, 1877-12-13
THE POSSIBILITIES or PEACE,


very remarkable article, remarkable for It's
concessions, which assumes TIM fall Of Plevna
and thon forecasts the probable terms Of
peace that may DO mado between Russia aud
Turkey. At the very outset the Times as-
stl1nea that all conquerors by invnriablo rn1e
and rrcscriptive right gnin what they can,
"hola the ground they stand on or havc
within their grasp, get what compensation
they can for thoir sacrifices, and gonorally
improve to the utmost their rosition In tho
world" From this geueral ground It is aI,-
parent that tho Engliah do not believe that
lsussia ia going to adopt any sentimental
policy IN making peace, or pay much atteu-
tion to the long conferences, with their ar-
pea1s, promises, md propositions, TINT pre-
coded the war, hut will go ahead Az far as
sho can In exactsng guarantees aud securing
indemnity without troaaing loo closely upon
thu toes Of her neighbors. Tho interests Of
the other Powers aud, to aertnin extent,
their cnvios and ieafousies will have to bo
consulted, but 1t is alreatly appasont that she
will waste no sympathy or auntiment upon
Turkey.
In considering what material gains may
accrue to Russia On the outcome Of tie war,
tho Times does not tako Asia Minor into nc
count, probably because England has only q
very remote interest in 1t. II Russia should
seize the whole Of Armenia nud Incorporate
It in hor Empire, thero could hardly DO my
protest, as 1t Is region a1rcady too far gono
to waste to bc Of any consequence. Ita con-
t,aoffrr xvftf, pnro$n
alone possess my value, oven for Russia.
Locking at European acquisitions, however,
1t comedies tho point that Kua,ia will add tho
Turkish populations to those nlrcady on her
hands, although 1t is troubled to know villa.
she will do with them, since tito Turks are n
people "who must be masterI, who cannot
be servants, who must conquer or submit
to conquest, whose domestic und social hab-
ita nro irroconcilablo with tho laws Of civil
lied nations" This Of itaolf is remarkable
concession to como from tho London 1ymty,
but not any moro 80 than tito following
1.-THE Bulgarians aro much tho same that
thoy wore thousand yaars ngo. The crime Of
tho Turk is that he has made them no better,
but remained tho samo himself and hopt
others tho aamo about him." So fur as Tic
Bnlgarians and othor Sclavio peoples arc
concerned, Russia would have no difficulty
In nsaimilating or at least accepting them aa
very willing protegea. Sho could easily take
them, with all their differences, anl thoy
wonld glaslly como under Russian rule in
preference to thas Of tho Turk. sho would
probably and much less difficulty than En-.
gland herself haa with hor bIohammedans
aud Iiudoos. SO far aa tho Turks arc con.
ccrned, II they will not become subjects,
thero is very simple plan for dealing with
them, aud that ls expatriation. In fact, to
drive them into the Dosphosns, or at tho
least over 1t, would bo complete settlement
of tho whole question, aud would bo a last
Ing guarantee Of peace in Eantcrn Europe
a guarantee that cannot exit 70 long az IN
Aaiatio raco romans there, brutal In dlspo-
sition, unprogressive III civilization, aud haf-
ing religion not simply intoiesant. but
absolutely and unalterably hostile to ChriY-
tianity.
There In but one part Of the article In
question In which the traditional Enoliah
jealousy cropa out, aud that IL with reference
to the possibility Of tho Black Sea nasstu9
into Russian hands, and with It the Danube.
both becoming Russian property. viii, the
prospect Of such an acquisition as this The
Times Is by no means satisfied, md, indeed,
does not suppose 1t to be possible that 81 TIM
Dlack Sea will become a Russian lake In onr
time" Tho world In general, however,.
would not regard s,,cl, q rcauIt AZ calamity