powers. 

 Two points stand out in the treaties. Firstly, that 

 Turkev in normal times is bound not to close the 

 Straits to the merchant vessels of all nations ; and, 

 secondly, that the Powers unanimously agreed that 

 war vessels should not be allowed to pass throug^h. Hut 

 in time of war 'I'urkey undoubtedly regains her sove- 

 reign rights, and must lake steps to protect these 

 rights. Meanwhile, mines, fi.Nctl and floating, abound. 

 0\er a hundred vessels of all nationalities are held up ; 

 and one vessel, carrying passengers and mails, has 

 struck a mine, and sunk with great loss o( life. 



Although all Europe desires the 

 war to stop, and although both 

 Italy and Turkey would be by no 

 means averse to a cessation of 

 hostilities, there seems not only no way out of the 

 inif>assc, but rather every danger of increasing compli- 

 cations. And nowadays wars and complications affect 

 all the Powers, some to a greater extent than others, 

 but all suffer. The reasons why neither combatant can 

 stop are simple, but sufficiently interesting. Taking 

 first the case of Italy, the aggressor, we find that, quite 

 apart from her desire to prevent any other Power 

 occupying Tripoli, the results of the war at; home Imve 

 so far surpassed expectations that it is worth con- 

 siderable expenditure to complete the internal welding 

 of the Italian people. Before the 

 war there was a growing menace of 

 .Socialism, now there is none ; all are 

 ardently and cohesively patriotic. 

 The war has even brought much 

 nearer the Quirinal and the Vatican. 

 These are real benefits which the 

 Italian Government naturally does 

 not wish to relinquish. The great 

 stumbling-block is undoubtedly the 

 annexation proclamation, since it is 

 diliicultl to see how it can be with- 

 ilrawn or how the solution can be 

 found to satisfy both parties in the 

 matter. Undoubtedly it was forced 

 on the Government by internal re- 

 quirements, but it was a great mis- 

 take. Turkey cannot accept any 

 solution which touches the prestige 

 of the Caliphate, especially as regards 

 the Arabs, since to do so would 

 be to jeopardise the whole .•structure of new 'i'urkey 

 Indeed, so evident is it that the Caliphate prevents 

 any idea of accepting annexation, that it is rather 

 wonderful that the Italians, instead of wasting powder 

 and shot in the Dardanelles and annoying all the world. 

 have not struck straight at the heart of the Moham- 

 medan world and attacked Mecca and Medina. Until 

 someone finds the common denominator betwn n 

 Italian internal needs and the prestige of the Caliph. lU- 

 all mediation must be useless, since it is impossible for 

 the I'.uropcan Concert to take drastic measures. 



It is pleasant to be able to turn 



The New campanile f'"'" Il->''«n defeats in war to 



at Venice. Italy's conquests in peace, and In 



record that the former glory ni 



the Piazza of St. Mark at Venice, the Campanile, has 



[ Topical Press. 



