To-day, one feels the Grand National Assembly has achieved success, and is permanently established. This sense of security is, no doubt, partly derived from remembering what earlier parliaments, with scarcely less loyal enthusiasm, attempted, and failed to achieve. I remember my first visit to Adbul Hamid’s Parliament, and the big hopes by which we were all then inspired. It had been no easy matter to overthrow that hideous tyrant, and we have no reason to blame that Government for not realising our full expectations. Other governments in other countries have failed again and again on their road to ultimate success. On that opening day, too, I remember seeing, with pity and respect, a pale and lonely figure, seated silent among the general rejoicings, unnoticed and forgotten. It was the son of the great Midhat, who had established a still earlier parliament. All honour to the pioneers. * * * * * On another occasion Djellal Noury Bey, deputy for Gallipoli and editor of the Constantinople _Illeri_ (or “Forwards”), gave me some further impressions of the “Pasha” and of many interesting Anatolian problems. However closely the leaders agree on general principles, it is always helpful to compare as many individual points of view as one can obtain. Djellal Noury has been to England and the States, and speaks perfect English and French. We have mutual friends in London. I asked whether I might go over the National Pact with him, clause by clause; as although, or rather because, I am so keen a friend to Nationalism, I want to be _sure_ whether there are any points in their scheme, or their aims and attitude, that I _do_ find fault with, or should like to criticise. He seemed only too delighted that anyone should care so much for a full discussion of their important work, and put everything before me as clearly and thoroughly as I could possibly wish. But I could find nothing unreasonable in a single clause, if the Turkish nation is to achieve _real_ nationality. As business men, for example, can the foreigners justly wish to maintain exemption from taxes? As Djellal Noury explained it: “The European and the Turk buy goods, say at five francs. The European pays no taxes and can sell for six francs. As the Turk pays a tax, he has to charge seven francs, and, being cut out in price, is naturally left with a large stock in hand. These are conditions which, obviously, cannot be maintained. Capitulations have strangled the commerce of the country and its progress. “It may happen that one Power takes out a Concession for the railways, but cannot, or will not, fulfil ifs contract. We have to go without railways. We cannot go elsewhere when a Concession has been granted.”