New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-17

and reforms have shrunk from her, girded as she
is with conceit and haughtiness, interpenetrated
with an apparently indestructble love of tradition
reaching back to the when the race was first ere
ated. But il would now seem that the hour has al
ready struck, or surely approaches, when the retro
spective charm of the Orient will be broken, and
evanesce before the COMPUTATIONS of modern life
gushing in from all Sides Asia Minor and with it
that part of the immense continent where Faith
fixes the cradle Of Humanity, where religion and
civilization began, is now to receive back the full
glow Of the flame, the beacon of progress, which
thousands Of years ago was kindled there as fee
Bile spark. After having made the round of the
globe, civilization, developed by various races and
many generations, during countless centuries, is
to return and 10 evoke new life where its print
tive focus seems 10 have been almost extnguished.
But it is not blood. stained dawn which is to an
nounce the bold intrusion Of the West into the East
The wonder. worker steam, changing physical dis
lance, hurlipg discovered nations into common
unions, bringing mind and matter into vigorous
and almost relentless activity-steam is to course
over the plains and valleys, and drive through the
mountain passes of those spel-bound regions. From
the Mediterranean down to India the iron gear of
the West will be put on.
The chief result of the recent Eastern comm0-
ton will be, not the galvanizstion of Turkey, or
rather of Islamsm and its Turkish follOwers-not to
breathe into the Osmans strong and independent
life but the transformation of those domains of the
Crescent into worlds thoroughfare, and thus to
force the dreaming Asascs to regard modern cul
ture and its results. England, urged by her en-
terprising and specializing aims, is to cut through
that part Of Asia the shortest way TO India, and
thus to compensate for furnished military glory by
the force and activity Of her capital.
The whole Turkish empire has been surveyed by
English engineers, to ascertain its cspability for rail-
roads. Several are projected, and for some grants
have already been made. The main trunk is that
called the Euphrates River Railroad, 10 connect
through other branches the Mediterranean with the
Gulf of Persia. The Euphrstes line will run from
Seleucs or Grantees TO Bsssora or the mouth of the
shst-e.Arab. With it will connect another North.
Eastern branch, beginning at Scutsri. This Is to
run through various mountainous defles, along the
valley Of the River Sakaria, establishing central
points at Angora, Cesarea, Adana, Aexandretts and
Antioch. From Scutari to Alexandretta, the dis
lance is about 700 miles, From Scutsri, through
all the aforementioned points and junetures TO
Bassora, or the Turkish terminus, is about l,750
miles, and ss much from Bassora to India. On the
European side Of the BOsphOrus other lines will
extend, joining with those Of Hungary and central
Europe. And in this manner it will require little
more than three weeks TO reach Bombay from Lon
don.
All these lines unite strategica with commercial
uses, and have prominently military character
Almost all the surveyors are officers Of various
grades and arms in the English service. The Ed
pirates line is granted to an English general;
other lines to colonies, and so forth. The moving
mind regards all these enterprises so far as their
strategica character is concerned, is Lsyard, the
celebrated discoverer Of the ruins of Nineyeh, and
as well known for his hatred 10 Russia. 1t would
seem that England, schooled by her mighty antago-
nist, is about TO initiate Russia by combining in
railroads peaceful with warhke purposes.
The hatred and dread Of Russian preponderance
in Asia are therefore at the bottom of these railroad
enterprises. Even according to the opinion of the
less violent English politicians and their continental
echoes, terrible tornado is brewing. These poll
ticans see approaching slowly but steadily the hour
Of the struggle for life or death, for supremacy over
Asia, between those two gigantic European powers.
For this end bOth-it is said-are laying down their
railroads; for this end England surrounds and
strengthens herself with alliances such as that Of
Austria. Russia, thrown upon her own resources,
looks within for strength, and is determined 10
elaborate her intrinsic opulence. But it often
happens IN this world, that events tOresaadowed