The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-07


A change in the position of European Affairs
's fast approaching. Every mail Turkey 3 In
terest in the war or wa les; short While hence,
her quarrel with Russia viii be forgotten in
the tumult Of general strugy for the SD
premacy Of the Continent Tn two walls in
the struggle are France and Russia; the result
win establish the supremacy OF the one or the
other throughout Europe. TIL other powers,
though less directly Concerned in t e contest,
will of necessity find themselves involved
therein for the projection Of the commerce,
their colonies or their political institutions.
Thus Eng and Is forced to side with Napoleon
in order to preserve the route to the East and
the ties which unite her AS attic possessions to
the rest OF the empire. Germany win be COM
PEELED 10 participate for the safety of her several
monarIAies and principalities. In such war as
thatu~w commencing neutrality is only possible
In We case Of Insignificant States such those Of
'Esaly, or decrepit monarchies like Spain. All
the leading powers must bear q share Of the
burthen. Austria may procrastinate and Prus-
STA yacillate between national duty and dy-
nastic sympathy; but the fall and winter can-
not elapse before both shall have been COM
PEELED to make choice between the West and
the East, and march their armies into the field.
Indeed, our last advices render it quite likely
that Q few weeks may solve the problem. The
story that Russia was prepared to evacuate the
Principalities is exploded by intelligence to
the effect that Prince Gortschakoff declares his
intention to occupy them with 100000 men, and
proclaims the Gear " Protector of the Danubian
Principalihes." This is practical and expli
cit refusal to accede to the terms of pacifcation
which Austria 10 understood to have proposed.
Should the accounts of the concentration of q
Russian army on the Austrian frontier be well
founded, it is difficult to perceive how the young
Emperor or his advisers can hesitate much
longer. Indeed, it was confidently anticipated
in England, when the steamer left, that orders
would be despatched to the 100000 Austrian
troops in Gallicia, Bukowina, and Transyivania
to march On the Principalities, so as to antici-
pate the threatened movement Of the Russian
reserve against Vienna
On the other hand, though the conferences be
tween the two great German Powers appear to
be harmonious, and advices Of fresh conventions
and protocols reach us by every mail, the atti-
tude Of the King Of Prussia has not been
changed. According to the French and English
newspapers, his sympathy for the cause of his
brother-in law is undim nished. The feeling Of
the Prussian people would seem to lean to the
other side and it is probably to the struggle be-
tween his personal predictions aud his fears
as q sovereign that his hesitation must be
ascribed. Should Austria embrace the Western
alliance with spirit aud cordially the course
pursued by Prussia would not be likely to ex-
ercise very material influence upon the issue
of the war but till the Court at Vienna has
taken decisive step Prussian influence will
continue to be formidable, and the prospect of
the Gear winning Germany to his side will be
sufficiently strong to afford the Western allies
serious ground for apprehension.
So far as the war itself is concerned, the At
lantic brings no news Of any actual progress
In the Baltic, on the Black Sea, and on the
Danube, an inactivity, which in this case seems
anything bat mastery. is the order Of the day.
Sir Charles Napier has won victory, not over
the Russians, but over the cholera. This for
midable foe vanquished, and his squadron re-
nforced by the vessels which recently sailed
from Calais, it is possible that we may hear Of
something more worthy Of the expectations he
raised than the bombardment Of Bomarsund.
The fleets In the Black Sea and the armies near
Varna are said to be waiting for the move
ments of Austria before taking any decisive
step. British writer's recommend the blockade
Of Sebastopol Ia terms which indicate lively
Impotence at The oyer-cautious tactics of the
allied Admirals In fact. the whole matter
the movements Of the allied forces in the field
and at sea, and the movement of public opinion
in the British and French capitals may be
summed up in the remark that the wa is at
stand still, and the Western nations much an.
noyed thereat. All the fighting hitherto has
been done by the Turks. Should this continue
to be the case much longer, the value of the
Western alliance will be questioned by every
one.
Whatever is done by the allies, the prospect
Of termination of the war was never more
distant than at present. The extremitics OF
Russia may be crippled by change Of tactics
on the part of the allied troops but her vitals
cannot be reached. Behind her lies o continent
of balfcivilized races which she can train under
her banners AMI bring into the field. half nil
lion at time. Her only vulnerable points
might be surrendered without involving any
fatal injury to her power St Petersburg
might be aband oned, and the Gulf Of Finland
given up to the allied fleets Moscow and the
heart Of the empire would still be inaccessible
from the north. In like manner the capture OF
Sehastopol would involve nothing more than
the lo,s of that seaport. 1t wosld require
force which all Europe could not supply to
force passage to the forth. Even supposing
that uniform success attended the operations Of
the allies, the Gear could calf army after army
into the field, and supply each battalion that