The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-14
The British Fleet in the Darda-
Melles.

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Apparently some ships Of the British feet
have passed the Dardanelles, but it is not
yet known whether they went in defiance
of objection or by arrangement with the
Directors Until this is known it cannot be
judged whether the act is an exhibition Of
resolute spirit or whether it is not part OF
q surrender of England's real claims. There
is paragraph from the Pail Null Ga
sette that is significant in this connec-
ton If the statement Of that journal in
regard to the negotiations touching Con-
stantinople is accurate it cannot be said
that the British Ministry is wanting in that
amiable docility which is commonly re-
suit Of castigation and as when Il certain
member Of the government takes snuff the
owner Of the HaN Mall Gazette sneezes,
that journal may safely be locke ed
upon rs well informed on the acts
of the Ministry. The Gazette expected"
that Her Majesty's government would
promise good behavior as the condition of
the privilege Of entering the Dardanelles
that it would agree to enter in virtue of ga
formal pledge that the feet should have no
other business before Constantinople ex-
cept that declared in Lord Derby's state
ment of Friday that is, the protection of
British subjects and property. If the
government has given pledge of that
nature, either it has given that pledge
traudulently or the visit Of the feet
is without political purpose and has
no relation whatever to those famous
British interests which have been SO per-
sistently held up rs the polar star of Eng
lands course. 1t cannot be presumed that
the pledge would be given fraudulently.
England is so Mortified over those parts of
Russia's policy which have a flavor of du-
plicity in them that it cannot be supposed she
would initiate them in any conceivable cir
cumstances. But ifthis pledge is to be given
honestly--if the fleet is to 60 to CONSTANT
nople only that British subjects may take
refuge on it from the wrath of excited
the Mediterranean, the Channel, the East
Indies and America to 60 to the Golden
Horn on an errand SO innocent and COM
monplace--what is to become of England's
intention to prevent the Russian occu-
patton of Constantinople-an intention sew
eral times declared when Russia was on
the Danube and that Earl Beacons-
field has several times laid before
an enthusiastic public in somewhat
bellicose terms :? 1t may be very proper to
protect British subjects and property from
enraged Moslems. 1t is quite conceivable
that there may be q state Of mind in the
STEAMBOAT population that will make of that
important duty labor for n whole fleet
But this purpose should not be con-
fused with the other purposes that
England desires to effect in that
quarter. 1t is, in fact, quite apart
from her presumed obligations to her Indian
Empire and the safety of her commercial
routes and her supremacy in Oriental traffic
These have been justly held to be OF tran
scendent importance. No one has named
the danger OF Britons in Constantinople as
fact to be put in comparison with these great
interests. Is the English government. then,
to send its feet to the Golden Horn on a
pledge that it will have no regard
whatever 10 this great, imperative and i'm
perial duty, ana will devote all its energy
to mere police protection extended to its
subjects in the Sultan's city? It is easier to
believe that the Pail NaA Gazette is misln-
formed, even though owned in the Ministry,
than to believe that this is true but ii it be
true a more ridiculous and pitiiul retreat,
o more mpotent abandonment OF bold
attitude was never before seen.