Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-01

nc ulmcultles between England and
Russia growing out OF the latter powers
military operations In Asia, excite the
llveiest interest, and the following from
u Vienna dispatch lie said TO express the
opinion which prevails at the Austrian
capital.
Ras-ia il pursuing her grand aim in
Asia AT once in a diplomatic, military.
ecclesiastical, commercial aud civilizug
point OF view. A Russian proyerb SAYS.
" Where date trees thrive not, neither
thrives Mohammedansm There may
be some truth III this adsge. Be this as Il
may, Rassia's advances toward Central
Asia aud toward India, excite the liveli,st
Interest in Niennese military and scientific
ciicles. An uniniermltent aud earnest
study Is being made Of the subject. 1t T.
here he'd that Russia is At pr, sent adj
vancing In the direction Of Ntntrsl Asia
and India with the sNms UNI n, hing per-
severance and consistency with which,
during Il twenty years wsr, she not only
fubJugAted, but absolutely nunIhi'uted OF
dispersed the independent poole of the
Caucasus, whose assimilation Was iouGd
To be impractcable.
The opinion is expressed that the ar
gressions will be pushed to au extent that
will cause England 10 resist them o main.
tain her prestige. The interesting ques.
ton then il, will England fight 4 Lon
don letter to The New York Tribune, dis.
cussing this question, says;
great part Of British strength In
India depends on prestige. England moi
only must not give way there helor,
Russia or any Other power she must moi
seam to give way. And that Is where tn,
mistake has been made about English
| purpose to fight and readiness to fight
She has no purpose to fight any NOR,
wars Of the stupid Crimean kind. But sh,
Is not merely nor mainly an insular power
she is an Empire, stretching ever a grea
part Of the globe, and her Imperial powe
rests on India Ia this sense, that il eli,
cannot keep India she cannot keep any
thing.
Now her people have, in my Judgment
no mind to surrender India, or to reced
from the Imperial position India give
them. have not the Smallest doubt the
would fight sooner than reeede. Probable
they ought TO have fought for Denmark ii
1854 for kindrcd's sake, but the Enplisl
people on the whole did not care to. /
! they had thought II worth their while a
an Imperial power, they would certainl'
have fought, spite Of the ascendeucv o
the Manchester school in politics. Othe
European peoples said then and said agaii
in lS7O-7l-reasoniug on the plain reluc
lance Of England to enter into quarrel
which once she would have taken a
promptly-England will fight no more
unless In actual defence Of her islam
home. But the mistake was in supposinl
Englishmcn had fallen or in hghtin
quality or in fighting temper. There ha
been change, but not of that kind
Englishmen, ] believe, are as ready a
ever to eight, but not IN the same quarrel
as OF old. There Is as much pugnacity
II only needs a stimulus to rouse IL all
ferent from. the stimulus which formerl
reused Ii.
When her Government was AristoeratIt
} II went to war In such quarrels as Arlstot
racy had an interest in. Her Governmeu
to-day lie, on the whole, Democratic, an
she will 60 10 war 10 such Quarrels a
, Democracy has an interest in. In othc
, words the inlercs ST Of a few guided in fol
, mer days the policy Of England with rel
erence to other countries. In these day
, II lie the interest Of the whole people, {
! the people powerful enough to get then
J selves represented 10 Parliament, whic
will decide the question Of Peace or Wa
J Beyond doubt the interest of the powerft
classes now constituting a majority
2 wrapped mp in the preservation of Ii
/ Imperial Power Of Great Britain. d
not believe there is any considerable m
! nority Of Englishmen who would vote ic
r dismemberment, or who would not vol
: for war In preference TO dismembermen
J They will fight Russia, If need be, in Asst
= They would greatly prefer not to Agh
but show them that Russia is menacin
India, and that the moment Is come whe
her advance threatens English supremaC
} ln India, aud they will start an army +,
4 Afghanistan and feet to Kronstadt, an
! set half the world in a blaze sooner tina
5 yield an inch on the banks Of the Oxus.