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ARMENIA IN MODERN TIMES 283
or the dcvious diplomatic negotiations of the subscquent
peace conference at Berlin, in 1878, which approved the
sultan’s renewed promises to give the Armenians better
conditions. All this paper, all these fine promises, meant so
many victories for West-European diplomacy and European
justice and philanthropy, which the diplomatists could exhibit
to the world, although they knew perfectly well that the
Turks had no intention of keeping their word.
For the Armenians in the Turkish Empire this was worse
than nothing. It raised false hopes, and actually made things
worse for them. It is the tragic truth that they would have
been better off if the nations of Europe and their Governments
and diplomatists had never pleaded their cause at all. By
their alleged sympathy with the Armenians and their represen
tations and notes demanding better treatment for them—
demands which they never once made any serious sacrifice to
try to enforce—they merely irritated the Turks, at the same
time showing that they did not mean business. The Turks
could thus, with complete impunity, take a bloody vengeance
upon their Armenian subjects, who were the cause of so much
unpleasant criticism, and of the humiliating promises they
had to make. This, in brief, is all that the statesmen and diplo
matists of Europe have done for the Armenians.
While the Powers were in the middle of the peace negotia
tions in Berlin, the British Government signed a secret
agreement with the Turkish Government to give them
armed support if Russia tried to keep more Armenian territory
than the treaty of peace entitled her to ; while in return
Turkey promised to introduce reforms for the benefit of the
Armenians, and allowed Great Britain the island of Cyprus
as security. The Duke of Argyll said in the House of Lords :
" In no part of the world has our policy been dictated by such
immoral and senseless considerations." The words apply
equally to the whole policy of Western Europe with regard
to the Armenians.
In 1875 Abdul Hamid had obtained the throne of Turkey
by coquetting with the Young Turkish party of reform.
With its aid his uncle Abdul Aziz had been murdered
in May 1876, after which his brother Murad had become
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