The New York herald., 1870-11-15
America. Russia and England Face 10 Face
In the DnrdaneIles.

The American Congress having repeatedly
protested against the impediment to free navi-
cation in the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus,
the anxiety of England to settle the Alabama
claims at the time of the analogous demand
of Russia for the abolition of unfair restric-
tions upon the freedom Of the seas is very
natural, considering the apprehensions OF
Great Britain as to the Russo-American
alliance.
The United States government having never
ratified the treaty of Paris of 1856, which rem
dered more stringent the previous stipulations
for the exclusion Of men-of-war and for the
distractions to free navigation In the Black
Sea and the straits connecting with It, Admi-
raj Farragut and other officers before him
never failed to contend that they had a perfect
right to sail through the Dardanelles and the
Bosphorus to the Black Sea, and that the
regulations entered into by the Porte with
other Powers could not bind the United
States, which was no party to such regula-
ton. These views of Farragut were formally
corroborated by Congress In series of reso-
lutions introduced by Mr.. Kelley, Of Penn
sylvania, asserting the right Of this
country to free navigation and its determine
ton not to be held responsible for treaties
made by foreign Powers among themselves
without the consent or the approval of the
American authorities.
This Congressional resolution, declaratory
of the non-exlstence of the treaty of Paris so
far as the United States is concerned, became
the subject of diplomatic action on the part of
Secretary Seward, and eliminated in the modi-
tlcation of restrictions and taxes upon foreign
shipping in the Eastern waters. =
The principal effect, however, Of this Amerl-
can intervention was to encourage Russia in
demanding the removal Of distractions which
were declared by the American Congress to
constitute an outrage upon the generally
acknowledged principle of freedom Of the
seas, and to lead to the agitation Of the ques-
tion of abrogatiug altogether the preposterous
treaty, which would never have been con-
cluded if the Emperor Napoleon had not
been bent on humiliating Russia, and if
England had not deemed it matter of saliva
tion to cripple the power of Russia In the
East. 1t is remarkable coincidence
that, pending the issue of our differ
ences with Great Britain, the United
States should have played into the hands
of Russia by cooperating with her In protest
ing against the stultifying stipulations of the
treaty Of Paris, and thus giving semblance
Of confirmation to Englands fear of an Ameri-
can-Russian coalition against her with view
of neutralizing her power of resistance in the
East.
1t may be observed, however, that this
coalition of America and Russia was rather
accidental than premeditated. Russia cannot
infringe upon the treaty of Paris except by
the general consent of the signing Powers or
at the risk Of war. The United States, on the
other hand, being no party to that treaty, pro-
tests against any obligation to acquiesce in the
attempt of the Porte to Danish our men-of-
war from the Dardanelles, Bosphorus and the
Black Sea. Thus, while the appearance Of
Russian feet in the Golden Horn would con-
stitute casus 6eNi, that Of the American
squadron could not be construed into viola
ton of treaty obligations; and this is the
reason why England desires to settle her
accounts with us at q time when our American
squadron could easily, without embroiling us
in war, make a demonstration against Great
Britain in the Black Sea, and to that extent
give moral support to the Russian demand
for free navigation Of the Eastern waters.
At all events President Grant will be
obliged to send some of our men-of-war to the |
Bosphorus for the protection Of American mis-
sionaries and merchants In the East as a guard |
against impending dangers. The passage of
our feet through the Dardanelles will practi-
cally dispose of the insane pretensions to
coerce the American government to accept
treaty which was concluded without its assent
or ratification, and, Of course, will leave 1t to
the ingenuity of our cousins to put whatever
construction they please upon the simulta-
neous arrival Of the American and Russian
feet In the waters of the Dardanelles.
A great opportunity seems now to present
itself to General Grant to insist upon indemni-
fcaton for the moral and material wrongs
inflicted on the United States by the depreda-
tions Of the Anglo-rebel cruisers upon our COM
merce and by England's connivance with our
enemies in destroying the integrity Of the
American republic, and at the same
time Of raising his country to the position of
the arbiter of European destiuies and stretch
| ing hand to that young and vigorous twin
giant Of the East which freely prohered its
own to us in our hour of peril. The angry
howl raised by the English press against our
bill Of grievances produced for q time
perfect storm Of animosity, which was sup
posed at the time to affect General Grant to
such an extent as to make him recede from
the ground taken. But, on the contrary, he
simply dispayed the attitude Of repose which