The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

It has recurred to the recollection of the states-
men of Western Europe repeatedly since the time
when NAPOLEON first uttered it. The prophecy
has often since then sounded ominously to those
who think and watch. Occasionally it has almost
seemed upon the eve of its realisation. Things ap-
peared to verge towards its fulfilment, for example,
only seven years ago—when an alliance between
France and England alone hurled back the auda-
cious hordes of the Muscovites within the limits of
.0411 i their own fro tiers. Looking back to that epoch
of the cement of the Crimean War—it
almost diems a hundred years off instead of but
little more than a single lustre. And yet at the
same moment one cannot but recollect vividly
enough, too, how very threatening was the aspect
of affairs at the abrupt outbreak of that formidable
conflict between the colossal power of the Russian
Autocrat on the one hand, and, upon the other,
the combined armaments of the two most ener-
getic and civilised races upon the face of th e
globe.

There were two memorable predictions then,
that appeared in awful combination to warn
Europe that the hour for its being finally over-
whelmed by the advancing forces of Russia had
already struck.

There was the St. Helena prophecy—" In Fifty
Years, Europe will be either Cossack or Republi-
can." The Republican enthusiasm of 1848 had by
that time exhausted itself in Christendom. There
had long since sprung a very powerful reaction.
In the rolling on of the Wheel of Fortune for
Europe, its bias, consequently, appeared to lead it
towards the Autocratic rather than towards the
Democratic branch of the alternative.

And then—in addition to this—there was that
ancient prediction familiar to the Turks during
Four Centuries ! The prediction that when the
power of the Osmanli race should have lasted in
Europe for precisely that period of time, namely,
for exactly 400 years—that then the period would
arrive when the Turk must recross the Bcsphorus
into Asia.

The daring advance of the Cossacks across the
Pruth, the insolent mission of Prince MENSCHIKOFF
to Constantinople, the diabolical outrage perpe-
trated by the Russian Navy in the Black Sea at
Sinope—all seemed together to announce in a voice
of thunder, and in characters of blood and flame)
that the hour had indeed arrived for the fulfilment
of the one or the other of those two renowned and
formidable predictions—it might even be, of both !
The Turk, who is essentially a Fatalist, prepared
for the new Hegira. He seemed to behold the
index-finger of Destiny pointing his way back
inexorably across the boundary-line of the Bos-
phorus. There was a curious coincidence of time,
moreover, that startled him into a momentary be-
lief that the period had in truth been reached
when he must perforce quit the scene of
his four hundred years domination upon
the very borders of Christendom. The mysterious

epoch of four centuries had in effect just then ex-
pired, or rather was just then expiring, when the
Czar NICHOLAS, in 1854, gave that sudden indica-
tion to the world of his fixed determination at
length to advance in the direction of Constantinople.
The Turk remembered the one prediction, Western

Europe remembered the other—that is, the St.

Helena prophecy, that before another half century
should have elapsed Europe herself would be either
Cossack or Republican. A very considerable por-
tion of that half century had already glided by,
and here the threatened peril appeared to impend
imminently over Europe.

As we have said—it was only under Heaven, by
means of the sudden alliance, offensive and defen-
sive, of the two most powerful and civilised nations
of Western Europe, nay, for that matter, of the
whole earth—it was only by this unexpected combi-
nation on the part of Franc© and England that the
Danger was Repelled.

Russia, at the close of the war which then took
place, was not only prevented from advancing—she
was, happily, as the event proved, compelled even
to recede a little, to contract the boundary line of
her European dominion, that line which but a brief
interval before then had threateaed to expand so
very alarmingly.

How, however, since those events, which appear
somehow to have happened so very long ago, and
which, nevertheless, in reality occurred so very re-

cently—Bow, since then, has Russia endeavoured
to console herself ? Nay, we will not simply say
How has she "endeavoured" to console herself—

How has she consoled herself ? The question is as

easily answered as it is asked. Russia has consoled

terself during those last few years very effectually

ndeed—TIIIIS By adding to her already stupen-

dons empire a new territory, as vast in its dimen-
sions as all Italy and France put together ! That
—since the close of the Crimean war—is Russia's
consolation and compensation. Well, in truth,
did M. DE LAINIARTINE, years and years ago,
write in regard to Russia, that her slope
is towards the East! For—baffied in her
daring designs upon Turkey, and through
Turkey upon Western Europe—Russia has con-
trived
(in the manner we have indicated) to gravi- 1

don as un fait accompli. The magnitude of these
works (which Iwe have noticed in another column)
can be best comprehended if the reader will fancy
a railway tunnel 50 miles in length, with branches
for a few hundred miles as connections, resting in
many places on 20 feet of concrete, and at others
on brick ashes.

The engine power required to lift daily some two
I million cubic feet of sewerage to the low levels will
be immense, those at Deptford Creek are to be of
upwards of six hundred horsepower, and yet this
is only the first step in the right direction. Bark-
ing Creek is too near London to be a permanent
outlet for our sewerage, the population is increasing
and the metropolis extending. We shall never be
secure until the German Ocean receive our sewerage
six fathoms below its surface. Although we wish
to see the work carried out on a complete scale,
nevertheless we cannot pay the just tribute to the
members of the Board of Works their engineers and
contractors, and as a proof that first-rate material
has been insisted upon, the price of bricks of first
quality has risen five and twenty per cent. since
the commencement of the works. It would
be invidious to call attention to any particular
contract, all being executed in a sub-
stantial form, and when we mention that
the names of Messrs. BRASSEY and BAZALGETTE
are amongst the number, it is a guarantee of ability.
Mr. THWAITES in placing the keystone in the arch
of the south outlet, although taken by surprise, de-
livered a short speech expressing the satisfaction of
the Board with the general conduct of the works.
In conclusion we feel great pleasure in acknowledg-
ing the attention paid to us, and the information
furnished by Mr. BAZALGETTE, the engineer of the
works, who is evidently heart and soul in the
business.

"Europe will be either Cossack or Republican."
Who does not remember the famous prediction ?
Not one emanating from the oracular pen of ZAD-
KIEL, nor yet from the Delphic mouth of Dr. Cum-
MING ! But the utterance, after a life's experience
—and such a life's experience !—of the Prisoner of
St. Helena.