The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-11-24
THE EAsTEaNsaUEsTIoN,
From the Newt York Tribune -

L FROM the NeW5 Aork Iripufe EsS.
Russia has at last thrown OF. the mask.
Her preparations, military and diplomat
lie, which have been making for several
months are completed, and she has de-
manded at the Courts of the Great Pow
ers the revision Of the treaty of 1856,
which neutraEze the Black Sea and
denied her armed steamers admission to
the Dardenelles. The design has been
long suspected, as the columns of the
Tribune bear witness the demand has
long been anticipated, yet, coming as 1t
now does in official form, il may conVulse
Europe and agitate the rest of the
world
The articles of the treaty most obno1-
ious 20 Russia, and forced upon her by
the alliance of France, England, aud
Turkey, are, of course, those which pre-
went her from terrifying her Southern
coast or entering the Black Sea with her
navy. These articles are as follows:
ART H. The Black Sea i, nenralized While open
10 the msrclnne marines of all nations, lss waters
and ports formally and in perpotuity interdicted
10 vessels of war; whether belonging 20 nations hay
| ing territory bordering on it or otherwise.
ART. 13 The Black Sea being neutraIized by fore
going provision Russiaa and Turkey engage neither to
construct maintain any naval or military arsenal
upon its coast.
The long-manifest desire of Russia to
reposscss the Black Sea, if not natur-
al one, is certainly consistent With her
past policy. The Black Sea is not only
her chief southern outlet for the immense
trade of the regions traversed by her prln
cipal rivers, the Danube and the DBei-
per, but it is also her best defense in
war The Russians, in iustifying their
policy, will perhaps lay greater stress
than we can upon the fact that it also
offers the best base for aggressive opera
tions against their old enemy, the Turk
There is every reason. therefore why
Russia, finding her hopes Of extern
sion westward destroyed by the
unifcation of Germany, should seek
again the old channel for carrying out
her schemes Of aggrandizement And it
was to be expected that she would take
the present opportunity, when the power
Of France is broken and England is una
bic to enforce the treaty, to demand its
abrogation. While the former allies of
Turkey have become weakened to help
lessness, Russia, on the contrary, has
greatly strengthened her power. 1t is
intimated, and with such positiveness
and minuteness that the statement will
hardly be doubted fer moment. shat
Russia has formed a secret alliance with
Prussia which secures the active aid of
that power ia preventing any Interior
ence Russia has watched Austria while
Prussia destroyed France. Prussia is
now to watch England while Russia
SEXES the Black Sea. That is the plain
English of the treaty.
The task Of repossessing the Black
Sea will not be more difficult one than
that Of Prussia in invading France; nor
will the campaign, if it comes to war, be
as long Turkey is powerless to resist
unaided, and she can hope for the as
sistance this time OF no English feet aud
French army. Russia has upon the
Black Sea feet of twenty or thirty
merchant steamers, which can be readily
converted into very formidable guRboats,
while the merchant service of Turkey is
comparatively weak. Russia has large
feet OF armed vessels cruising IN Greek
waters since the first Of last September,
and is even prepared to demonstrate at
once against Constansinople. 4 war, if
it should unfortunately come to that
would be most unequal one.
But it is not certain that there will be
any war. Indeed it is not even probable.
The treaty has been modified from time
to time by the admission of a small num-
Der Of guuaoats TO the Black Sea, and
We believe each Power has now armed
vessels in its waters. The policy forced
on Russia by the result of the Crimean
war was less the demand of Turkey than
Of France and England, which sought in
every way to cripple Russia s naval pow
er and it is possible that the Sultan will
consent to the entire abyogation Of the
treaty rather than begin All unequal con-
test for its maintenance.