Omaha daily bee., 1885-04-24

deavor of England to oppose the accom-
plishment OF Russia's plans In this dlrec.
ton. This thwarting of her aims by
England has long been resented by
Russia. Before the cutting through Of
the isthmus Of Suez, when England was
talking Of q land route and a railroad to
India via Asia Minor, the possession of
Constantinople by q hostile power would
have been a constant menace to her
connection with her Indian empire. Con.
stsntinople is no longer considered by
English statesmen as tho key to the
route from india, through the old watch
word-Constantinople the key to India
was still upheld by the Tory ministry as
late as 1877 and led to the sending of the
British fleet to Bssiks bay by Beacons.
field Just before the conclusion of the
treaty of San Stefano. 1t is a remarka-
BILE instance of the straightforwsrdne,s of
British diplomacy, that at a time when
Russia, by the conquest of Khivs, had
advanced 30 near to the northern bound.
airy of Hindoostan that the attitude of
the ameer of Afghanistan was alone de-
cisive for the safety of highlands Indian
empire, while Russia was proceeding by
short but sure steps through central
Asia toward the Hindoo Koosh, Sir Hen
ry Lsyard, the British ambassador In
Constantlnople, believed that q swarm of
Cossacks, nearing the Golden Horn, &C.
tually threatened the existence of India.
What a desperate insight this Is into the
much belauded diplomacy of Lord Bea-
consfeld, for while the British men-ot.
war were ga%llavanting around in Besika
bay the Russians were actually within
striking distance of India.
THE KEY TO INDIA.
Gradually England herself has come to
pay less attention to the value of Con-
%stsntinople as a safety to her route to
India. Ever now, when Russia Is EN-.
deavoring to gain Turkey as her ally,
British statesmen are not 30 terrified as
they were In the days Of Palmerston, or
even Beaconsfield. Having occurred Cy-
prur, which was to have been the guar.
dian of the starting point on the pro-
jected Euphrates valley route to India,
Constantinople had no longer the value
that 1t once had for British statesmen.
And with the protectorate of Egypt
(which 1t is conjectured that England
| will obtain from the sultan tn exchange
fer the return of Cyprus) and the com.
mand of the Suez canal, her route to
India is taken far away from the Golden
Horn. England has not the same inter.
est as of yore In the Dardanelles being
in the hands of Turkey; indeed, other
great powers have a far greater In them.
Besides, the danger to England's
Indian empire is now transferred
to Central Asia. AS a recent
this point: "The sphere of the struggle Is
transferred to more distant regions. Tur-
key is no longer the dividing line between
Europe and Asia. The political necessity
of expansion has opened new avenues.
The contest of European interests has
been transferred further to the east. Diff.
ferences which fifty years sgowere fought
out In the Balkans ara now fought out In
the valleys of the Hindoo Koosh. In AZ.
ghanistan the two great rival powers
must eventually come to blows. Perhaps
the fsbled fight of the bear and the shark
will be fought out at the mouth of the
Indus"
H oNTES FOR THE PERSIAN GULF.
The same writer goes on in an interest
ing way to show that the aim of Russii
In Central Asia 4, not so much to menac,
or to invade India as to get possession o
q coast line IN the Arabian
sea. We give place to his deduc
ton: "For generations," he says
"Russia has been striving for maratime
egrass. An immense empire without
| a,oolo ~ ra,kx,okol oonnootlor NTH khx
ocean! 4 The exit from thu
Black sea Into the Mediterranean Is com
manded by Turkish batteries on tht
Bo.phorus. This striving to carve fol-
herself a pathway to a free ocean coas
works in Russia with the might Of {
chained up elementary power. And il
increases In intensity in the same degres
as the interior CT the various parts o.
the empire is made capable of produc
tion by railroads, and Russian trade IL
looking for markets. AS soon as Rus
sia's Asiatic possessions are connected By
railroad with her European system-and
the day Is not far Distant highway tt
come southerly coast becomes a law OF
necessity which no power can resiss obey
ing In the long rup. This pressure t
reach Inc Ocean ID inc lehulnR WOtlVe q
all the events that have taken place il
Central Asia. 1t chsracterizes the
direction which the Russian
advance must take, and it only need
a single glance at the chart to be con-
WINGED that all the expeditions up to thi
time have been carried cut in accordance
with a well laid plan. The terrltorie
still dividing Russia in Central Ash
from the ocean are Afghanstan and
Belooohistsn, and through these land
Russia muat eventually reach the ocean.
RUSSIA M BosPHoRUs.
That is according to the writer above
IL oted and some Russian authorities, tn
i'm Of Russia In Afghanatan at tn
present time. AS for the question o
Constantinople, Russia, in the event o
a general war, may endeavor to get poe
seasion of the city and command the gate
way to the Black sea herself, or, If she
secures Turkey for An ally, content her
self with getting the unrestricted navlga'
tion of the straits for her wal ships. al
was the casa in the days of the Grsa'
Mahmood. 1t Is reported that in the re-
cent diplomatic intercourse between st.
Petersburg and the porte the sultan Il
ALWAYS referred to as the grandson of tbs