282 



EUROPE. 



EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. 



proved a failure, because the Turkish Govern- 

 ment rejected the propositions of the Confer- 

 ence as irreconcilable with the integrity, in- 

 dependence, and dignity of the Ottoman Em- 

 pire. As another collective demand of the 

 great Powers of Europe, laid down in the Lon- 

 don protocol of March 31st, was likewise not 

 acceded to by the Turkish Government, Russia, 

 on April 24th, declared war against Turkey. 

 The new Eastern war which was thus begun 

 ranks among the most memorable wars of the 

 19th century, and is the most prominent event 

 in the history of the year 1877. The hope of 

 the Turks, that some of the great Powers, es- 

 pecially England, might be induced, by their 

 opposition to Russia, to aid them, was disap- 

 pointed, and the only cordial sympathy they 

 met with was among the kindred Magyars, who, 

 however, were unable to exert a decisive influ- 

 ence upon the policy of the Imperial Govern- 

 ment of Austro-Hungary. The resistance 

 which the Turks made to the vastly superior 

 force of Russia excited the admiration of the 

 world ; but at length they were overpowered, 

 and at the close of the year the situation of 

 Turkey was hopeless. One of the European 

 dependencies of Turkey Roumania availed 

 itself of this war to declare its independence. 

 Servia, which in 1876 had been so unsuccessful 

 in its war against the Turks, concluded peace 

 in February, 1877, and did not join in the Russo- 

 Turkish war until toward the close of the year, 

 when there was no longer any fear of the Turks 

 being victorious. Montenegro could not come 

 to an understanding with Turkey about the 

 conclusion of peace, and, after a short armis- 

 tice, continued the war throughout the year. 

 The Greek population of Turkey and the king- 

 dom of Greece repeatedly assumed a threaten- 

 ing attitude, but did not take an active part in 

 the war. Amid the din of war, the proceed- 

 ings of the first Turkish Parliament, which was 

 opened in March, did not attract as much at- 

 tention as otherwise might have been the case. 

 (See TURKEY, RUSSIA, and EASTERN QUESTION.) 



England was throughout the year kept in a 

 state of excitement by the Eastern war. The 

 Ministry was strongly opposed to the aggressive 

 policy of Russia, but refrained from render- 

 ing any aid to the Turks, and contented itself 

 with demanding the protection of the Suez 

 Canal and the freedom of the Dardanelles. 

 Mr. Gladstone expressed the views of the ma- 

 jority of the Liberal party by resolutions de- 

 claring that the Porte had forfeited all claim to 

 the moral and material support of the world ; 

 but his resolutions were defeated by a majority 

 of 131, a number of Liberal members voting on 

 this question with the Ministry. The corona- 

 tion of the Queen as Empress of India greatly 

 added to the prestige of England in the East. 

 The territory of the Empire_re_ceived once more 

 a large increase by the annexation of the Trans- 

 vaal Republic, in Africa. (See GEEAT BRITAIN.) 



The attention of Austro-Hungary was like- 

 wise engrossed by the Eastern war. The Rou- 



manians, Servians, and Croats manifested an 

 enthusiastic sympathy with the successes of 

 Russia, and the prospective growth of the Rou- 

 manians and Slavs of Turkey. The Magyars, 

 on the other hand, were so alarmed at this pro- 

 ject, that they clamored for an open and prompt 

 support of Turkey. But the Imperial Govern- 

 ment did not dare to separate from the tri- 

 imperial alliance, and declared that it would 

 observe a strict neutrality as long as Austrian 

 interests were not directly involved. (See Aus- 



TEO-HUNGAEIAN MoNABCHY.) 



In Germany, the most notable feature at the 

 election of a new Reichstag, in January, was the 

 largely increased vote of the Socialists. This 

 party counts in the new Reichsrath 12 mem- 

 bers, a larger number than it had ever before, 

 and polled an aggregate of 485,000 votes, or 8.5 

 per cent, of the entire vote cast. Its progress 

 appeared so alarming that the Emperor, in 

 opening Parliament, sounded a warning against 

 anarchical agitation. Prince Bismarck repeat- 

 edly expressed a wish to resign, on the ground 

 of ill-health, but the Emperor did not consider 

 it safe to dispense with his services, and pre- 

 ferred to give him additional leave of absence. 

 The prestige of Germany in the political coun- 

 cils of Europe maintained itself in 1877, and it 

 was looked upon as the real arbiter of the East- 

 ern question. (See GERMANY.) 



In France, the first four months of the year 

 were remarkably free from any excitement. In 

 May, President MacMahon suddenly dismissed 

 the Prime Minister, Jules Simon although he 

 was supported by a two-thirds majority in the 

 Chamber of Deputies and expressed in a very 

 emphatic manner his disagreement with the 

 principles of the Republican party. "When the 

 Chamber declared that no ministry that was 

 not Republican would be acceptable, it was pro- 

 rogued, and soon after, with the consent of the 

 Senate, dissolved. Contrary to the hopes of 

 the President, the general elections again re- 

 sulted in a decisive Republican victory, and af- 

 ter wavering for some time as to the course to 

 be pursued, he finally concluded to make favor 

 with the Chamber of Deputies, and appointed 

 a ministry consisting of moderate Republicans. 

 (See FRANCE.) 



In Italy, the conflict between Church and 

 state continued unabated, and was the chief 

 topic which engaged the attention of Parlia- 

 ment. The instability of Italian ministries 

 manifested itself also in 1877. In the Eastern 

 question, the Italian Government sympathized 

 with Russia and Germany. (See ITALY.) 



EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. The 9th an- 

 nual meeting of the Evangelical Alliance for 

 the United States was held in the city of New 

 York, January 29th. The Rev. Dr. A. D. 

 Gillette presided, in the absence of the presi- 

 dent of the Alliance, William E. Dodge. The 

 work of the organization had been performed 

 during the year without salaried officers. A 

 meeting of the Executive Committee had been 

 held to consider what was the duty of the Al- 



