The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-05-26
England and the War.

1t is evident that any great military
changes in Asia Minor would, in the
opinion of the best military authorities,
tend to affect India and the security of
our hold upon it. The growth or extern
sion of strong military power there
would, it is argued, tend to throw upon
India and ourselves more serious perma-
nent charges for military defense than
those we now bear. In certain conceiva-
BILE cases this should, of course, be sub
mittedto. Were anindigenous peaceful
power to grow up in these regions, how
ever strong it might-be, it would be our
clear duty to accept any additional
charge which would be thrown upon us
by the mere neighborhood of such a pow
er, however peacefully inclined we might
know it to be. To act otherwise would
be to commit the mistake of France in
trying to prevent the unity of Germany
in 1870. But there are other cases in
which the question is not so simple
where the military power is a foreign one
and of known aggressive character The
question, it is urged, would then arise
how far it may be eXpedient to tolerate
the approach of such new neighbor,
whether there can ever be anything more
than an armed truce between US, and
whether we should not seek to avoid per-
manent military burdens of an oppres-
sive kind by open temporary warfare.
The question is especially important for
England, because it is quite Ineligible
that the introduction of highly devel-
oped state of military preparation woulo
alter our social and constitutional ar
rangements to an intolerable extent. At
present we are the only one among the
great European powers which has a
small army and that army raised by
voluntary enlistment-a condition of
things which has many advantages
to compensate its drawbacks But
if we are to be placed in dread of
immediate attacks by land from great
military powers on vital points of our
imperial position, an army of this sort
may no longer suffice. And the exist
ence of a great military power such as
Russia in Asia Minor, within compare
lively short distance of the Euphrates
Valley, and even of the Suez Canal, es-
pecially allowing for the circumstance
that the same power is encamped in
Central Asia, and may make g demon
stration" against India thence, would
certainly raise the question whether our
military preparations should not be Who'll
ly changed in kind
We have thus keen interest to see
what Russia does in Asia Minor, and the
first events may be of great importance
to US. 1t may be the most prudent
policy to let events take their course, to
allow Russia to add to her TRANSIT auca-
sian territory without check, as it has
added to its Central Asian territory, and
submit to the increased burden of mill
tary preparation rather than 90 to war;
but we shall henceforth, if Russia sue
ceeds, according to the best authorities,
have only the two alternatives, and this
is theinconvenience of the policy Russia
is pursuing. The received policy on
which our statesmen have long acted is
that we should not anticipate possible
future wars by present ones, but it is
likely enough now that there will be a
strong counter-feeling, and there will
also be much popular discomfort If an
increase of our military burdens is pro-
posed, as the result of the present Rus
sian proceedings. No graver questions
of policy could we'll be raised than those
which are likely to come before us should
Russia have a great success on the
Asiatic frontier of Turkey. We should
certainly recommend the postponement
of any hostile action until Russia, as the
prize of success, proceeds to make seri
Gus additions to her territory in Asia;
but we fear the possible excitement on
the subject, and we cannot say that it
would be wholly unjustified. ... ..
Our conclusion then is that in Rus
sian attack on European Turkey we
should stand by for the present, but a
Russian attack on Asiatic Turkey will be
a very serious matter. The measures to
be taken, if any, should occupy most
seriously the attention of the Cabinet
and of Parliament. In any case the de-
velopment of the Russian attack both in
Asia and Europe will require the utmost
vigilance. If an event occurs to dispose
either combatant to make peace, the
Government should be prepared with
every means to use that event to the
utmost, and so prevent the extension of
the war.--LOndOn EconsmiSt ...