West-Jersey pioneer., 1878-01-24
THE TURCO-RUSSIAN WAR.

mat the Ottoman Empire is doomed is
EVIDENT The Russian army is steadily ad-
Vanclng upon Constantinople. Already a
portion of it is within twenty-five miles of
the city. Great excitement prevails at the
capital, and arrangements are being made
to move the seat of government should the
proposed negotiations for peace fail. Tur-
key is surely at the mercy of Russia, who can
dictate almost any terms to her. The hope
that other powers would interfere has fled
England is the only nation that evinces
much desire to do so, but is not able to carry
the desire into effect. The Neao York Tn
6une speaking of the situation says:
1.-The day of variegated opinion, baseless
speculation and wildly important rumor has
came again. The correspondents of the
London press in Paris, Vienna, Berlin and
st. Petersburg, so long shorn of their ac-
customed Importance, rush to the front and
strike sensational attitudes before the world.
slight diplomatic difference is magnified
into an imminent crisis; neutral powers are
represented as assuming positions or being
about to make demands quite incompatible
with their previous course; and even terms
of peace, which were we'll understood from
the beginning, are set forth as new ana dis
turbing elements in the coming negotiations.
American readers need not be confused, if
they will compare the excitement and rest
lessness of the reports from England with
the calm unconcern of those from continen-
tai sources. The accord between Germany
and Austria, and the good understanding of
both with Russia, still continue, and fur
nish the assurance of a satisfactory solution
of the new questions which now arise. Rus
sia's readiness to treat for an armistice is
another tranquilizing fact. Until the terms
of truce are known, the situation NAV be
called uncertain, but it is very far from be-
ing critical.
Reviewing the war since its commence
ment nearly nine months ago, we find sim
gularly little in the history which was not
anticipated. 1t has given us, in fact, but a
single great surprise-the incompetency of
the Russian commanders during last Sum.
mer. The Turkish resistance, we knew,
would be fierce and heroic; but, once broken,
it must give way all along the line of defence.
At present, we have reached its end. With
Erzerum about to surrender; with Sueiman
Pasha almost certainly defeated before Phil
ippopols; with the Turkish army resting
on Shulma, held at bay by that of the Gar
Io,11 ,I,o Al L: ]
vance of Ghourko and Radetzky? The
latest news from Roumela, in fact, indicates
so rapid movement on the part of the lat
ter, that he has already cut off Sulieman
Pasha's retreat to Adrianople One more
blow may sweep away the whole remainder
of Ottoman defence between the Russian
front and the walls of the capital. We
shall not be surprised if Radetzky should be
quartered in Adrianople before an armlstice
is concluded at Kezanlik. This, therefore,
is the all-important fact-that the great
prize of Constantinople is virtually assured
to Russia, if she desires to grasp it; yet she
pauses in her victorious career, and will
stop far short Of driving the Turk from Eu-
rope. Nothing could better illustrate the
absurdity of the repeated English alarms.
We have already stated, more than once,
the probable Russian terms of peace, and
there is but one among them-the opening
OF the Dardanelles aud the Black Sea-with
which England has any concern.
The Queens speech at the opening of
Parliament, shows how completely the late
warlike excitement has subsidized. The de-
fiant attitude of the Government is now
subdued to the very safe, if not very def
mite, declaration that the Queen ''cannot
conceal from herself that, should hostilities
be unfortunately prolonged, some unex-
pected occurrence may render it incumbent
on her to''-what? To-tadopt measures
of precautionr' 1t is true that she adds
thereto her dependence on the liberality of
Parliament to supply the means for such
precautionary measures; but this language
will neither harm nor frighten. The ques-
tions of Lord Harrington and Mr.. Glad
that no further action would be taken until
the Russian conditions were known. The
position of England, therefore, is not
changed; for we have several times before
this heard the language of vague menace.
Hostilities will not be prolonged-unless the
Ottoman Government is insane-nor is any
unexpected occurrence" likely to take place.
The Queens speech simply means that
England will continue to do as she has been
doing-to look on with uneasy suspicion.
Austria will not become her ally. The lat
ter Power will no doubt assert her claim TO
take part in the negotiations which effect
the status of Servia, Bosnia and Montenegro;
and there is no reason to suppose that Rus
sia will deny that claim. But we may be
sure that Russia has not taken up the bur-
den of war without reserving to herself
alone the settlement of every condition of
peace which falls to her by right and by vic
tory. If the Grand Duke Nicholas shall
agree with Server and Namyk Pashas upon
an armistice, that agreement will specify
Russia's separate demands, which, having
once been accepted by Turkey, cannot be
meddled with by any other powers"
Col. J. r. Freese's home institution, the
State Savings Bank at Trenton, has fol-
lowed the Jersey City concern in which he
with a multitude of other Freeses was in