The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-10-05
The European War Cloud.

Among the kilograms from Europe VIII BE
found an unusually important one 10 the effect
that Russia has demanded of Turkey the cessiOn
Of Crete 20 Greece. under penalty Of war at the
end Of ten days from September 10. This j. the
bland which has been in insurTection against
Turkey for the year past. Ii had a population
81 about 200. Goa 20 tie commencement Of the
rebellion. most of whom were Greek christians,
and ia sympathy with lie Russian national
church. Tie population has been much reduced
rs war and tie scenes incident 20 It.
Tie Western Iowers-Encand and France
have long been urgent q have q commission To-
investigate the Cryian trouble. and pat an end
&, the war. Turkey, however, IercInptoriiy re-
fused any interference in her affair, and replied
that she can settle her own difficulties. At this
Junction RUSSIA STEPS ia and demands the ccssion
Of the island Of Crete % Greece. to which i; pro-
IeEly belong, ~ by birth and religion the people
are more ia SYMPATHY with the Greeks than with
the Turks.
What course England and France win now
take. i not settled: but ~ Russia will lave the
moral support Of all nations On her side, in this
demand. it j. not unlikely that those powers will
advise the Sultan to yield, aud peacefully ccle
the island To Greece. This will prevent all
trouble. But as the Sultan Is proycrbially stub
b,rn, it l. MT clear what may follow the per-
ernptory demands Of Russia.
Should Turkey refuse these demands, says the
JIgies, il j. difficult 10 see how u general war can
b. avoided. Her fleets and armies once in mo
tim, Russia would never consent To stop them
until her long-cuyetci prize was sccursl. She
has been making every PREPARATION ior a gigantic
struggle, and must be thoroughly ready. This
time she will fight under much more favorable
circumstances tlHn IN the CTiinean war. Her
army and navy have been increased and vastly
improved, her deicn>es have been strengthened.
AMI immense stores Of war material accumulated.
In both the Black Sea and the Baltic she has
powerful fleets, consisting Of vessels Of the most
approved description; aud the vast system of rail
roads which have been constructed IN the last few
years enables her To concentrate her tro1t-. and
bring to thc point Of attack or defense her entire
available force. In Europe she probably counts
upon the assistance OF Prussia as against France,
while. by an invasion OF India, from which her
Southwestern .Asiatic army Is not far removed,
che would lie able to strike England & vital blow.
~ the present move of Russia must have been
long anticipated, the diplomacy Of England and
France has doubtless been occupied with prepara-
tiOns To meet it, but what combinations have
been formed il is difficult to determine. Neither
nation can desire IL war with Russia. France
has enough 10 do to maintain her position in
Europe, and England has everything To lose by
war. Yet neither power can safely allow Russia
to carry out designs which would at once make
her prepondcrance overwhelming, and prove fatal
To their commercial rs well Us their political
supremacy. They wOu.l no doubt gladly post
ponc the contest, but it is evident, from the pre-
partitions which Russia has been making, that
she i determined to strike for the possession Of
the Turkish provinces she has 50 long desired,
and they must either acquiesoe or fight.