The Turkish Government, at its wits' end for money, has
proposed to increase the taxes. upon foreigners. A Committee, appointed by the English residents in Constantinople, have, there- fore, presented to Sir A. Layard a memorial, in which they may that "owing to the complete absence of justice," "the impossi- bility of 'recovering debts in native Courts," the "rooted corrup- tion of Government officials generally," the "insecurity of life and *property," and the "antagonism to anything like the development or the facility of trade by the present rulers of the country," it would be most unjust to tax the memorialists any more. They object to pay until reforms have been not merely promised, but carried into practical execirtion. It should be remembered that the non-official Englishmen who sign this frank condemnation of the Turkish Government, are in a majority Tories, and declare the Turk a far finer being than Slav, or Greek, or Armenian, or any other rascally Christian. They live on the spot, see the injustice they denounce, pay the bribes they are so angry about, and in this very memorial reveal themselves as most astute persons. No time, except the Greek Kalends, could be so pleasant for paying- more taxes as the date they suggest, namely, the day when Turkish reforms shall come into practical operation.
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