New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-12
THE ATTITUDE or EUROPE.

Now, more than ever, the reader OF the re-
ports which are daily transmitted from Eu-
rope must be on his guard. The element OF
make-believe," which from the beginning
has characterized all diplomacy relating to
the Eastern question, only stepping little
aside to await the result Of the Servian war,
comes again to the front. As, in estimating
the value of the war kilograms, one must first
notice whether they are dated from RaguSa,
Constantinoplc, or Belgrade, so a political
rumor assumes quite different character ac-
cording to the capital from which it is sent.
Servia may rapidly succumb to the force and
the nowly-ar0uscd fanaticism OF the Turkish
armies, or she may succeed in prolonSing her
resistance until help comes from other quar-
terS but the struggle is no longer localized,
as it seemed to be. Ii disturb5 every Cabinet
of Europe at this moment. 1t may be well,
therefore, to glance briefly at the real interest
which the question presents TO each OF the
Great Powers, and which must always be
borne in mind, whatever may he the policy
temporarily avOwod.
Russia, in the first place, has never been able
to conceal her enmity TO Turkey, or her ambi-
ton to possess ConstantinOple. Her great
allies are her National Church, which is that
of the East, and the kindred Slave blood of
millions of Turkish subjects. She is not so
impatient as TO force her opportunity, because
the best chances are already in her hands.
Just now, she would prefer peace to war; if
she could increase, or even preserve, her pres
tige by peace. Her seeming indifference to
mediation may be chiefly designed to force
England to take the first step, which, after the
attit .de of the latter Power toward The Berlin
Conference. would be fine diplomatic re-
vcnge.
Germany has little or no direct material in
terest in the question. She would probably
favor the policy of Russia, were she sure that
the ambition of the latter as turned solely
toward Asia, and that she were not thereby
giving strength to some later combination
against herself. She knows that France is
still coquetting with Russia; that the Care
Witch is intensely anti-German in his sympa-
thiCs; and further, that Russia ~ regarded
with suspicion or dread by half Of her own
population. The ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Austria ut
the expense of Turkey would hardly he op-
posed by the German Empire; for the reason
that any event which tends to give n Magyaro-
Slavic character to Austria Il nation scpa-
rates her the more from her German prov
inces, and increases the chances of their final
attachment to the Empire Germany's course
therefore, is dictated by the necessity of
guarding herself against future dangers which
may come through combination of France
with Russia or other Powers.
Italy considers the Eastern question mainly
with regard 10 Austria. She does not wish TO
SEGA strong rival occupying the opposite shore
of the Adriatic-not, as now, holding the mar
row line of coast, but possessing all the west
crn provinces OF Turkey. Singularly enough
the Pope and the Italian Government are in
accord for the former is said to regard the
triumph of the Oriental schismatics" las
they are termed in the Vatican as being worse
than the continuance of Moslem rule But
Italy is not yet an important political factor;