The Morning herald., 1877-04-23
IN NEW CRUSADE.

The impending war ID
.,nti.llv religious in its character and i
vail worth 4 careful study. The entire
o,estion is underlaid, with causes many Of
them 90 remote, as to become marvel as
affecting the present. 1t is difficult 10
re.son. 10 4 fair conclusion as to the prcb-
able locality in which the great religious
strife will be confined. We think it will
mainly be fought in Asia, a,andin the Danube
valley, net extending beyond those regions.
To properly comprehend the morale Of the
question, one must consider the peculiar
position, and dignity oftbs Sultan. He is
the Kalif or supreme spiritual and tenn
poral chief of l4o, 100000 Of war-like peo-
ple and tribes, inhabi.ing Europe, Asia
and Africa. There are probably 100000 600
of Mohamedans, who not only do not
acknowledge the supremacy Of the Sultan,
but deny the legality Of his title. In the
Mohanedan world, as in the Christi n
there are many sects, who hate each other
as cordially. and persecute as bloodily, as
Covenatder hated Prelacy. or as Claver'
house hewed down the faithful.
The cable carries the news, that Russia,
and Persia, have entered into an alliance
This compact is perfectly natural one, as
the Persians are Shiayates,while the Turks
are sunnites; bitter unrelenting hatred
exists between the two sects. This union
Of Russia and Turkey is important in
many ways; it perfects the Russian base of
operations upon the Caspian sea, and the
Caucasses prevents aid passing to the
Turks from the fierce and war-like
Belooches, Afghans and other SunniN
tribes to the east and south Of Persia, and
also the material contribution from the
millions of wealthy Mohamedans OF
British India, who are also Of the same
sect as the Turks, and submissively do
homage to him as the successor of the
prophet. The recently conquered Khanats
of Khiva, Bockhara, and Khokod, in the
Oxu. region Of Central Asia by Russia,
may be source Of weakness to the Car,
as Of all others they are the most fanatical
Sunnites in the world; but Persia, who
has suffered for centuries from these tribes.
will bar their march westward il
Russia cannot hold them in check at
home. The coast region of Arabia may
send aid to Turkey, but in the centre Of
the country: the Wahabees, another sect Of
Mohamedans,who war alike upon Persians
and Turks as "infdel" and "apostates," !"
have been gradually building up great
power, and their policy must be we'll
known and bargains we'll made, before a
man dare leave Mecca, or Medina, to help
the Ottoman in either Europe or Asia.
Syria can give but little aid to Turkey, as
the Maronites in the mountains Of Leba-
non are numerous and warlike, and are
always ready for war upon the "infdel
Turk" Contingents may come from
Egypt Morocco, and Tunis, bat that aid
entirely depends upon the will of the
maritime powers Of Europe; but they
could not we'll forbid it, as the Sultan is
the acknowledged Sovereign of these
countries, and they are bound to follow
their Lord 10 the field.
How it will end is question no man
can answer, as there exists such a multi
plicity Of interests, that in many con,in-
gences other powers may say yea or nay
to either or both the combatants. i
Russia, and Persia are successful in the
Armenian region, and take up th,
old track Of conquest down the Euphrate.
and Tigris, to Bagdad and Bassorah, Eng
land, whose commercial needs require {
railroad from Smyrna to the Persian Gulf
will not stand idle, if the occupation O
that part ofthe Turkish Empire is attemp
ted by foreign powers. In Europe it vii
be extremely difficult to adjust the rem
nant Of the provinces Of Turkey, if con
quered. Germany has large interests OF
the Danube, and must have the mouths O
that river open, and cannot with France
gaining strength. funding wealth and hat,
on her flank, permit Russia to largely in.
crease her territory in Europe. Austri,
is, of all the other powers, the mos
interested, and she is probably be
fitted to administer to the estate of tb
Sultan; but Germany will hardly consen
that the vanquished at Sadova should ca;,
- 81