The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-17
England and Russia-The Grectan
Project.

| recent events, anu Dtcause "a eAo Ano"A
services and high position of the author in
the English army. 1t came much in the
nature of the testimony OF an expert and an
authority on a subject as to which there was
public hunger for trustworthy informa-
ton, and it came just when the appetite
was keenest. In another column We give
the essential part of the article, its es-
innate of the degree in which the
various elements upon which England can
! draw for men may be expected to contrib
ute, and it's statement OF the character and
quality Of these elements respectively. All
those things in this article that are clearly
true have been repeatedly said before, and,
in fact, are commonplace, and the other
parts are made up OF statements that II
true, are SO much in the region OF specula-
tive conceptions that it is scarcely possible
10 reduce them to any practical standard.
All the difficulties that lie in the way OF the
formation of an effective English army and
in Continental States-the fact that England
ut the outset of all her wars has had to or
ganize an army from the very first step, and
as if she had never kept even nucleus on
foot in time of peace-all this and more Of
the same nature is recapitulated, and then
is stated the difference that has been made
of late by the new army system, by the
growth of the volunteer regiments and by
the changes incident to development Of
public interest since the German war in
the subject of military education. In this
it will be seen the General treats as known
quantities the results of so-caled military
institutions that have never been put to
practical test. There is in the phrase vol
unteer regiments much latitude for de-
fusion. In this country, in the days before
the war, we prided ourselves upon our
system of volunteer regiments and our fine
parades Of citizen soldiery-and the country
was certainly saved by its volunteers-but
if anybody supposes that the volunteers
who saved the country were the same as the
volunteers who used to strut in the public
promenades he errs grossly. If we had had
no other dependence than our City Guards
and Light Guards and Tompkins Blues
we should have been in bad way;
and if England counts upon organizations
OF that nature for two hundred thousand
men the bottom may fall out of her plans
at an inconvenient moment.
It is to be hoped, however, that the con-
sideration how England could make up an
army effective in point of numbers for ope-
rations against the Russian veterans is OF
less practical consequence now than it
Ill, - .1 4: II
diplomacy on the part Of the British gov
eminent, while it has done incalculable
harm to England's influence on the CONT
nent, hos at least done her one service !;
for, as it has let slip all the fair and
legitimate occasions to effectively assert
her attitude and protect her interest,
it has at last apparently rendered
it impossible that she can fight in
the discreditable cause, the champion of
which she might have become under the in
fuence OF mad antipathy to Russia.
England, Austria and Turkey would have
formed together coalition that could GER
tainly have compelled Russia to make peace
on the Danube-unless, OF course, Germany
was pledged to help Russia in case OF need,
possibility not much believed in lately
But Turkey has now been counted out Of all
possible combinations of that nature for q
generation by the actual humiliation of
her military power, and this fact has made
SO much difference in the likelihood OF war
that Austria, which counts chances of success
with less faith and less enthusiasm than any
other Power in Europe, would view so doubt
fully what might be done by her own force
and England's together that she would not
combine with the latter against Russia even
if the shadow of what might come out of
Germany were absolutely removed from the
consideration. AS Sir Garnet Wolseley
points out, England does not have to con-
slider, as in the ordinary chances OF war,
the invasion of her own territory and siege
of her capital 1t is otherwise with
Austria, and for two or three months
from the first stroke of the war she would
be alone face to lace with Russia, who
would exhaust much Of her power before
England could give any effective help.
Austria will not stake her safety and dignity
where the chances for satisfactory issue
are so slender. Thus it happens that the
hesitations If England's diplomacy, which
deferred an active policy through oil the
period when action could have been sue
cessfully taken, has rendered it next to i'm
possible that England can sustain the
Moslem cause, because it is improbable that
she can have any assistance, and hopeless
for her to fight alone
Only in the Conference, therefore, if any,
where, can England assert her hopes or her
projects with any likelihood that they will
receive attention. Ii the Conference is not
held she will simply be lett to "bite her
thumb in impotent discomfort at settle
ment likely to determine the future fate of
great part OF Eastern Europe and to preju-