The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-26
Constantinople.

the Ore or their zeal at the altars OF ttleir
country. ..... ....
Constantinople.
Il is this city which Is the obstruction TO
the pronpt accommodation OF European
diplomacy and Che paci6cation OF Europe
with reference 10 the Eastern question. Its
geographical position-its topograp hlcai
charac make 1t city OF immense soclal
and political significance. Were it in the
hands Of really civilized and first-class
government It would In few years be one
Of the very first OF cities. Commercially. 1t
would Immediately advance to the front.
Socially, it would command the attention
and excite the desires Of the civilized world.
Il would throw Paris into the shade, and,
apart from religious and classic incentives
Of piety, it would excel in It's attractions
any other place in the wonderful Mediterra-
mean region. We have just read a brlef
description OF the city. which is very pleas
inv. and from which we make the following
extract:
.You may Judge from looking at the map
what a singular city this (Constantinople)
must be, with the sea running through 1t In
all directions-not merely in canals, IKE
those OF Venice or Rotterdam. but forming
great, broad iDlets, whose water is intensely
bright and clear as well as deep to the very
edge. Il is as if you had city built on
both sides OF the Kyles OF Butte, at the point
where one Of the long sca-locks (Lock Rid
don or Lock Strivenl comes down INTO the
main channel. Stockholm and New YORK
are the only other great cities that can De
compared with it In this respect; but Stock
holm, though beautiful in its way, Is on a
comparatively small scale, while IN New
York man has done his utmost to Spoil
nature, and nature has done Infinite
" less than at Constantinople. Let
me try to tell you what nature mas
done for Constantinople. She has given
if the bluest and clearest sea that can
be imagined, and yaulted over it the most
exuuisitely bright yet tender sky, full OF a
delicious light that would be dazzling If it
were not 80 soft. She has drawn the con-
tour of the shores and hills as il with an
artists hand, the sweeping reaches OF the
Bosphorus, the graceful curve OF the golden
horn, the soft slope OF the olive-clad heights
behind Scutari, the sharp, bold outline OF
the rocky isles that rise from the Sea OF Mar
mora, and far away on the southeastern horl-
zon she has raised into heaven the noble sum-
NIT OF the Mysian Olympus, whose SHOWS
blush rose-red under the morning sun. The
sea seems to pervade everything. Turn
which way you will, it meets you, till you
get confused among its winding arms. Its
glittering bosom is covered with vessels OF
every size and style. from the long, dark,
ugly ironclads, which the late Sultan
bought from the Clyde and Tyne SHIP
builders with borrowed money, to the
sprightIy feluccas and other odd little
craft, rugged in q fashion our language
has no names for. During the day its sur
face is seldom calm, for there is usually a
breeze blowing, and when this breeze
comes up from the southwest and meets
the strong current running down from the
Black Sea, it raises in moment short. sharp
waves, a kind of chopping sea. that makes
the small boats vanish. The nights, how
ever. are often still and serene, and then
under the brilliant moon the city seems to
lie engirt by flood OF molten silver."-
Constantinople by James Bryce Harper.
Certainly city with such natural beauty
and such delightful atmosphere, seated
where commerce rules in regal splendor,
needs only good government and civilized
influences to become the most popular OF
all places of social gatherings and CONNER
cial concentration. Properly governed it
would be restored to its Christian domina-
ton and again become focal point Of both
civilization and Christianity. Europe must
solve the troublesome Eastern question by
placing Censtantinople in the hands OF
Christian power able to make it what il
should be. This is the demand OF the civil,
lied world. Such place should be open
to all civilized nations, and proper Gov
eminent would open it to them all-open
it to them because of the absence OF all illib-
eral and uncivilized drawbacks to the en-
ioyment of qualifications that benefcent
Providence has so profusely concentrated
at Constantinoplc.
Situated as it is, it must be governed on
both sides OF the Dardanelles by the State
that holds the grand city. 1t is due to the
peace Of Europe and to civilization that the
reign of the Turk there shall be ended. AS
long as he rules there will there be never
ending restlessness and bloodshed. He
must be driven out; and what Power shall
succeed him and make Constantinople the
delight OF the world?
Russia ought to have it. 1t is an inglo-
rious, ignoble jealousy that would taboo
her and rob her OF the Just fruits of her
bravery and her superior power. Give her
Constantinople, and it would make her as
she would make it. Both nation and city
would become civil and refined. The Rus
sian would be drawn into the arena OF CON-
merce and social and civil elevation, and
thus become q new guardian over the peace
and homogeniety Of civilization.
But could the European Powers be
brought to this point of generous regard
for Russia? We know England's DISPOSE
ton, and we know Austria's Miniature, her
snarling discomfort, as the defeated OF many
wars. And we are not sure that even Ger
MANY would be content to see the Russian
capital transferred from st. Petersburg TO
Constantinopie. Nevertheless, sooner CT
later. there must be erected in Constantine
ple splendid capital Of powerful peo-
ple-Christian in religion and civilized and
progressive in policy.
A pleasing idea to us has been the reestab-
Iishment Of Grecian kingdom with its
capital at Constantinople. Pleasing indeed
IL " ould be to all Philhellenists. But the
question is, Have the scattered communities
50 long oppressed and degraded by the
Moslem rule and social contact consistency