Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-02-17
European Cable News.

European Cable News.
Review OF she Eug:ish situation
LONDON, Feb. 16th.-The mill.
tary situation as well as the diplo-
matte connection with the Eastern
question becomes more interesting
and complicated than ever. Still il
is simple enough. Upon thought
full review England, in forcing her
fleet through the Dardanelles des-
pite the Turkish protest, has aban-
doned, defied and repudiated the
treaty of Paris, hitherto claimed as
her preteXt for attempting to re-
strain the Russian advance towards
India's back door. This naval DEM
onstratiOn was also a positive act
of invasive war against Turkey as
well as threatening def
ance of the conqueror, who has be-
come the Sultan's temporary SOW
ereign. 1t is admitted that the sit
uation looks squally and yet the
fact that there is no panic in Eng
fish funds, confirms and jnstifies
the cool conviction among the poll
ticians here that after all there is
no real anticipation that the war is
to break out anew or involve new
parties. The British Minister had
undertaken to bully Russia as the
cheapest method of protecting the
English interests, which are sup
posed to be bound up with the Otto
man Empire. The snubbing which
England thus provoked seriously
wounded British pride and final y
has maddened the English masses,
who reason from impulse rather
than conviction. In this condition
of affairs the Government found it
could keep control of the situation
at home only by a bold step
abroad. 1t took that step in dis
patching it's fleet to the sea of Mar
mora, but the firmness of consols
and the conciliatory and
war deprecating tone of to-
days Times, alike indicate that
there is no real intention on the
part of the British Government to
force fighting in Constantinople.
Under the circumstances, that
would almost certainly result in
renewed British humiliation as
well as serious loss of prestige and
prosperity, to say nothing of hui
man lives. True, undoubtedly
brave England sometimes fights
without counting the cost, but I'M
less Russia proves less sagaciously
prudent in the future than in the
past, England has played her last
card prior to the peace conference.
Having herself committed an act
of war against Turk y, England's
notice that Russia will be respon-
sible for the consequences if the
latter take steps towards Constan-
tinople in order to secure what she
has already won by the contest,
must be remarked as mere brutunl
JuLnen. England has advanced
by sea to conquered Turkeys sea-
coast and so Russian arms will ad-
vance to the same point on land.
The very extreme delicacy and
danger of this situation to both par
ties must render both cautious and
conservative. Thinking men per-
ceive that Russia, with her army
already on the spot, is too much for
England upon the land. Should Eng
land practically show q determin-
alton to force u war with Russia by
attempting to follow her fleet with
transport ships and troops, Russia
would be justified in destroying the
ironclads before the troops could be
brought into effective position.
1t would take but a few
hours to make the Straits
impossible for British vessels by
the use of torpedoes, without re-
sort to artillery from the shore.
Again, England is assailable in
her great commerce and in India
and Egypt she stands alone with
out an ally. Turkey seeks shelter
now under her conqueror and foe.
Austria has received that wink
from Berlin and it is announced
accordingly that the Imperial alli-
ance remains intact. War for
England, however brave, under
such circumstances means only de-
feat, and so it will not be accepted
These considerations are the secret
of the profound indifference with
which the london Exchange views
the situation. l repeat, only some
sudden accident can widen the
field of war and Russia in diplo-
macy will give England no oppor-
tunity of strengthening either her
moral or military influence in con-
trolling the solution to be reached &.
The strength of the secret alliance
between Germany, Austria and
Russia is further indicated by the
fact that Russia, always prudent,
and though without adequate
means of reinforcement by sea,
trusts her great army near Con-
stantinople with no line of supply
except that in its rear. it's incon-
ceivable that the Gar would take
this risk except under guarantees
that his communications shall not
beSthreatened by any continental
power. The fact that England
violates the Treaty of Paris is
against them no less than against
the Porte, and certainly gives no
new title to continental support.
1t is not impossible that she may
be even compelled to negotiate for
the escape of the British fleet from