The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-06-07
THE EUROPEAN CRISIS.
An Interview with George H. Boxer
Minister to Russia.

'AhO VI Vic L HllduCl DAAAcl 4 1889 L-AS SN-0
Jet discussed being the present state OF
Europe. The long residence of Mr..
Boxer abroad, his intimate familiarity /
with the leading statesmen of the old
world. his acquaintance with the causes /
which result in the diplomatic moves on |
the Furopean chess board and his recent |
presence in the theater so soon to be the |
scene of the most TOTtentOus events, all
combine to render his views deeply in |
teresting at the present time. mat |
Europe is on the verge Of struggle, the |
most terrific in history, Is, IN brief, the |
conclusion to which one is forced after |
hearirg critical surveyor the situation.
in reponse to the writer's request for
his opinion as to the probable duration
of the war as it at present exists, Mr..
Boxer said: 81 do not think it will last
long. Russia will carry everything be-
fore her, providing Turkey does not find
an ally or allies. I have the opinion of
a distinguished officer in the Turkish
service as to that. He says that the
Turkish forces are ia no condition to re-
sist the advance of an army directed in
accordance with the scientific principles
of modern warfare, and that if unassisted
by any other nation Turkey will find the
Russian army in ConstantinoPle within
Fix weeks"
The officer to whom Mr.. Boxer re.
ferred, whose name is not given for
obvious reasons, has world wide repu-
tation, and his views on the subject are
those of an authority whose reliability
cannot be gainsaid. Mr.. Boxers Opln-
ions, given in the conversation which
followed, justify the following remarks
on the present struggle: The aim of
ho Iteration of
the condition of the Christians under the
rule of the sublime porte. This was the
object of the war at the beginning what
will be the ultimate end remains for the
future to disclose. But as to Russia &C
complishing her ambition of becoming
permanent mistress of COnstantinOPle,
that is another question. To this neither
Austria nor Germany would submit, for
the reason that it practically closes the
free navigation of the Danube to the
outer world. Without the freedom Of
the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles the
commerce of the Danube is closed eX-
cept to the Black sea. It's, however,
not improbable that a mutual under
standing has been arrived at between
Russia and Germany, and this surmlse is
confirmed by certain events which trans
pired before the Russian declaration Of
war. The German chancellor has never
| given up the idea of crushing France.
| The wonderful TecuperatiOn of the
| French nation after the peace of Nersail-
| les. the rapid reorganization of the army
! and the certainty that the struggle would
! be renewed at some future day-all
! these have been taken into consideration
at Berlin. Germany to-day is one vast
camp; it is stronger than ever before,
and better fitted for war but this has
been accomplished at the cost of pros
perity. While France is growing rich
Germany is becoming poor by reason OF
the vast armies, the expense of which is
draining the wealth of the nation to its
dregs This sort of thing cannot 60 on
| forever, and the German chancellor sees
this as plainly as anybody else. The
army Is there for an object, and that OBJ
iect is to so thoroughly crush France
that all ideas of revenge by d" lie grand
natien will be completely out of the
question for a generation or two. Ger
many could not carry out this plan had
Russia been at peace, for the Emperor
Alexander, when, the subject was
| preached to him, would not hear of it
And it is a fact that but for his frmnes;
! and decision the Germans would have
declared war long ago. Hence, in order
to effectually dispose of Russia, Ger
many was obliged to wait until that
power became involved with Turkey, anC
to effect this the German ambassador
spared no pains III urging upon the Rus
slams the fact that Germany would not
interfere with any programme the czal
| would undertake to carry out. But 81
| thoroughly was the reason for this un
derstOod at the Russian court; that WheL
on one occasion the German ambassador
was speaking to the emperor on the sub
iect, his emperial majesty turned his
| back and refused to hear any II ore. But
another most important factor-twO 9th
ers, indeed-must be taken into cOnsid
Grafton.
The readers of the Press have been
made familiar with the excitement anC
alarm which prevailed in England. 1t is
urged by the liberals that the cOnserva
tive government are permitting the cOun
try to repeat It's experience under Palm
eTston, to drift to war" The latter
phrase, which is so familiar to everybody
who is at all acquainted with English
politics, exactly expresses England's dan
ger. It is well known to all newspaper
readers that Englands aversion to Russia
arises from the real or fancied dangers to
]
expose British India. But it snOt known
except to those in possession of diplo,
matte secrets, that on a former occasion
when Russia contemplated an attack on
Turkey, the government of the czar, in
order to quiet the appTehensiOns of the
British cabinet, suggested that if Eng
land felt any doubts as to Russia sin
cerity in declaring that she had no sin
lister designs in India. the British could
take possession of Egypt, thereby secur
ing to themselves the much coveted alb
sOlute control of the Suez canal. 1
need scarcely be said that if this arrange
ment has not been carried into effect i
has not been forgotten by British states
men, and that they will not be slow tt
act upon it should occasion seem to Jus
tiiy them. Now that Russia does threaten
British communication with India, anC
thus, as the English believe, imperil thei
interests, England cannot long remain al
impassive spectator. It is, no doubt
this uncertainty as to the action of tn
latter power which prevents German!
acting at once against France. For, il
order to preserve the balance OF power ii
Europe, England and Austria could NJ
consistently stand by and see Franc
crushed by her mighty foe without strik
ing dow III neF defense. ana Jhl
action would not be entirely disinterested
for neither of them would be sure
France once hOpelessly beaten, which o
them would next feel the iron heel 0
the tremendous military power of thi
most despotic ruler of Europe. It i
impossible to tell what turn events may
take in the next few days. If, happily
the war can be confined to Russia anC
Turkey, the danger will be over, for tn,
present. But once let Germany give the
signal for another march on Paris and al
| Europe will be ablaze with a conflict SC
mighty that empires must be obliterated