A slight change appears to have occurred in the Eastern
question during the week. The Porte, excited by Mukhtar Pasha's tele- grams, had almost decided to invade Servia and Montenegro, and trust to the non-interference of the Imperial Powers, who were believed in Constantinople to be quarrelling among themselves. At the nick of time, however, the three Powers made a joint representation, which, backed as it was by Great Britain, induced the Sultan to pledge himself that war should not be declared. Servia and Montenegro, therefore, remain quiet, and there are again rumours of an armistice. The insurgents, however, refuse to accept any terms short of autonomy, and Mukhtar Pasha makes no progress in quelling the insurrection. Niksics is not revictualled, and a second march towards it has proved a failure, though Mukhtar Pasha telegraphs to Constan- tinople that he has revictualled Piva, a place of no importance. The Turkish Government is pressing that of Egypt to garrison some points in Asia, and so release 10,000 Turkish troops ; but the Khedive has no money to spare, and if he advances any, is quite certain not to receive it again from the Porte. He might accept the hereditary Pashalic of Crete, but even in their despair the people at Constantinople will hardly give him more territory.
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