New-York tribune., 1878-03-25
TIE rrROPE1N CONGRESS.

Another week of diplomacy has gone by
without tho foundations of Congress OF the
European Powers beng laid. Master work.
men in Berlin, Vienna and London have been
busy with plummet and line, but common
level has not been found The truth is that
their hearts are not in their work. While
Russia stands back and scowls, Great Britain
sits in a corner and sulks. While Austria hesi-
tates and Germany looks bored, neither France
nor Italy cares the turn of copper whether
the work goes on or not. The good Europeans
who used to make the plans and set the limits,
seem to have gone out of trade, and their sue
cessors, whether good Russian or good Briton,
have reasons of their own for putting off the
lob as long as possible, ii not for spelling it
altogether.
1t is easy to understand why the British
Government has busted itself in Obstructng
conference of the European Powers. lt has
not working ally on the Continent
upon whose support it can depend, and
it has little, if anything to gain from the
deliberations of its colleagues in congress
assembled. What the sword has done in
the interest of Europe cannot be undone i'll
the interest of Great Britain Russia has EN-
forced the demands OF the ConstantinOple Con-
ference, and punished Turkey for setting at
naught the moral influence Of Europe; and
the Continental Powers cannot do otherwise
than accept the results The liberation OF Bul-
oario. the extension of Servian and MOntene-
grin territory, the independence of Roumania,
and the conditions of indemnity, cannot be re-
sisted. AS early as last juno Lord Derby
knew what Russia would demand in her
hour of triumph, and, as the plenipoten-
tlares of the European Powers will be
forced to concede, the actual conditions
of peace have not gone outside OF the terms
which were then outlined. 1t is not strange
that the statesman who refused to sign the
Berlin Memorandum, and who attached to the
Protocol clause by which Great Britain was
virtually separated from her European col
leagues, has had no inclination to rush into n
Congress which may tear up the last shreds
of the Treaty of Paris and ratify peace by
which Turkey is left at the mercy of Russia
England has recovered her sclf-pOssession
after her rage and excitement If we may
adopt the famous mot which endeared GOrt-
schakoff to the hearts of Russians after the
negotiations of 1856, "she does not sulk, but
ais meditating" She sees that she cannot ex-
tricate the Porte, nor Obstruct the administra-
tive changes in Turkey. but she cannot close
her eyes to the facts that the Sultan is no
longer the tenant of Europe, but of Russia ;
that the Khedive owes allegiance to a SOW
ereign who may become On accompice OF the
Car; that the direct route to India through
Egypt, as well as the roundabout road through
the Euphrates Valley, where English engineers
have been planning the construction OF 1all-
road, lies in the territory OF Power which may
be i'm close alliance with st. Petersburg; and
that her future is mcnaced by the prestige and
ambition of her great rival in Asia, whose
compact with the Porte a Congress of the
European Powers will be called upon to sane
ton. She realizes, moreover, that British in
terests are not European interests; that the
continental nations have nothing at stake IN
Egypt and the Euphrates VALLEY; that the
Congress will never consent to give Constan-
tinople to the Greeks, nor even to make 1t
free city; and that as for the freedom OF the
Daldanelles, the most favorable solution which
she can expectl is the opening OF the Straits to
the war vessels of all nations under European
guarantees She cannot argue down her war
like impulses. She is convinced that any ad-
iustment of the Eastern Question which the
Congress may make will place her in an
cquivocal attitude before Europe, and she holds
aloof with an instructive feeling that sooner or
later she will have to fight with Russia.
Meanwhile, Austria has been blowing hot
and cold on the negotiations for the Congress.
She is ruled by Hapsburg whose reign has
been fraught with national disaster and hu-
initiation. His Ill luck began In the Crlmean