The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-17
THE EASTERN QUESTION.
A CLOUD ON THE BOSPHoRUS.
Russia Finds Her OppOT'-
tunity.
The Attitude Of Austria and
Turkey.

LONDON. Feb. a. IST4
IL can be no Insignificant sign of the times that
with the accession of a conservative Ministry the
Engusn press begins to take more beihgerent
tone 10 reference to the rumors that already
thlcken the air as to the revival Of the Eastern
question England will not permit tnis will not
be Indifferent TO that" &C., &C., certainly mean
toat England thinks something Is likely to be done
unless she intereres. The English people, whether
inclined to blame Gladstone or not, very gener-
ally admit that the foreign prestige OF England has
been very much damaged by the management OF
the liberal administration Part. and it seems TO
me the wiser part admit frankly that the position
Oh the country is no longer such that 1t can
or ought to NEEDLE ia European politics except
IN selideience but another, and | think
the portion more influential on the new
administration, will with difficulty be reconciled to
the idea OF the obiiteraton OF England as Eu-
ropean POWER. The necessities OF the conserva-
tive administration will compel it, default OF
any distinctive policy, 10 differ from that Of Mr..
Gladstone In It's foreign management and take q
hrmer tone In dealing with questions relating to
the East, and 1t will meet with a certain encour-
agement in taking up the traditional role which
the Crimea saw played out.
WHAT RUSSIA MEANS
The oracular toast OF the Emperor or Russia
pointlng as IL does directly to a crisis in affairs
excites' therefore, an intense interest In certain
directions, and Is, as was intended interpreted in
contrary senses according to the hopes and fears
OF the interpreter. Since the Emperor coupes
the name OF the Queen with that of the friendly
Emperors people say that his 'peace" must Imply
on intention OF disturbing the existing order
OF things. How can he couple the name of
the Queen with peace If he contemplates
war? they say. There is nobody In the world Ike
an Engl!shman for seeing what he wants to see.
The other side OF the question Is not ignored, how
ever. and there are many Englishmen who think
and say tnat the Emperor means peace If he has his
way ana IS confident that the queen will not
allow her government to interfere TO prevent
his carrying out his plans. believe this to be the
simple solution or the oracle. We have seen for
generations that Russia has q fixed and invincibie
intention to penetrate to the Mediterranean; that
she was only stopped by the combined powers OF
France and England, not to talk OF Italy and Tur-
KEY. and that Austria dared not interfere on the
side or the western Powers when they needed her
sadly. Can we suppose that the intention will fail
when the execution Of it becomes at length per-
ectly lacile; when France is helpless, Austria con.
sentsng IN spite Of herself, Prussia intensely
friendly. and England absolutely alone In Europe?
To suppose that England is capable OF Offering
any resistance by any combination in her power
to the plans so long known and always so openly
avOwed OF Russia would imply the faith and sim
pcity OF a French rural; to conceive that Russia
will defer the execution of her plans until France
has recovered her power lar enough TO engage
Prussia in case Of Austria's boiling is TO give the
Russian government credit for less than average
common sense The field is now clear another
year complications unforeseen may arise Turkish
finances are hopelessly involved and bankruptcy
is only kept or Dy temporary loans which General
1gnatlef1 VIII stop by q word: the morale OF the
army is at its lowest; the navy in state OF ludc-
rous in liciency; the sailors habtuated to being
man9uvred only by steam and utterly unused to
their guns; the engineers almost entirely English
men, of whom very few will appreciate the advan-
tage OF being blown up by Russian torpedOes or
sunk by Russian monitors. In o word, all
the force OF Turkey is unable alone,
to delay Russian victory until English
forces could reach Constantinope. TO say that
England would not make war on such cosus beNi
as a move toward Stambou would be rash in
view OF the unaccOuntabe and absurd things the
English government has done; but to believe that
she could help matters by going 10 war Tor Turkey
one must know very little OF the position in and
around the Bosphorus or the general condition OF
Europe.
LORD DERBY'S POSITION.
Lord Derby is TOO well informed to hold any delu-
sion in the matter, and must know that the game
III inc nanuS OF The Gar. tie Is also too
prudent and able Minister to make o useless
effort to fulfil even treaty Obligations unless the
Gar pushes matters rudely as TO make 1t !,
point OF honor to do so, and we may safely con-
clude, 1 think, that the issue Of the matter, while
fatal necessarily to Turkish Independence
will not as surely involve England in any new poiit.
ical combinations. If Russia decides TO smooth
the way for England TO save what she may OF her
prestiget G., the little remaining after the aboli-
ton OF the Black sea treaty, there will be no diff
fculty in accomplishing the WORK so long delayed
the expulsion OF the Turk az political power
from Europe. The Russian marriage and the visit of
the Car to England other expressions OF the
imperial good WILL carried to this point, viz:
that If England is well disposed and as tractable
as ON the occasion Of the revision of the treaty
above alluded to she will be allowed TO suggest
any minor modification OF the imperial decree, in
slst on any matters OF form which her dignity can
make needlui and which do not touch on the
substance OF the decree. In fact, as it is England,
not the Sultan, who is about to abdicae, she will
be allowed to draw up the document of abdicaton
in her own words and add any protocols in favor
of her meriorious servants which may be betting
! the circumstances.
POSSIBILITIES.
| If however England does no. accept the
situation; If a blind pubic opinion Insists
on dying game anu repeating the Crlnean
bunder. while 1t is scarcely possible that she
should change the result, she may put herself NOR
ally IN the wrong before Europe by persls.ing in
/ upholdin2 rotten and barbarous government, and
she may risk her own independence. There no
manner OF doubt that a complete understanding
exists between Russia and Prussia, and recent i'm
perial movements make 1t equally clear that Aus
tria finally consents TO Russian plans on condi
| ton, Doubtless, OF having certain compensatory
advantages, so that III case OF England sending
her feet TO aid Turkey in the Black sea she may
and that 1t Is more needed in the North
Sea, and II, by dividing 1t to cover both
points, she should suffer defeat in either the con-
sequences might be incidentally disastrous. A de-
feat OF the nome squadron by the combined Baltic
nects of Russia ana Germany il quite within the
possibilities and womb END the independence or