Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-10
From the New York Tribune.
plevna's Commentator.


The battle of Plevna has reduced the
diplomacy of Europe to its simplest terms.
The duel in Bulgaria will 20 ON without
interruption. 1t is now plain that the Turk
is well armed and pretty sure shot, and
for while, at least. may be trusted to de-
fend himself. The Russian may overpow-
er his adversary in the end. but the physi-
cal strain is SO terrible that he will be a
passive instrument in the hands of the
European Powers. Now that the contest
ants seem to be quite evenly matched,
Great Britain and Austria are willing to
let them fight it out in their own way. The
clamor of the Hungarians and the rant
over British interests are no longer heard.
| The mobilization of the Austrian army,
and the occupation Of Gallipoli by British
troops, are put out OF mind. Premier
Tisza no longer deprecates the hot-head-
edness of his fellow Magyers and the
contingency under which Count Andrassy
will secure Austrian interests by some
other method than that of compromise
and intrigue, vanishes among the sh adowy
uncertainties of future diplomacy. Lord
Beaconield's appearance in the role of
Lord Palmerston is postponed indefinitely.
Lord Derby. who would not sign the Ber-
lin memorandum and who reduced the de-
mands of Russia at the Conference to
feather-weight, is now self-possessed and
tranquil. Lord Salisbury, who had been
kept in check by his colleagues, freed his
mind yesterday in the presence of the
Conservatives of Hatfield, assuring them
that British neutrality is neutrality Of
speech as well as of act. and that the gov
eminent is the friend and ally of both con-
tending parties. Verify, the Russian de-
feat has its diplomatic compensation in re-
storing the balance of British neutrality
and restraining the zeal of Turkeys natu
raj allies in Hungary
When the Russian columns were adj
vancing upon Erzerum, and Mukhtar's
forces were fleeing before them, the eyes
of Britain were turned uneasiy toward
the valley Of Euphrates. 1t was true that
Russia had had for century shorter and
more direct base of operations against In
dia from the Caspian sea than it would have
from Batum and Erzerum, but the panic
stricken British Conservatives cared little
for logic or geography. The Trans-Con-
tinental railroad from Calcutta might one
day pass through Bayazid and Erzerum,
and the river Euphrates ran-Heaven only
knew how far toward the Persian Gulf
and Cathay, and the Romanoffs always
had been ambitious Ii was not until the
Russians were driven back in disorder to
the frontier that these timorous Tories had
the nerve to face the map of Armenia, and
realized that they had been betrayed into
a senseless panic. But before long there
was another craze. The Russians. after
crossing the Danube unopposed, scaled
the Balkans without firing gun. The
Imagination of the Anglo-Turks pictured
Ghourko's army as fierce hawk perched
upon the heights, its wings quivering with
impotence and its eye fastened upon its
prey in the beautiful vale of Adrianople,
while beyond lay Constantinople and the
Dardanelles. A breach had been made in
the great rampant Of European Turkey
and the enemy could march into
the Capital at his leisure. Con-
sentative Britain was again swayed
by its apprehensions. A Russian army.
entrenched on the Dardanelles, would
menace the commercial supremacy of
England, intercept trade with Asia and
close the Suez Canal. 1t was true that the
Gar had no fleet, and it was past finding
out how the British navy could be over
whelmed unless one of Homer's storms
should wreck in night the mightiest ships
in the world, and the Turkish sailors, I'M
der an English Admiral should enlist in the
Russian service and moreover, Prince
Gortschakoff, concealing his amusement
and cyniclsm, denied in the most EN- phat-
ic terms that his Government had any de
signs upon Egypt or the Canal; but the
Anglo-Turks croaked and chartered none
the less. That Trans-C Continental railroad
from Calcutta might have had its termi-
nus at Constantinoble. and, In any event.
the Black Sea must never be converted
into a Russian dock like the Cas-
plan. A British fleet must anchor in
the roadstead of Gallpoli, and British SOL
diers must throw up entertainments for the
defence of the Dardaneles. If Russia
should make the freedom Of the Bosphor-
US and the Dardanelles one of the condi-
tions of peace, British soldiers and sail
ors must be on the ground to resist so
audacious demand.
But why should not Russia demand just
thatP Why should she not have free access
to the Mediterranean and the worldp John
| Bright does not know why she should not