The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-03-24

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ambitious schemes, and selfish designs against
Turkey. Throughout the entire struggle in Servia,
one Of the most authoritative diplomatic journals
Of the Continent Of EuTope-the Memorial d.
ylomaiigue Of Paris-steadfastly maintained the
opinion that Russia was instigated by ambition,
and in no wise Influenced by a desire to see a
Panslayist Power established to the South OF the
Danube. The came Journal constantly deplored
the blindness Of certain statesmen of great
Britain who believed that Russia was actuated
by different motives in the present case from
those which gave rise TO the Crimean war. 1.-The
same spirit" exclaimed that Journal, NOW
animates Russia, as in 18534-5,-a selfish spirit
Of aggrandisement at the cost Of the Turk, under
the cloak Of religious sympathies with the Chris
tians Of Turkey" Now that peace has been
arranged between the Porte and Servia, it IL
difficult to understand upon what point Russia
can ground a casus 6elh with Turkey. Our
latest accounts from Russia announce that the
war spirit is abating somewhat, and that the
Car seems less inclined now to 60 to war with
Turkey, than before the Servian peace. Never
theless, preparations are still actively being made
or the Russian side of the Pruth for an armed
invasion of Roumania, and an expedition of 200,-
UOO u u UC sent Oh lbIOuSul that Htdtc 10
the Danube, and ultimately perhaps to Constan-
tinople, according to Russian plans, in the event
Of war between the Gar and the Padishah. The
Padishah of course has no wish to 90 to war with
Russia so that the question of war or peace
entirely rests upon the will of one man-the
Russian Autocrat. A policy of non intervention
seems to be the course decided upon by England
and the other European powers. Let US leave
the Turk to his fate-say all of them. On their
side, the Turks, in the event of a Russian at
tack, are fully resolved to fight to the last Os-
manlee.
To fight a man. you must get at him-and
this seems to be the real difficulty IN the case.
BY sea, Russia can do nothing against Turkey,
at least until the Baltic and Finland ice melts
in May next. No Russian expedition can
reach Turkey-in-Europe by the Black Sea, for
the reason that Hobart Pashah's feet would
be able to prevent them. Their Mediterranean
feet has been forced to get out of his reach
by steaming off to the United States. Again, i
to attack Constantinople by land, a Russian
Evolutionary force must either march through
Austrian or Roumanian territory the former
route is out of the question as involving war
with Austria, and as for the latter, it can not
be forgotten that, in 1853 a Russian Army of
20 1000 men, was driven back from the Danube
by Omar Pashah, and ultimately forced to REL
treat again beyond the Pruth, at a time, too,
that the Turks were alone, and not yet allied
with any of the European powers. Moreover,
allowing that a Russian army of 100 900 or
2OO, 900 men succeeded in forcing the passage
of the Danube, they would be starved out,
like the troops of Cambyses, before they could
even reach the Balkans, that is, if they depended
on the resources Of the country and if obliged
to victual their soldiers with supplies brought
up from the rear, the cost would be incalcula-
BILE and the mode uncertain. 1t cost England
&c, 900 900 to send up 10000 men to Magdala,
only $50 miles march. The only side on which
the Turks are really assailable is in Asia Minor,
as the events of Kars proved during the Crimean
war. An expedition, setting out from Tidis
could march by the shores of the Euxine, follow
ing the route of Xenephon, to the Bosphorus,
with many a hard-fOught battle on the way,
perhaps, but still with the best chance Of seeing
at last the Heptalophis, the Seven-hilled"
STEAMBOAT beyond the blue waters of Marmora.
The Turks however are on the watch in that
quarter, and 1900 Moossoolmanns have rallied
around Kars. In anticipation of its being at
tackled by the Russians. Yakoob Bey, the war
like Moossoolmann Khan of Kashgar is reported
to have beaten an army of 20, 900 Russians at
Tashkend in Russian Toorkistaun, and thence
marched on towards the Khirgiz Wolga Tartars'
country. This needs confirmation. The Poles
are also preparing, they say, to rise up against
the Russians, in the event of a Russo-Turkish
war. So that Russia is likely to have lots of
fghting-if she wants it-at home as well as
in Turkey.
In conclusion, while we think that the proba-
bilities of a Russo-Turkish war are now some
what diminished, and that a peaceful settlement
appears more likely now than before the Servian
peace, we await with the liveliest curiosity the
next reports from Eastern Europe, as likely to
convey conclusive intelligence, one way or other
concerning this guestio verata of the Russo
Turkish pihkiG!