The daily gazette., 1878-03-01

FROM an American stand point, and
with our very imperfect knowledge of
the real strength of Russia, except as to
the number Of her troops, we are justi-
fed in regarding her as entirely too for
midable for England to encounter alone
at any time and now of all other times
when Russia is flush with victory and
on war footing, as we may suppose, SUI
perior to any other nation, 1t would seem
like madness for England to undertake
to deprive her of her prey; for so we
must regard Constantinople, if the Gear
orders his army TO take it. We can just
now see no way in which England can
prevent the destruction of the Turkish
Empire in Europe. But if the Sultan
could concentrate his armies around Con-
stantinople in such formidable numbers
as to give battle and secure great VIC
tory there, and England join in and take
sides with the Turks, the tide of Russian
conquest might yet be stayed.
England is by no means underrated by
any of the governments of Europe, and
she has never permitted herself to be de-
fed, nor has she been deferred. Her
armies may not be so numerous but
want of numbers might be made up for
in the perfection of discipline and COM
pleteness of arms. A hundred thousand
Englishmen, perfectly armed, aided by
the great iron-clad navy of England,
might yet not only take and hold Con-
SrInfinnfl.. h,,t u, tl. al; . ~.
reorganized, and by the promise of free
dom to Bulgaria, Montenegro, Servia and
Greece, drive the Muscovite back across
the Danube so dreadfully crippled that
he would not attempt another raid for
half century. This would take millions
of money and cost thousands of lives :;
but the life of the British Empire may
depend upon keeping the Northern Bear
away from the Mediterranean. For
once in Constantinople, with the Turks
subjugated and disarmed, Russia would
have the whole surrounding nations at
her disposal.
60 With her present great wealth Eng
land could arouse the British Isles to
such degree as to make them glow with
enthusiasm. And it would not be long
before her old ally France and perhaps
Italy and Austria would be drawn in.
Napoleon was more dangerous foe to
attack than the Car and yet Napoleon
was not only beaten but his power en-
tirely destroyed as military leader and
despot. What England might do, there
fore, in case of war, is very problemati-
cal and depends very much on the skill
of her generals.
In war money is power. And while
England in her encounters with Euro
pean powers has rarely if ever failed in
her resources, she has been no less pro-
tieient in skill and courage. But she
would not fight long alone. She is well
aware of the animosities and grudges
the several nations of Europe bear to
each other, and with her remarkable
characteristics for entangling alliances
would soon have France, Italy, Austria
and Hungary on her side, and perhaps
all the Christian peoples that have just
escaped from the clutches of the Turks
to fall into the embrace of the Russian
Bear. What promises England might
make to produce these results time alone
must reveal. But it is quite certain that
1t cannot be pleasant for any of the
great powers, not even Germany, to con.
template the immense power that Rus.
sia will be in quarter of century
should she fortify herself in Constant
nople and control the passages of the
Dardenelles and the Mediterranean.