The New York herald., 1870-09-24
Trouble I'm tho Eust.

We print this morning some telegraphic mat
ter relative to the East. Russia, it Is said,
has serious intentions of marching south.
Coming events cast their shadows before The
shadow in the East Is so clear and so well de-
fined that the coming event may be expected
with some confidence If all the rumors now
a1oat bo true Russia and Turkey are about to
meet In deadly combat. The crescent and the
cross are once again, as antagonistio forces, to
command the attention OF Europe and the
world.
There are many who say that Russia is not
In a condition to go to war. She looks east
ward; she is gathering up her strength; she
is preparing, but not yet ready-all this kind
of thing is said, and not without good reason.
Admitting, however, that what is said is true,
is 1t not at the same time undeniable that
Russia has at last found her opportunity 1t
Is her mission, as she believes, to drive tho
Saracen from Europe, and by the occupation
of Constantlnople to re-establish the empire
of the East. She has not forgotten the
Crimean war and Its consequences. The
Gear Alexander is notoriously man
Of peace. But Alexander, like all other
princes In these times, must bow to the force
of public opinion. Public opinion In Russia Is
not like public opinion in any other part Of the
civilized world. There the mobiles are mighty,
and the mobiles sigh for an opportunity to
avenge what they call the Crimean wrong.
But for France and Great Britain Russia
would now have been enthroned in the city of
Constantine. France is now out of the ques-
she undertakes another war in defence of
Turkey. Is it not time that the Turk were
sent back to Asia? Is Russia wise longer to
wait? No Power but England could now
hinder her from completing her mission. Is it
impossible that to-day Russia, Austria, Prussia
and England are of one mind Why cannot
the Great Powers agree2 Let Russia have
Constantinople. Let Austria have the Danu-
bian princpalities Let Great Britain have
the entire control of the Suez Canal. What
more is wantedi England is the one Power
that Russia has to fear. II England gets pos
session of the Suez Canal, and thus safe
highway to India, Russia may march south
ward without let or hindrance in that quarter
and without England there is no Power in
Europe that can afford to 60 to war on the
Eastern question. We await further news
but the signs of the times are increasingly
troublous. The Pope is down; why should
not the sick man Of Constantinople folIow7
Yellow Fever in tho Mediterranean Ports.
Dispatches from Madrid contain the infor-
nation that yellow fever to an alarming extent
is raging In Barcelona, and that the other cities
on the Mediterranean coast are In high excite.
ment over the fact. It appears that the fever
presents q very virulent type, including the
vomito. In Barcelona there were thousand
cases reported, of which four hundred proved
fatal The city had become so stricken with
terror that seventy thousand Of Its inhabitants
have fed, and business is, in consequence,
wholly paralyzed. Where did this pestilence
come from, aud how did it come? 1t
was brought to Barcelona by the steamer
Maria Pia, from Cuba, just the infected
place from which vessels are arriving in
this port of New York every day. The
reason, perhaps, why Barcelona is scourged
with pestilence, while New York is free from
it, Is Just in the difference Of quarantine
systems. In Barcelona, probably, quarantine
laws are poorly observed, while we know that
in New York, under the able management of
DR.. Carnochan, they are strictly carried out,
even against factious and annoying opposition
from various selfish quarters.
If the ports Of the Mediterranean can be
scourged with yellow fever imported from
Cuba, allowing that ii takes some three or four
weeks for sailing vessel to make the voyage,
and probably half that time for steamer,
how much greater is the risk at this port,
where sailing vessels can make the passage
from Havana, Cienfuegos and the West India
ports in few days. How much greater,
therefore, the necessity for the closest vigil
lance on the part of the Health Officer of the
port to preserve strict quarantine. For
tunately there is an official In that position
now who, despite the number of vessels ar
irving in the lower bay from infected ports
during an intensely hot summer, which is the
potent agent of infectious disease, has kept
the city free from contagious disorders up to
this time.
We remember the excitement during the
fall of 1856, caused by the importa-
ton of yellow fever from Cuba and
other Southern ports how quarantine
hospital on Staten Island became pest
house; when we were startled by the news
that nine deaths from yellow fever were re-
ported in one week, occurring among the en-
ployes of the Quar- antine station, including the
gatekeeper, the engineer and their families |;
how the residents of Staten Island protested
more forcibly than in words against the exist
ence of the Quarantine Hospital in their
midst; how the inhabitants on the Long Island
shore were smitten with the disease, which
floated ashore in the infected clothing thrown