The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-11-30

30, 1876.
j nport of this new and high-sounding
title2 1t, simply means the formation
of q Pan-Sciayonic kingdom. or pow
er, firmly wedged in between the tot
tering thrones of the Austrian and
Ottoman empires. Now, self-preser-
vation ia the fret law of nations as
well as men. Austria and Turkey can
no more afford to allow such king
dom to exist on their frontiers than
we could afford to look on and see q
foreign empire established in the
States of our turbulent neighbor,
Mexico.
Nor are Turkey and Austria alone
interested in this vital question:
There are other nations who have q
finger in this pie, although they pre-
tend to lift up their hands in horror
and indignation at the way in which
the "poor Christians"' are treated by
the hordes of Mahomet. England,
France, Germany, Italy and Russia
are Intriguing and pulling each 9th
er's hair. Among these, England, the
nation of shopkeepers, as Napoleon
once called them, and Rpssiu, the bette
noir of Europe, have their fish TO catch
in these troubled waters, whereas,
Germany, France and Italy stand by,
ready to pick up the wounded and
their own profits. -
s-tssI THE TERRITORY OF RUSSIA
now comprises fully one-seveuth of
the habitabie globe, extending from
the Baltic Sea across the whole breadth
of Asia to Behring'S Straits, and from
the eternal ices Of the North pole al.
most down to the sunny shores of the
Mediterranean. From this vast body
innumerabie arms, III the shape Of
Russian colonies and subjugated
provinces, stretch out on all sides to
India, Persia, China, Japan aud Tur.
key, all threatening to seize these
countries in it's insatiable grasp. For
many ages this gigantic power has
been steadily advancing towards Con.
stantinople. The Russian flag even
now girdles the Black Sea, aud, not
withstanding the second check at Sc
bastopol in 1854, Russia is pressing on
with resistless strides towards the
possession Of the Hellespont.
i'23a's BIOGRAPHICAL.
A brief sketch of the geography OF
these realms will give q more vivid
idea of that conflict which now, under
the title of the ''Esstsrn," or Turkish
Question" engrosses the attention OF
Europe and the United States. The
strait that connects the Mediterranean
Sea with the Sea of Marmors is called
the Hellespont, and at its mouth are
four strong Turkish forts, two on the
European and two on the Asiatic side.
These forts are called Darianelles and
hence, from them, the strait frequent
ly receives the name of s:Dardaneiles'
This strait is thirty-thrce miles long,
in some places five miles and in others
only one. half of mile wide. Through
the serpentine navigation of these
straits, with fortresses frowning upon
every headland, one ascends to the
sea OF Marmora, vast inland body
of water one hundred aud eighty
miles in length and sixty miles in
breadth. Crossing this sea to the
northern shore, you enter the beauti-
full straits of the Bosporus. just a,
the point where the Bosporus enters
the Sea of Msrmora, upon the western
shore OF the straits, ats enthroned
upon the hills the imperial city of Con.
stantine, or s.Istamboul," with its ma
jestic domes, its arrowy minarets and
palaces of snow-white marble glitter.
ing like fairy vision beneath the
light of an Oriental sun. An arm o.
the straight reaches around the north
ern portion of CoDstantinople, and
furnishes for the city one Of the finest
harbors in the world. This bay, deeI
and broad, is called the Golden Horn
Passing through the Bosporus fol
about fifteen miles, there expandslbe
fore you the Euxine, or Black Sea-
This inland ocean, with but one mar
row outlet, receives into Its bosom th'
Dneiper. the Dneister, the Don ant
the Kuban. These rivers, rolling
through unmeasured leagues of Rus
sian territory, open them TO the com
mercc of the world.
RUssIA's REASONS.
This brief sketch reveals, l thiuk
the Infinite importance of the Dar
danelles and the Rosphorus to Russia
This great Empire, ''leaniug agains
the north pole," touches the Baltic Sc
ouly far away amidst the ices Of tn
north. ST. Petersburg, during larg
portion OF the year, is blockaded b.
ice. Ninety millions of people Ar
thus excluded from all the benefits o
foreign commerce large portion .
the year unless they can open gate
way TO distant shores through th
Bosporus aud the Dardancllcs. Th
Dardsnelles are, in reality, the onl
gateway for the commerce of nearl
all Russia. All her great navigabl
rivers, without exception, fnw int
the Black Sea, aud thence through th
Bosphorus, the Sea of Marinora, th
Dardanelles and the MediterIanea
into the Atlantic Ocean. And ye
Russia, with her ninety millions {
populations-nearly three times tht
of the United States-cannOt send
load of corn into the Mediteranea
without hOwin0 her flag TO all til