The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-02-21 00:00:00

THE NEXT GRAND EUROPEAN
STRUGGLE!

The following Is an extract from a letter of the Constan-
tinople Correspondent of the LirneB:

" There is, perhaps, no place in the world where
it is so hazardous to indulge in political prophecies
as Constantinople, and yet there is no place where
political prophesying is more largely practised.
Strange as this may seem, it is very natural. The
present state of things is so palpably abnormal and
transitory that every man who thinks about public
affairs is compelled to speculate more or less as to
what is to he evolved out of the existing chaos
and fermentation. All are agreed that there can be
no long period of regular progress or even of repose
until the condition of South Eaetern Europe has been
radically changed, and nearly all are of opinion that
the preliminary part of the inevitable change will be
the disruption of the Ottoman Empire. The current
prophecies on this subject have not, perhaps, much
intrinsic value. but they have a certain interest as the
magnified, distorted shadows of present facts pro-
jected on the curtain of the future.
"If we natty trust the prophets of evil, the Eastern
Question has entered on an entirely new phase, and
the various conflicting elements have undergone a
complete transformation, both in their nature and
respective relations. In the new game the players are
to be the same as before, but they. will be differently
grouped—ci devant antagonists being friends, and ci-
devant friends becoming antagonists. Hitherto the
two leaders have been Russia and Turkenaud the other
Players have grouped themselves around these two
Powers. All the Slavonic and Eastern orthodox na-
tionalities have supported Russia; while all the Western
Powers have upheld more or less vigorously, at least
in theory, the integrity and independence of the
Ottoman Empire, According to the new arrange-.
ments, the two leading antagonists are to be Turkey
and Austria. Russia, in consequence of her recent
exertions, is for a time paralyzed, and Austria, con-
sequently, coneiders this the proper moment for ex-
tending her irfluence and her frontiers eastwarde.
As the absorption of the Southern Slays is virtually
an attack on Russian interests, the Czar will become
the ally of the Sultan; and England, whose Russo.
phobia blinds her to the danger of Austrian aggression
will take the side of Austria. When Austria invades
the Sultan's dominions the Italians must prevent
her seizing the Albanian coast, and will make an
effort to carry out the programme of the Italia Irre-
denta party. By this movement Trieste will be
threatened, and Berlin must come to the help of
Vienna, But as soon as Germany is engaged in a
war, France will endeavour to recover Alsace and
Lorraine. In this way we shall have a grand
European struggle, which the believers in the speedy
advent of the Millennium may, perhan recigniza as
the battle of Armageddon spoken of in the Apocalypse;
on the one hand Austria, Germany, and England, tied
on the other hand Turkey, Russia, and Italy. For the
sake of completeness and symmetry, Spain and Sweden
are sometimes thrown in—the former with Franco and
Italy, for no clearly intelligible reason, and the latter
with Germany and Eee:leeel. se +l,.+ ."
Finland and other provinces which were once part of
the Swedish Kingdom. One seer, with more imagina-
tion than his fellows, has recently suggested to me
that most probably America will likewise be dragged
into the whirlpool by her desire to destroy the British
mercantile marine. As to the time when the great
drama is to commence opinion is divide 3, but the
majority of the political astrologers declare that all
their observations point to the spring of the present
year as the time when the curtain should ride.
"These predictions are founded on a supposed change
in the policy of Austria and England with regard to
Turkey. Both these Powers were formerly among the
most strenuous defenders of the integrity and inde-
p,nde.nce of the Ottoman Empire, but recent events
seem to indicate that they have now abarfdoned that
policy and are mak rig preparations for securing their
respective shartsOf the Sick Man's inheritance.
Austria, it is exp.a ned , is to advance towards the
t d
pho_rus firat by means of commerce,
pi3ouiltiee propaganda,aa a terwards
nneaxliadtioni, while
s
12.E,,Jexaanyaandanthde
. is grand
hner inflduence in Asia Minor
by
orzevaildi't
iaar military a eineccurep,ateio
ytiontakofintgh. posses-
sait,l,cln
ot Syriatha withthere
countries. a vie
prince Bismarck, would
tovaueltrimeaalitzeal
proval and meral support of
checking her
scheme, which is believedTutorkhisa: edoombtinaianteiodnthaendapa.
of course prove fatal ~o
!Ye natural,
therefore, blow to Russia by permanTehat
advance to the Mediterranean. only
shuorald
overeignes.
therefore that the Padishph and the
on defence.
A 'think of combining for the conene a
a formal
A decided wpprochement between the two
el_
bee, we are assured, already been made, .
defensive alliance is on the point of being con-
cluded." . . . . •