The New York herald., 1879-12-09
POLANDS OPPORTUNITY.
Ruesias Overtures to Her
Neglected Children.
POLICY OF THE FUTURE.
Hopes Springng from the Corpse of the
Dre-kaiser-Bund.
THE NEW EUROPEAN ALLIANCE.


The Russian press is at the present time busily
employed in discussing the attitude OF the Poles,
who. since the Austro- German alliance. have been
given, rs it were. strong position In Central
Europe 1t is fact of little significance that the
breaking up of the triple alliance has brought over
lures of reconciliation from St. Petersburg to Poland
though yet these overtures have met with no
response. The Drei-Kaiser-Bund was born In the
spring of 1872 Thus exactly 100 after the par
tton Of the unhappy land had been effected by Rus
sia. Prussia and Austria. triple alliance was
cluded that virtually destroyed the hopes of Poands
revival. The triple alliance avowed itself the ire
concable foe of all those aspirations which prompt
down-trojden nationalities to strive for de-
liverance from the yoke OF their oppres-
sors. It's utterances sounded like death
against its win to the thradom Of Russia. Germany
or Austria. It pronounced what then seemed to be
the Anal doom Of Alsatians. Lorrainers Danes,
Turkomans. Roumans-above all. of Poles. Nobody
could doubt-nobody, as matter OF fact, did
doubt-that. while the triple alliance displayed
its joint device Peace and Order the motto really
adopted by that augustleag was .Fins Polonia.'"
But with the death of the triple alliance and the
substitution of the dual union therefor Russia
came aware at once of the danger that might arise
IN case Of war from her long neglected Polish
provinces. The recent fetes rendered to Krasxewsk
and Siemiradzcki in Austrian Poland must have
proved to Russia that the Poles under Austrian rule
are reconciled to the HapsDurgs; that the Poles
under Russian rule look yearningly toward their
brethren the borders and that the Poles have
neither become Russianized Austrianized (Prus-
sia has succeeded better in Germanzing her section
OF the divided Kingdom). but await the time when
they may attempt again to gain their independence
or ut least change Of masters Though in case Of
war between Russia and Austro- Germany new Po-
land might not be created it is almost certain that
Russia would lose her Polish provinces.
STRENGTHENING THE vIsruLA LINE.
The government of the vstula ls." as an English
military writer has observed. ''under the new Eu-
ropean alliance. Russias most vulnerable point and
Germany's Austria's chief opportunity for exor-
cisins wholesome control upon their gigantic
neighbor. Russias Polish frontier has hitherto
besn standing menace to both these empires as
well a. the main protection Of her central terri
tories from invasion. Should 1t eventually change
hands both Germany and Austria would become prac-
tically impregnable on their eastern borders. while
the Muscovite Empire would lie open to their hosts
and utterly at their mercy. Stranger and more ap-
parenty improbable changes than this have been
effected in European boundaries within our tines''
And that Russia is perfectly aware of the necessity
OF strengthening her position the Polish frontier
II shown by recent reports OF the massng of troops
there. and more especially by the care which she
has Of late bestowed the defence of the vistula
line" Vienna correspondent reported two weeks
ago:-
Despite the serious pecuniary endorsements
with which Russia has been hampered ever since
sns Oh ner war n Turkey the Cars
to construct additional fortifcations OF very
costly description upon the "vlstula line" Of
ere to be strengthened by six new forts now
being rapidly built upon either bank of the Wis
euls. four upon the right bank, about mile
further westward tnan the outmost lines Of the
Old fortress. and two upon the left bank. consti-
ana aordns support the pembn osso
del. One Of the forts on the right bank will COM
mand the main line of railway. The .'vistula
hne' will. when all the new works shall be COM
peted. be guarded by three strongly fortified posi-
tions-namely. by Ivangorod. the Alexander CITADEL
aud Novogeorgevsk. The Alexander citadel is not
considered to be impregnable. exceptionally
strong. 1t was constructed exclusively with q view
When the Emperor Nicholas gave orders for its srec
tion he observed that it would serve, the least
symptom OF an insurr-ction. to level Warsaw with
the ground so utterly that there should be excuse
Tor building 1t up again.. 1t s regarded by Russian
aud German engineers as only possessing certain
relative Importance through the fact that it serves
ss nucleus and point de reunion" to the ex-
tensive system OF earthworks surrounding It IN
every direction. second fortified line on Russiss
western frontier. supportipg the three Vistm,a
fortresses. IL formed by the huge works of Brest-
Litevski and Zamosk. The former of these strong
holds ls in reality an entrenched camp capable Of
accommodating vast army. besides its own proper
ovEEruREs FROM ST. PETERSBURG.
st. Petersburg correspondent writing on the goth
Of last month tells US that the Polish question IL
''once more. after long interval. taxing promi-
nent place In Russian internal policy. and the press
In St. Petersburg has become occupied on the
subject as If 1t was quite one. Now, whom It
IL too ae the results perceived Of tho
il-treatment which for fifteen years has been meted
out to the Poles and has forever cstranged them from
their Russian conquerors. Austria, when encour.
aged by her new German ally. can ut any moment
through her Polish subjects in Galcia raise nm aci.
taton in the RussoPoish provinces. and the recent
festival at Cracow has made this fact strkngy ap-
parent. The Russian government has been for
some time congratulatng itself that all national as
pirations had been crushed out In Poland but the
leaders of the popular party have been only bding
their time. have had the opportunity OF talking
with OF these gentlemen. Their poitcal intelii-
gence is remarkable and their observations showed
that though convinced of the futility of more
popular insurrecticn they have not abandoned their
hopes or principles, but are ever rcady to strike
again for freedom the moment n favorable op-
portunity occurs. At critical period In the Turkish
campaign. when the fortunes OF Russia were ut
very low ebb. and when the possibility was contcm-
plated of disturbances among the Poles of their
acknowledged leaders sagaciously observed to mo
that 1t was not whilo Russia was opposed by tho
Turks alono that any opportunity for Poland could
arise. After the war;, however. political complca-
tions causing difficulties with the Central European
Powers might be expected and then Poland would
DO found ready and watching for her chance. The
'nrst PROOF which tho Poles received of possible
Frightening OF their political prospects was on the
Cxars return from his last and unsatisfactory inter-
view with sho German Emperor. Passing through
Warsaw, Alexander ii. suddenly astonished the Polish
nobility Dy wonderful display OF politeness, which
was all the moro remarkable as IL totally diff
fercnt to tho cold and rcpellng manner which.
during long course OF years, has always marked
the Cars feelings toward his Polish subjects
WHICH WAY 40?
Tho attempts that have been made from st. Peters
burg to gain over the Poles have so far proved
decided failure. correspondents of the Eastern
Bufgcs says that the party which has hitherto
been regarded the most favorable TO Russia turns
dear ear TO these ovcrtures nor Is this surprising
when the nature OF them In considered The f,oios'
which speaks for Russia tho OCCASION coolly tells
the Poles that they should now mako friends with
Russia In order that the two nations NAV unite
against tho Austroderman alliance. while the RUS