Universal Postal The Herzegovina revolt against Turkey. Stanley circumnavigates Victoria Nyanza and Tanganyika. The Universal Postal Union is instituted. Plimsoll carries the Merchant Shipping Bill. In 1876, the Carlist War ends. Bulgaria revolts and is treated with horrible cruelty. Servia and Montenegro declare war on the Sultan and are aided by Russian volunteers. France and England establish the Dual Control in Egypt. Christian Science is founded by Mrs. Eddy. A telephone is intelephone vented by Bell. In 1877, Russian troops ininvented. vade Turkey; Roumania aids Russia; the Turks hold Plevna with great gallantry for a long time. Kars in Asia Minor is stormed by the Russians. Great Britain annexes the South African Republic and the Queen is proclaimed Empress of India. Japan suppresses an obstinate rebellion in Satsuma. In 1878, Great Britain prepares to aid Turkey, who signs the treaty of San Stefano with Russia. Great Britain demands a European Congress, which meets at Berlin. Great Britain acquires Cyprus. Austria reduces Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ameer refuses to receive an English mission, and General Roberts inIntroduced. Vades Afghanistan. Electric lighting is introduced. David Hughes discovers the microphone.] Electric lighting THE CONGRESS OF BERLIN (A.D. 1878) JUSTIN MCCARTHY T Montene war against HE common expectation was soon fulfilled. At the close of June, 1876, Servia and Montenegro declared war Servia and against Turkey. Servia's struggle was short. gro declare At the beginning of September the struggle Turkey. was over, and Servia was practically at Turkey's feet. The hardy Montenegrin mountaineers held their own stoutly against the Turks everywhere, but they could not seriously influence the fortunes of a war. Russia intervened and insisted upon an armistice, and her demand was acceded to by Turkey. Meanwhile, the general feeling in England on both sides was growing stronger and stronger. Public meetings of Mr. Gladstone's supporters were held all over the country, and the English Government was urged in the most emphatic manner to bring some strong influence to bear on Turkey. On the other hand, it can not be doubted that the common suspicion of Russia's designs began to grow more keen and wakeful than ever. Lord Derby frankly made known to the Emperor Alexander what was thought or feared in England, and the Emperor replied by pledging his sacred word that he had no intention of occupying Constantinople, and that if he were compelled by events to occupy any part of Bulgaria, it should be only provisionally, and until the safety of the Christians should be secured. Then Lord Derby proposed that proposes a a conference of the European Powers should European be held at Constantinople in order to agree Lord Derby conference of the Powers. upon some scheme which should provide at once for the proper government of the various provinces and populations subject to Turkey, and at the same time for the maintenance of the independence and integrity of the Ottoman Empire. The proposal was accepted by all the Great Powers, and on November 8, 1876, it was announced that Lord Salisbury, and Sir Henry Elliott, the English Ambassador at Constantinople, were to attend as the representatives of England. Lord Beaconsfield was apparently determined to recover the popularity that had been somewhat impaired by his unlucky way of dealing with the massacres of Bulgaria. His plan now was to go boldly in for denunciation of Russia. He sometimes talked of Russia as he might of an enemy who had already declared war against England. The prospects of a peaceful settlement of the European controversy seemed to become heavily Lord Beaconsfield Russia. overclouded. Lord Beaconsfield appeared to be holding the dogs of war by the collar, and only waiting for the convenient moment to let them slip. Every one knew that some of his denounces colleagues, Lord Derby, for example, and Lord Carnarvon, were opposed to any thought of war, and felt almost as strongly for the Christian provinces of Turkey as Mr. Gladstone did. But people shook their heads doubtfully when it was asked whether Lord Derby or Lord Carnarvon, or both combined, could prevail in strength of will against Lord Beaconsfield. Failure of stantinople conference. The conference at Constantinople came to nothing. The Turkish statesmen at first attempted to put off the diplomatists of the the Con West by the announcement that the Sultan had granted a Constitution to Turkey, and that there was to be a Parliament, at which representatives of all provinces were to speak for themselves. There was, in fact, a Turkish Parliament called together. Of course, the Western statesmen could not be put off by an announcement of this kind. They knew well enough what a Turkish Parliament must mean. It seems almost superfluous to say that the Turkish Parliament was ordered to disappear very soon after the occasion passed away for trying to deceive the Great European Powers. Evidently Turkey had got it into her head that the English Government would at the last moment stand by her, and Turkey refuses to come to terms. Russia declares war against Turkey. Osman would not permit her to be coerced. She refused to come to terms, and the Conference broke up without having accomplished any good. New attempts at arrangement were made between England, Russia, and others of the Great Powers, but they fell through. Then at last, on April 24, 1877, Russia declared war against Turkey, and on June 27 a Russian army crossed the Danube and moved toward the Balkans, meeting with comparatively little resistance, while at the same time another Russian force invaded Asia Minor. For a while the Russians seemed likely to carry all before them. But they had made the one great mistake of altogether undervaluing their enemies. Their preparations were hasty and imperfect. The Turks turned upon them unexpectedly and made a gallant and almost desperate resistance. One of their commanders, Osman Pasha, suddenly threw up defensive works at Plevna, in Bulgaria, a point the Russians had neglected to secure, and maintained himself there, repulsing the Russians many times with great slaughter. For a while success seemed altogether on the side of the Turks, and many people in England were convinced that the Russian enterprise was already an entire failure; that nothing remained for the armies of the Czar but retreat, disaster, and disgrace. Under the directing skill, however, of General Todleben, the great soldier whose splendid defence of |