The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-08
The Treaty Of Peace.

There seems to be no longer doubt that
the Eastern wa is over. The dcfinitive
treaty of peace will soon be signed by Russia
and Turkey, aud there is no reason to be-
lieve that the question of the Straits will pro.
yoke conflict between Russia and any other
power. Austria is content with her share OF
the spoil and England has no stomach for
fighting. AL the questions yet to be dis
posed of will be amicably settled-and Russia
will be the only gamer.
The terms offered by Russia to her van
quished foe are in appearance very moderate
The money indemnity is small aud the terri
torial indemnity not excessive. Bulgaria is
made Independent of course; that is what
Russia went to war for. The boundaries of
Servia and Montenegro are "rectifed." Eu-
rope expected these changes and even Eng
land cannot object, TO them. But in reality
the treaty brings to Russia an enormous in-
crease of power. Roumania, Servis, Montene-
gro, Bulgaria, are henceforth merely Russian
outposts. The Gar has all the benefit COM
ing from their possession without any of the
responsibility attending their government. If
ever he desires to occupy Constantinople he
can march his armies through friendly lands
to within hundred miles OF that capital. By
the independence of Bulgaria be gains con-
troll OF all the good sea-ports on the European
shore of the Black Sea; and by another pro-
vision of the treaty he takes for his own the
only good seaport on the Asiatic side. What
more can he want? What good to him will
be treaty provision with Turkey permitting
the passage of,the Straits by Russian war-snps
so long as British squadrons can blockade the
Dardanelles? lie knows that the time to
fight England has not yet come. He knows
that all victories over the land-forces of that
power will be fruitess so long as she rules
the sea. He proposes to wait. He has freed
himself from every restriction imposed upon
him by the Illuminating treaty of Paris. He
has recovered the territory lost during the
Crimean war. He has advanced his outposts
to within hundred miles Of Coustantnople.
He has made himself absolute master of the
Euxine. That great sea is henceforth only
Russian dock-yard, 10 which may be built the
greatest navy that ever foated. And when
the Russian navy gets its full streDgth-that
Is now only question OF time, all other OBJ
stacles having vanshed-he will be ready to
meet England and contend for the empire OF
the seas.
More than all this, he has virtually made
himself master of Constantinople. The An
glo4TIrkish alliance has been replaced by
the Turko- Russian alliance. Henceforth the
Sultan is the vassal of the Gear. and Turk
ish action will be dictated by Russian di-
plomacy. England has by her unreadiness
alienated the only power in Europe that was
really her friend. And she cannot undo
what she has suffered to be done. All
through the conflict she has been outwitted-
conspicuously outwilted in the negotiations
OF the past few weeks. The~Czar caused it
to be given out that be should demand an
immense indemnity, should seize the Turk
ish fleet, should occupy Constantiuople,
should extend the boundaries of Bulgaria to
land began to protest and to buster. She
never could allow these things. If Russia
would only content herself with moderate
indemnity, now, with the independence of
Bulgaria, and slight enlargement of the
territory of the allies, England would readily
consent, but consent to nothing more. As
soon as England was fairly committed to this
policy the Gear turned about and said he had
been misrepresented. The English sugges-
tions exactly met his views. He would
adODt them And he has He has hased
upon them the treaty of peace. And Eng
land finds herself committed beyond recall
TO the new order of things. The triumph of
Russian dl plomacy is complete.