The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-27
ENGLAND.
What Remains to be done on the East
ern Question.


The real opportunity Of England to have
decisive weight or influence in the war be-
tween Russia aud Turkey seems to have
passed. What can she still do2 We have
seen nothing in print, either from European
or American journals, which appears to us
to 80 fully and truthfuly meet this ques-
ton as the following from the London Truth.
"A year ago conservatives wagEed their
heads aud said that their great mystery
man, who has not only the destinies Of
their party, but of the British empire
in his hands, was only waiting until other
nations hadshown their cards iu regard
to the eastern question TO do something
which would surprise the world aud great
ly benefit us. 1t was daily and mysterious
ly limited that this something would assume
the form Of a closer connection between
this country and Egypt.
In her Eastern Policy
England has foundered terribly. If the
Russians advance to Adrisnople the Greeks
will push forward into Thessaly and
Roumelia, while Bosnia and Bulgaria will
become de facto independent of Turkish
rule. The end of the war will find Turkey
deprived of Armenia. the Russian ships
of.wsr allowed to pass through the Bos-
phorus, and the European provinces Of the
Sultan either absolutely independent of
him or united to his throne by a rope made
of Muscovite sand. We may regret this;
we may protest against it. But the stern
realities of war are not altered by regrets
or by protests. There have been moments
when we might have prevented it, but we
have allowed those moments to slip by.
Even now, if we were to make the reten-
ton of Armenia by Russia or the passage
of Russian ships of war through the Bos-
phorus cdSus belli, we might, perhaps,
avert these dangers to our empire. But
DO one can believe for moment that we
contemplate this manly course,
Under these circumstances it behooves
us to consider what steps we intend to take
to render our communications with India
secure. Under new condition Of things
Turkey will retain in reality nothing be-
yond Oonstantiuople and Asia Minor. A
Russian army will be able at any time to
descend upon Syria and iArmenia, and a
Russian feet will be able, at any time, to
emerge from the Dardanelles. For the
last fifty years our entire diplomacy has
been devoted to warding off the possibility
Of these contingencies, and we have already
waged one successful war 10 order to pre-
vent them.
What We Ought to do
Prince Bismark has frequently told us
We ought, if the outworks of the defence'
of our line of communication with Indis
have fallen, TO strengthen our grip upor
the line of communication itself. Thu
Suez Canal is the key of these communica
tiOns and Egypt is the lock in which thiI
key has to be fitted. To allow the Rus
SLAMS to retain Armenia, and to enjoy tn,
free passage Of the Bosphorus, and to per
NIT the political connection of Egypt will
a lesser Turkey, is simply suicidal
Rather than restore Malta to the Knight
of Malta we refused to withdraw frou
that island, on the plea that Napoleo
had gained such accessions of territor
that our pledge to do so had become In
valid, The treaty of Amiens was broker
and we pleaded the supreme law of tn
sall,s popui. Mr.. Pitt smiled when tn
Al l. r. ID o4raraI 20 conH
garrison to occupy Malta. England bel
Malta, and the prime minister preferre
to incur the dangers Of war rather than
withdraw from the island, thus anticipa
ting the j'y suis etj'y reste Of Marsh'
MacMahon, phrase which embodie
much practical craftsmanship. Wer
Mr.. Pitt prime minister of England to da
Egypt would already be within the orb
of the British empire, for Mr.. Pitt wai
like Prince Bismarck, a statesman wit
imperial instincts. Where the interest
Of his country were concerned he did nc
chop straws,he did not plume himself upo
conditional neutrality, but he acted wit
energy and determination, in a name
most unconditional.
The adherents of the perish India
school of politics are perfectly logical i
their determination not to move fnge
to prevent India, or rather our rule owe
India, from perishing. Fortunately, the
are but few in number; but, unfortunately
there seem to be equally few among us VIII
realize what steps ought to be taken I
secure us our tenure OF power in India.
According to our humble opinion
Egypt is the Door
which can open and shut India to Europe
We cannot allow this door to be in an
other hands than ours, now that those ar
ut its threahold who would deprive U
Of the territories to which the door give
access. The connection of Egypt wit
Turkey is one Of pure hazard. Tn
country belonged to the Mamelukes. The
were practically independent. Moham
med Ali conqured them. He was
Turkish pasha, but he sought to found a
empire. Vein conjunction with Russi,
interferred to prevent this, and we IN
sisted that, although Egypt might in q
home matters be independent of the Su
tan, yet it and its ruler should be col
nected with Constantinople by q polite
tie. The result has been that Egypt b.
r L. 4 Al