The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-24
RUSSIA AND THE EAST.
Lon don Sat,trddv Rspieip.

Russian alliance FOR France, it is not unlikely
that his mission may suggest or facilitate
revival OF Russian enterprises in the East. 1t
has been plausibly conjectured that he is in
structed to offer, in return for diplomatic or
military aid, modification of the treaty of
1856 to which France was a principal party.
1t is scarcely probable that the Government
of st. Petersburg will enter into an onerous
contract when 10 has already secured the only
consideration which the French agent can
propose. For the moment France is unable
to exercise any foreign interference; and If
Russia infringed the conditions of the Treaty
of Paris, she would only have to reckon with
England, with Austria. and perhaps with
North Germany. The connivance
or cooperation of France in
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Russia might have
been obtained on several occasions since the
close of the Crimean war. Almost imme-
diately after the conclusion of peace the
Emperor Napoleon began to intrigue against
English policy by encouraging the union of
the Danubian Principalities, which under the
arrangement of 1856 was to be kept aparj.
In 1860 Lord Palmerston with difficulty
bafled French project of occupying Syria;
and three or four years ago the French Gov
eminent favored at intervals the Cretan in
surrection, which was openly countenanced,
and perhaps promoted, by Russia 1t is not
known whether there were any secret nego-
tiations which would have explained the
apparent caprice of the Emperor Napoleon's
policy. His projects of approximation to
Russia were interrupted by the Polish con-
troversy of 1868, and he was probably at all
times hampered by his desire to cultivate
friendly relations with Austria and with Eng
land yet in 1866 he was prepared to make
war on Austria without provocation, and
when he composed the secret Project of
Treaty for the seizure of Belgium he must
have anticipated a rupture with England.
The Russian Government seems for the most
part to have received his fitful advances with
prudent reserve. For several years after the
war the energies of the Empire were employed
in repairing its resources, and in great or
ganic chan ges of the social system. After an
interval the Government seemed to devote
itself to the successful prosecution of
conquest in Central Asia, and
to the extension of the railway
system. 1t has been generally believed that
the prosperity and industry of Russia have
been temporarily checked by the abolition of
serfage. There have also been, rumors sof
financial embarrassment, and of imperfec-
tons of military equipment; but, early in
1869, 10000 men were armed with breech-
leaders, and the field artillery, all with rihed
guns, was very powerful. In the same year
the prosecution of an elaborate system of
military railways traversing the southern and
western provinces suggested the inference
that schemes of aggrandizement would be
postponed until the works were completed;
but the great catastrope which has since oc-
Cured could not then have been foreseen,
and it is not improbable that the collapse of
France may have affected the policy of
Russia.
The official secrecy which was rigidly en-
forced in the days of Nicholas has been i'm
perfectly dispelled by the partial freedom now
accorded to the newspaper press. A careful
student may learn from the journals of ST.
Petersburg and Moscow the opinions of diffe-
rent political sections, and the real or pro-
feSSed inclination Of the Government. 1t
appears that public opinion, as far as it exists
in Russia, is on the side of France against
Germany; while, on the other hand, the
Emperor Alexander openly sympathizes with
the military triumphs of the German Princes.
Cautious Russian statesmen foresee pos
sible collision with the formidable power of
Germany, arising from the same causes in
the Baltic provinces which led to the forcible
severance of Schleswig and Holstein from
Denmark. Some Russian journals have even
recommended the Cancellation of Poland as
the first step to league of the Sclavonic
races against German aggression; but the
Poles themselves, even in Posen,,
appear to sympathize with France, and it will
be difficult to disturb the understanding be.
tween Prussia and Russia which has subsisted
since the partitions of Poland in the last
century. 1t may be considered certain that
the Russian Government will, in accordance
with Its published declaration, continue to be
absolutely neutral between the actual belli
gerents. In Some versions the neutrality was
made contingent on the policy of Austria
but as Austrian intervention is wholly out oi
the question, the result will be the same as il
the policy of Russia were wholly uncondi
tional. General Steinmetz who was lately
transferred from q command in France tc
the Governor -Generalship of Posen, will
not find himself engaged in
active service against his Russian
neighbors. Hereafter the German Govern
nent will probably find it necessary to pro.
tect the independence of the valley of the
Danube in concert with Austria; but for the
present quarrel with Russia would be highly
inconvepient The grievances of the German
population of the Baltic provinces will not
excite active sympathy as long as all the
forces of the nation are required to complete
the series of victories in France. The two
belligerents are likely to be equally passive il
Russia should determine on any disturbance
of the arrangements of 1856.
There is probably SO me foundation for tht
rumor of movements of troops from the
neighborhood of Moscow to the Southern
provinces; and it is said that General Igpa
fief, Russian Ambassador at Constantinople
has, like Menschikoff in 1858, lately uset
menacing language. Ii is possible that the
Russian Government may wish to create un
easiness aud alarm, as a preparation for re
opening the arrangements of 1856; but there
is at present no reason to apprehend a repe
tition of the violent proceedings of the EN-
peror Nicholas. The ill-omened experiment
of crossing the Pruth would not even be
violation of territorv actualiv BELONGING tC