New-York tribune., 1870-09-30
PUSSI1N DESIGNS.


sia has been lately placed on war footing,
and that all its great military strength, 1885,
| 975 men in the aggregate, has been called into
the field. There have been many indications
of the movement and mobilization of the
! troops and there is no reason, therefore, to
disbelieve the telegraphic assurance which
now reaches us of military preparations
on a gigantic scale. Naturally, these demon
strations throw Europe into terrible state OF
| excitement, the English cOnsOls suffer- and the
BOurses of every other nation are affected by
| it. With us curiosity, if not interest, at once
prompt us to inquire into the purpose of the
Car. Does he contemplate a descent upon
Constantinople, or intervention in behalf of
France
Thus far nothing is developed to show his
design we only know that it must be one Of
these two purposes which the Car has in
view. We lay no stress upon the minor facts
quoted by the English press to show that while
Bismarck has been busy in France Gortscha-
koff was intriguing with Austria and paying
flattering and seductive attentions to SaxOny,
with the evident design of detaching them
from their alliance and sympathy with Ger
many. The suggestion of the English papers
that it is Prussia whom the Gar threatens,
is doubtless born of English wishes or English
fears for that commercial nation would much
prefer to see Russia destroying in Protestant
Germany than aggrandizing in Mohammedan
Turkey. 1t is the theory of England's states
men, born of q period when her policy was
aggressive, that the Turkish Empire is the
great defense of the British possessions in India,
and that once past that barrier Russia would
dominate all Asia. We suspect this fear is
well founded. Its existence only strengthens
the reasoning which points to Turkey as the Rus
sian objective. An alliance with Austria, in
the event of movement toward Turkey,
would be a very natural step for Russia to
take, since she would desire to protect her
flank in that direction. The statement quoted
elsewhere which foreshadows an Austrian and
Russian alliance indicates nothing to the point
there under consideration such an alliance is
as likely to be made against Turkey as against
Germany.
A consideration of the motives likely to in
fuence Russia will afford safer guide in this
matter than the mere surface indications of
the moment Russia has much to tempt her
toward the Orient; absolutely nothing to drive
uCl DuO has luc
hope of aggrandizement in the East to attract
her there; she has only the fear of future and
remote complications to urge her to strike at
Germany. With France paralyzed, Austria
powerless, England undecided, and Germany
engaged, Turkey is comparatively weak
enemy, hardly capable unaided of making
against Russia defense more vigorous than
that which France made against Germany.
Germany, on the contrary, is the most power
ful and the best prepared enemy whom Ras-
sla could select in all Europe. A war against
turkey Is likely to make Russia no active
enemies In the West, for England without
france or Austria could not hope to aid the
sultan. war against Prussia would probably
BRING about an alliance between the German
speaking nations, Italy, and England. One
campaign inaugurates a general European war
the other can be restricted to narrow limits
1t was apparent from the first when Cor,o-
chakOif promised Bismarck to protect his roor
that Russia meant to seize the opnortpn;,,, |
for war if the success of the Germons
justified it, If she wished to aid France
she would have done so when France