Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-02-01

i BAKAGuAf D'HlLLlERS,
| L. DE- WlLDENBRUCK,
i B.DE BRuCK.
PERA, Dec IL, 1883.
The Power OF Russia sud Chances of War.
l tfrom the London Times, jan iol
The circular recently published in the Hon;f, nv ,h
sovenment has the merit Of stating with author
several points which rested before the nj
this document on the nfor aud rcasoniug Of ,h
public press alone In the first place. II is esta6shed
n'ndeed any uncertainty could exist on the point,h,
no treaty concluded with Russia closes the nav;a,, ~
the Black Sea against foreign ships of war Tho conx.
ton OF is4 empowers the Sultan to open the Strait, nj
the heiespont and tho Bosphorus in time OF war ANA
When that entrance Is open with tho co,se,, az
Key no further restriction whatever can be ,.id n, ;,
on S lns navigation OF tho EnSine. Nevertheless the
french government declares that the combined souan
iorooe to take Immediate advantage OF their poson s,
the premature appearances Of their vessels in more ms
dse proximity TO the Russian territory might have h
taken for a challenge. And VIC are far,ho, oe \,
| formed by positive reference to the desn.,,ha.
OF General CAstebsjac, "that tho Cabinet of 8,
takng the Offensive where in the contest 90
iy begun with Turkey" Having thus besn ,n,happ,
,ns' inc orbearanco Of the Allied Powers would
ne imated oy Russia, and that her admira, uop
rencontre as carefully theirs had done tho rrsnnh
meet did not exercise that active vigilance ON tho
asa MINOR, winch the deplorabo occurrence at Sinope
mas SINCE demonstrated to have been necessary Snrh "a
rhe public nnd ocal language Of French Npi.cr oS
foregn Affairs, and we presume that IL will be eo.-o,o
rated by the reports oil Sir Hamilton Seymopr .r ~
dispatches OF the British govcrnmeat nbc,, ,b.x 80
Known TO ns There is attempt to disguise m. S,.,
.na' III tn's us In former Instances, the allied govern
nen's rcposed, perhaps too confidently on ns.Sr,ns
aud engagements which Russia has never SCRUBBED m .o
AT nousht But there is also no ambiguity In tho M,
ne! IN when as breach OF faith the world
IL Is Impossible TO state moro clearly that oromisa raj
been Siven that France absained from actvc on.r,;
IN the Black Sea on the faith of this promise and
and scandalouSy broken. We have heard II orsma5
by some few persons that alter all the attack on SiSo
was no more than an act OF and that war being do
c!hrod, all such acts jusiiGablc sine, ts frs, Oh
Jec destruction. But thi. French circular
establishes that understanding existed which wns IN
grossly and gratuitousl violated and that the result
been to modify the attitude which the Allied Powers b,
up to that time assumed. Their next s,cp Ia tbercIr
tase compensation tor the military positions arssdv
euped by the Rus-i army, aud pledge for the paci6
cation oil the East For this purpose the British and
French governments have ordered their n,
the Black Sea- and 10 combine their movements 90 a. D.,
prevent the territory or the flag of Turkey from being A.
gam attacked by the naval forces OF Russia These facts
are ALREADY known to our reaiers in substance but in this
recapulaion of them have carefully adhered N ,b.
precise language Of the French government and we
therefore now IN possession of authentic account of The
motive the and the object the great naval move
ment, which will be made as the fleets can e,rs
their anchorage with safety.
At the same tine the Nohiirlr publishes J.crce ca
ing into active service all the recruits liable under the
second portion Of the military cousctipon for 1880 Th;
addition to the army amounts nominsly 40 900 men
but from that figure deduction must be made tn
annual conscrptons OF the French army so 600 bn nj
that number is customary in time peace 10 call M,
one hal; only The second portion, of the wear
though not obliged to immediately remains ii,hI
To be called upon during the whole period which they ibt
have spent under arms. Thus on any ener0encv vhich
requires the army to be raised to the footing the gov
ernnen has in its power summariy call on, the re-
serves Of several preceding years. and Il is usual to take
the series backwards beginning with the most recent nor
ton OF tie CONSUMPTION. The class now called out Ia tb.
reserve division OF 1852, amounting, in fact TO between
10000 and 10000 men; but If the aspect of aft airs be-
comes more serious aud the chance OF more general
tue classes Of ls5 and 1880 may be called ont
10 rapid succession Practically there TO believe
that the effective force Of the French army had been allow
ed to ia from motives Of economy what below the
usual standard. The army Africa is by no means A.
numerous a. 1t when the possession Of the country
was disputed by the Arabs The corps at Rome had been
reduced though, We think, il has again been some
what augmented. In France the army on what is con
sderei in these times peace establishment and the for
OF the empire available for foreign service are
ally SMALL but its military organization perfect that
IN few months lay calling out the reserves the army can
be nearly doubled aud prepared for every
The present augmentation is however, such colossal
scale and in proportion to the respective military aud
naval forces Of France and England may be said to
correspond TO tho increase which to be made our own
feet
There has been disposition the part of either of
the allied States 10 use the language of and init
ndaou TO their adversary increase the apprehen
Sion oil war among their Ga the
mas been hreacd which the force Of France England
were not prepared To execute and hopes Of paccaton
have kept alive by inces-ant attempts negotiation
after the of had impaired their chance
of But the resolutions taken within the last
fortnight in London well in Paris this of
the views of the French government the visible in
crease Oi the ornaments OF both nations terminate ia.
long period of suspense, which more inpatient
| contemporaries have mistaken for hes taton. 40 one
who considers the nature the extent and the peculiar
difficulties OF such contest in the East between Rus,
and the Western powers doubt that to bring IL 10 n
successful termination the greatest States of the world
will sooner later be called upon put forth the r
whole strength All accounts from st. Petersburg
confirm the impression that in Russia the army The
church. and the people auging into this war all the
national energy they possess the upper classes only
see with more alarm ia perils and its results Against
this passionate aggression undertake raise barrier
to this uncontrolled appetite oppose the idea Of mutual
obligation aud of law But let il he rashly supp osed
that the task is easy the labor light The civilization
and independence OF all Europe stake and from
the nature OF this contest il in which Russia
succeed without reducing only the East but the West
into ubJection. Toe Russian empire is difficult Of attack
on - ronters npegnabo in tue of interior
lta people disciplined, rather than debiated by ab.
soute government, aud the force Of single will is never
more sefvceabe than in euch struggle. Throughout
tie empire preparations for made on the largest
scale OF which the government Is capable. Confident
we are IN the Ultimate triumph OF the defended by
England aud France tho honor OF thee
that 30 half measured should be taken aud that VIC are
led to engage in a. all, il should with the full con
'ciolsncss that have prou aud powerful antagonist
! to overcome.