The National tribune., 1885-04-23
WASHINGTON c., THURSDAY, 49,

and are preparing for it by the purchase of the
swiftest vessels in the world, and the equip
ment of them with an armament sufficiently
powerful to whip any ordinary cruiser. The
great vessels Of the Liverpool and New York
lines, such as the Alaska, which can make
speed Of 81 miles an hour, are having very
formidable armament put in them. They
will find friends and coal in almost every
part of the globe, and undoubtedly will be
able to make pretty short work of any crusier
which the Russians may start out upon such
a raid as that of the Alabama So far if the
Russians have been preparing for this mat
ter they have been very quiet about it, as we
hear nothing at all of their purchasing fast
ships, and they have not the capacity in their
own yards to construct vessels Of the best
pattern of naval architecture.
The navy of Russia is wholly inadequate
to cope with that of England. 1t has quite a
number Of vessels, it is true, which make
a fair show on paper, but none of them ap-
proach in power and destructiveness the
great vessels upon which the English have
lavished their money. Any of the smaller
of the English fleets could probably, without
great difficulty, destroy the combined Rus
sian navy. Another thing, in order to be
effective. q navy must have ports at which
it can refit and harbors of refuge. This the
Russians will not have. All the vessels of
the Baltic squadron will be neutralized by
the superior force which England will imme-
diately dispatch thither at the declaration Of
hostilities, while those on the Black Sea will
be neutralized, as we have said, by the clos
ing Of the passage between the Black and
the Mediterranean by the Turks. Conse-
quently, Russia will probably have to do
with her feet upon the high seas what she
did when hostilities were expected during
the Russo Turkish war, viz, send them to
American waters to be out of harms way.
We have reason to regret this inability of
the Russians to cope with the English upon
the sea, for if the Car were better able to
hold his own with the English it would
inure to our benefit in the development of
our own carrying trade. We built up an
enormous carrying trade during the Napo-
leonic wars by reason of being a neutral ma
ton and having the only vessels which were
exempt from seizure by the different COM
batants. England took this carrying trade
from US when we got into trouble ourselves,
and our own vessels were liable to capture
by the privateers of the rebels. If the Gar
had any means Of making carrying in British
bottoms dangerous, we would regain some
thing Of our lost ocean trade, at the expense
of England.
As to the issue of the struggle in Afghan
istan, we think the chances, as we
have said before, are largely in favor of
England. Probably in the initial strug-
gle the war will go against her, as Rus
STA is better prepared at this moment for
hostilities, and has, no doubt, an overwhelm-
ing force massed within striking distance of
the strategic points in Afghanistan. This is
her true policy. She should seize at once all
those passes and then compel England to
wrest them from her. Undoubtedly knowl-
edge of this fact of better preparation for
the conflict is what induces the English Min
istry to temporize and daily until they can
themselves concentrate such force in Af-
ghanistan as will neutralize the Russians
Eventually, of course, England is going to
defeat Russia. She has more money, bet
ter arms, higher intelligence among her Off
GERS and soldiers, and imitless supply Of
men and materials to draw from.
We have no doubt the fighting in Afghan
istan will be quite sanguinary when it once
begins, for there is no discounting the cour-
age and persistence of both peoples. They
are fighting races and will contest every foot
of the ground obstinately.