The Portland daily press., 1878-01-26
England and CeustaptinonIe.

The proceedings Of the British Parliament.
the growing irritation of the British people,
and the menacing attitude which the British
Cabinet is reported to have taken give strength
to the apprehension that Great Britain will
go to war with Russia. A majority of the
English people may not desire a conflict, but
the Government has it in its power to precip-
itate one at any moment by committing the
country to policy which itcannot honorably
abandon. The moment war is declared the
whole people will rally to the support of the
Cabinet. Whatever differences of opinion in
regard to war may have existed before
declaration there will be no question of the
duty of Englishmen when the conflict is once
entered upon. Nor is it evident that the Cab
met will not be supported by the people in
the course upon which it has apparently en-
tered. The war feeling spreads rapidly in
any country, and excited men do not listen 10
reason.
If England does once go to war and has
Russia alone for an antagonist the conflict
will be long and doubtful one. Englishmen
are perhaps the most stubborn fighters in Eu-
rope, their pluck is proVerbial and the re-
sources of their county are almost exhaust
less. A nation which has successfully defied
Europe need entertain no apprehensions Of
crushing defeat at the hands of the Northern
empire. Her position protects her from in
vasion and her feet assures her success on
the seas. The war will be cruel and costly to
her, but not necessarily humiliating. If she
contents herself with the defence of Constan-
tinople and the straits there is great reason to
believe that she will be successful
Constantinople is by position the first de-
fensive stronghold in Europe and its fortiica-
tions are perhaps the most extensive in the
world. With an English army behind its
walls and an English fleet controlling the
straits from the Mediterranean to the
Euxine it would be almost impregnable.
Its capture by assault would be the
most costly enterprise an army ever
undertook, and to starve it out is
impossible. The city occupies a triangular
space bounded on one side by the sea of Mar
mora, on another by the Golden Horn, and
protected on the third by Notifications whose
mense strength excites the wonder of mill
tary engineers. 1t is on the landward side that
the Russians must make their attack. But
they have strong lines of defense to force be-
fore they arrive even in sight of the Turkish
capital. Twenty miles from Constantinople
a chain of steep hills six hundred feet high
and looking directly down upon the great
plain which stretches away to Adrianople, bars
their passage. This range is fanked on eth
er side by the sea and divides the metropol-
tan province from the rest of Turkey. Along
Its northern slope is broad marsh crossed by
four bridges defended by great towers. The
hills have been scarped, and the Notifications
rival the famous Torres Vedras lines which
Napoleon's armies found an insuperable OBJ
stacle in the Spanish peninsula. 1t was this
barrier that stayed the march of Attila, and
here it was that Belisarius defeated the Huns.
Even should the Russians succeed in forcing
the passage of these hills they would be con-
fronted twelve miles nearer Stamboul by an.
other range nearly as strong by nature and
even better fortified. When these are
forced the invaders find just outside
the city the heights of Ramid Chifik
which are bristling with forts. If these
are taken the Russians find themselves
before the massive walls of Constantinople
itself, before city which, says Won Moltke
the famous German general, can be success
fully defended by 10000 good soldiers against
all the armies of Europe. Constantinople
was defended by the Byzantine emperors for
many years after all Turkey from the Balkans
to Its walls was held by the Ottomans, and
when it was finally captured by Mahomet it
was captured from the Asiatic side. Ger
tainly British soldiers could make at least as
long and gallant defense as did the degener-
ate Greeks of the lower empire.
So it seems that England may hold Con-
stantinople against the Russians for an indefi-
mite time though with great cost and sacri-
fee. But why should she attempt it? Its
possession is not necessary to her safety, and
can only bring to her renown of which she
stands in no need.