The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-20
COnStanfIHnnln.


The London SpeCtdICF gives the following i'm
pressive view OF Constantinople, as o point of
mllitarYa nd naval power, and of the results
which European statesmen fear from the aoquisI-
ton OF 1t by Russia:--
Russia in possession of Constantinoplc woull
be in just that position; and so would Germany
be, II she were suzerain from Pesth south wards;
or, for that matter, England, ii she had q rail-
road from Scutar to India. The specially of
Constantinople, the virtue for which men have
fought for 1t for twelve hundred years, is Just
this, that any strong man who holds 1t aud the
territory Immediately north of 1t can hit any.
body he likes without beng hit in return. He
strikes out at ease, while his adversary hits his
knuckles against pillars. 1hat does not matter,
II he Is weak like the later Greek, or q worm
out barbarian like the Turk; but suppose he is
ut once strong and aggressive A Romsnof
master OF Constantinople would have an unas'
sailable depot or fortress, with u huge dock
yard, the Sea of Marmora, on the eastern
siue, inaccessible TO any flag but his own; a
huge close harbor, the Bosphorus, in front; and
a huge fortress, which he would build at very
slight expense, for twenty 100 FOUNDERS on
MOnscu carriages, would shut the entrance
against anything but "a bird, upon the west.
He could build fleets forever which nobody
would even see, and could strike any place in
the Mediterranean without chance OF re-
prsals.
at engineers may be trusted any man in the
profession, with European work men, a couple
of millions, and absolute power, could place
Copstantnople beyond the reach of assault,
making OF 1t a fortress TO which Cronstadt would
be toy---and British fleet with Napier on
board did not take Cronstadt. Nobody would be
able to get near il, any more than to get near
TObolsk, while its owner could get near any
body as the VIceroy of Tobosk cannot do. He
would be a long armed boxer, master at once of
the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, of the
mouths Of the Danube, the mouths of the VOlga,
and the mouths of the Nile; would control or
menace the northern coast OF the Mediterranean,
where the present is so great; threatening Mar
selcs, and Naples and Athens, aud Trieste all
at once; and OF the southern coast, where the
future is so possible.
'Aoreover he would be driven, partly by the
prestige OF his capital, which would make it
the resort of all the uisContented in Western
Asia, partly by his own natural hunger for
beautiful properties easily acQulred-ior reve-
nue., in fact-to conquer Asia Minor and Egypt,
which would lie, as 1t we're, at his doors; and,
II he were decently prudent, would ask him to
come in. The Fellahs would accept Satan If he
rid them Of the Paaha aud let them have their
lands as Russian villagers in the interior have
their lands. This would be to seize the fairest
countries of Asia aud the only country in Africa
worth having: to possess regions which wisely
governed would yield endless cash, and open
routes to any conquest the Car might from
judgment or am bitlOn, or even caprice, heartily
desire Behind, in the cold North, would lie
myTiads OF Obedient soldiers; by his side, tlmid,
though jealous enemies; in front, q rich popula-
ton, ready TO be seris.
"The Gar would be an armed man in porch
ready TO rob any passenger weaker than MIN =
self, but almost unassailable by the police of
the world. He might not wish to assail any
body-that is possible theory about any politi-
Cian-but he would have every temptation to do
| it; he could not be hurt ii he did, and he would
| be very much pressed by those around him to
| try; more pressed than the Indian Vceroy is to
! annihilate the last vcstge5 of native independ-
! enCe. He would be surrounded, in fact, by
races who need strorg order to whom he could
! give strong order, and whose conquest would
| therefore seem an act of mercy. No doubt he
| could, ii too dangerous, be resisted in the end
"The rise of America mas altered all European
conditions, and it is difficult 10 conceive the
power to which the English speaking peoples,
orce united III offensive and defensive alliance
could not dictate terms of peace, or rather the
ultimate limits of war; But the statesmen of
Europe have hitherto held it wiser not TO let
affairs arrive at so extreme poiLt Of tension,
to insist that no power should rise to such a
height as to be unassailable to lay down the
prOyisO that a nation which mas natural advan-
tages such as Russia has in her SHOWS and
size, and BURland in her insuiar position, should
not be allowed 90 conquer other and equal ad.
vantaoes, and thus combine very many modes
OF attack with very few necessities for defense.
The statesmen may be wrong in their opinions
/ we bv no means deny it-but they are not wrong
! IN their facts, namely that Russia IN getting
| COnstantinople would get hundred opportuui-
| ties of attack without ipCurripg one extra liza.
| bility for defense, that Constantinope is the
natural fortress of the world, the one position
| in which il might be possible to build up a
| power that would compel the remainder of man
| kind if they liked independence, to sleep always
! under arms