The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-23
A Dangerous Situation.


never been hidden behind a denser
cloud than at this moment, and it is
not strage that in England and on
the Continent the fear is felt that the
war is not yet over, and that Russia
is only playing shrewd game with
the other Powers while preparing to
secure the uttermost fruits of her
victories. A suspicion finds expires
sion in plain words in the English
press that she does not intend that
an international congress or confer
ence shall decide the te of Turkey
and the BOsphorus or settle the dues-
tions of the control of the mouths of
the Danube and the Bosphorus and
the Dardanelles. Such misgivings
are in nowise unjustifiable. The con-
ditiens of the treaty of peace with the
Sublime Porte have been mysti-
fed that they are not even yet en-
tirely understood ; the calling of the
Conference has been purposely de-
layed there are rumors of a secret
understanding between Russia and
Turkey, and all the time the Russian
kes are being drawn closer, to Con-
stantinople and so near to the shore
that the coast defences of the penin-
sula may at any moment be seized
and rendered impregnable and an
army thrown into Constantinople
itself. If, as reported, troops have
advanced to Boulair, the meaning of
such movement can only be that ON
an emergency Gallipoli may be occu-
pied and the British fleet thus cut off
from returning to the sea in case of a
declaration of histiIities. If the OBJ
ject of Russia were, indeed, to defy
all opposition at the last to any at
tempt to interfere with herautocratic
disposition of Turkish possessions
and to go to war to maintain herself,
meanwhile preparing herself to enter
it under the most favorable auspices,
she could not be acting differently
from her present course. If she were
resolved that conference might
ratify her demands, but should not
be allowed to abate or negative them,
she would be doing just as she is
doing Notwithstanding negotiations,
avoiding committal to anything posi-
tive, and in the meanwhile steadily
improving her military advantages.
This is Muscovite statecraft
throughout, and it is more than a
match for the straightforwardness of
British policy. Hence the only course
left for England is to put on bold
front and make ready for all contin-
gencies. And this is being done more
actively than is popularity supposed.
The readiness of her magnificent
fleets to go into action at once is
known, but army preparations have
not been carried forward with so
much publicity. But Mr.. Jennings
states in a letter dated two weeks ago
that two a my corps, each numbering
$4,000 men, were then ready to take
the field, and other contingents were
being filled up and equipped in haste.
Still, this force is small and insignifi-
cant when compared with the vast
legions of Russia, flushed with vic
tory and in thorough fighting trim.
At the first note of alarm Russia
could make her footing on the shores
of the Dardanelles impregnable, and
by skilful employment of the dreaded
torpedo it is possible that the Straits
would become the graveyards of Eng
lish iron clads and sailors. Splendid
and formidable as are these monster
ships of war, they have meyer yet
been attacked by that dire engine of
mischief, but in so far as the torpedo
has been tested against armored
vessels, it has demonstrated its
superiority. The Sinking of the
Turkish ships on the Danube with
every soul on board is portentous
indication OF their potentialities, and
they may render the heaviest float
ing batteries harmless for assault
upon shore line thickiy strewn with
them. That the Russians have them
and know how to use them has been
abundantly proved during the past
ten months, and we may be sure that
they willnot be neglected if there is
to be struggle with England for
Muscevite supremacy in the East.
With them the British squadrons
may be entirely debarred from en-
trance into the Dardanelles, and
while the ships are thus held at bay
the Russian forces can march on UNI
opposed.
There is little doubt that the stu
alton is delicate and dangerous, and
il is also true that the Government OF
Great Britain finds itself without al
lies at a crisis when it especially
needs their aid. The cutlery of Aus
tria against Russian ACKNOWLEDGEMENT