, 1877-05-20
RUSSIA IN ASIA.

WILL HER OPERATIONS THERE AFFECT GREAT
BRI1A1S2
London Tines Hay s.
While We are waiting for important military
erents Oh both sides Of the BosDhorus, clear
distinction must be drawn between tile
progress OF the Russian troops towards
Bulgaria and their victories In Asia
Minor. The issue Of the contest on
the Danube may be Of the highest Importance to
the people Of that region and to the Porte. It
may liberate population which has endured
centuries of insulting and degrading servitude,
OF it may lead TO grave political disturbances.
This country must wait to see which is to be
the result before it can fairly distribute its
sJmpatbies- On the one hand. it would
be irrational to sympathize With Government
which has wasted the most fertile portions OF
Europe, made taxation little better than legal
lied pillage, and spread over the Continent that
cloud Of danger which at last seems about to
break On the other hand. We must
see the precise designs Of Russia more
clearly before re can wish we'll to ne1
armies~ II she should be content to free
the subject populations Of the Porte from de-
tcstahle tyranny, without seeking any selfish
advantages, the Iougnness Of her methods NAV
be overlooked. II she should aim at conquest,
she will have to count with countries
which hare stake OF the ycrg highest
Importance 1u the neighborhood Of the
Danube. Austria Is one Of those Powers;
Englsnd ia not. So long as the contest
does not come within certain distance Of Con-
stantinople, We can haTo no other Interest in
the struggle than that which we must hare in
every great war, every battle against n,fsrule,
and every new distribution OF political author
ity. We shall hare precisely the same kind OF
interest as We had III the Frane<,-
GeEman war, with tnis difference that VIC
shall run less risk. There are peonle who
fancy. it is true, that toustanrlnople !nc.s be
IN danger If Russia should cross the Danube,
They hare 4 Constantinople OF their own, nut
to be found IN maps, and Independent OF geo.
graphical conditions They are affected bg the
mere mention Of Constantinople in much
tended White&eld's mintstratons was by
that "b.cssed word, Mcsoputamia." But
the more rational tustigators Of panic are be-
ginning to admit that the Bospborus is safe
ing the present. var and in tue present state OF
Europe They do not pretend that she would
te 50 rash as to defy league Of alt the
Western Powers What they anticipate is that
new political arrangements would render
it.possible for her to grasp the prize in some
tFcpId attempts At lcdnitionl Thus the srg-:
gest.on is, that this country should spend, per-
laps, 4zD1,000, coo, waste Il h lives By hum
dreds Of thousands, and CO - e Continent into
the greatest war. which the world has seen
since the French Revolution, lest in some
distant future, about which nobody knows any
thing, Russia should be able to do something,
nobody knows what Theae are the dreams Of
panic With lar more reason, but still With con~
summate folly, VIC might enter into defensive
and offensive league with France lest Germany
should seek TO become the first Of payal as well
a OF military POWERS aud thus attempt to
grasp the SchelLt aud the Mcuse. IT.. our
1ozesu poliey> were Id be Icte1suiiicl by tho