The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-21
CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Spectator gives che following impressive
view Of Constantinople, as point OF military
and naval power, and Of the results which Eu'
ropean statesmen fear from the acquisition OF
it by Russia:
Russia in possession of Constantinople would
be in Just that position; and so wor!S Germa :
nv be, If she were suzerain from Pesth south
wards: or for that matter, England, II she had
q railroad from Scutari to India. The special
ty OF Constantinople, the virtue for which men
have fought for it for twelve hundred years, is
inst this, that any strong man who holds 1t and
theterritory Immediately north oft can hit any
body he likes without being hit in return. He
strikes out at ease, whilst his adversary hlts
matter, il he is weak, like the later Greek, or
q worn-out barbarian, iks the Turk; but sup
pose he is at once strong and aggressivei A
Romanoff master OF Constantinople would
have an unassailable depot, or fortress, witt.
huge dockyard, the Sea OF Marmora, OF the
eastern. side, inaccessible to any flag but his
own; huge close harbor, the Bosphor1s. in
front; and huge fortress, which he would
build at very slight expeuse-for twenty l00-
Founders on Monsell carriages would shut the
entrance against anything but o bird-upon
'the.west. He could build fleets fore, er which
|. nobody would even see, and could strike any
| place in the Mediterranean without chance
Of reprisals.
II Ifengineers NAV be trusted, any man in the
profession, with European workmen, corpie
of millions, and absolute power, could place
Constantinople beyond the reach OF assault,
making of it fortress to which Cronstadt
would be toy-and a British fleet with Ma
pier on board did not tako Cronstadt. Nobody
would be able to get uear iG, any more than to
get near Tobolsk, while It's owner could get
near anybody, as the Viceroy of Tobolsk cannot
do. He would be 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 Marseilles, and Naples, and Ath-
ems, and Trieste all at once; and Of the south
ern coast, where the future is so possible.
Moreover, he would be driven, partly by the
prestige OF his capital which would make it
the resort Of all the discontented n Western
Asia, partly by his own natural hunger for
beautiful properties easily acquired-for revc-
nue., in fact-to conquer Asia Minor and Egypt,
which would lie, as 1t were, at his doors; and,
if he were decently prudent, would ask him TO
come in. The Fellahs would accept Satan if he
rid them Of the Pasha and let them have their
lands as Russian villagers in tue interior havo
their lands. This would be to seize the fairest
countries OF Asia and the only country in Ar-.ca
worth having; to possess regions which, wisely
governed, would yield endless cash, and open
routes to any conquest the Car might, from
Judgment or ambitlcr, Or even caprice, heartily
desire. Behind. in the cod North, would be
myriads of obcdient soldiers; by his side, timid
though jealous enemies; in front, rich popu-
1ation. ready to be serfs.
Mrh3 Gar would be all armed man in perch,
ready TO rob any passenger weaker than HIM
self; but almost unassailaole by the police 1
the world He might not wish to assail any
body-that is possible theory about any poll
tician-but he would have every temptation to
do it; he could not be hurt if be did, and he
would be very much pressed by those around
him to try; more pressed than the Indian Vice
roy is to annihilate the last vestiges OF native
independence. He would be surrounded, i'll
fact, by races who need strong order, to whom
he could give strong order, and whose con-
quest would, therefore, seem an act of mercy.
No doubt he could, if too dangerous, be resist
ed in the end.
The rise of America has altered all Europe
an conditions, and it is difficult TO conceive
the power to which the Engllsh-spealnng pco-
pies, once uni; ed IN offensive and defensive al
lance, could rot dictate terms OF peace or
rather the ultimate limits of war. But tho
statesmen OF Europe have hitherto held 1t
wiser not to let affairs arrive at so extreme
point OF tension, to insist that no power should
rise to such height as to be unassailablo-to
lay down the proyiso that nation which has