New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
THE MUCH-VEXED GAR
PREPARING FOR FOREIGN WAR AMID DO
MESTIC CORRUPTION.


MESTIC CORRUPTION.
rv,ox An occ ASTON AL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
ST. PETERSBURG, May 25.-At length there Is an
EXPLANATION of the fact that an army OF close upon
goo 900 mon has been concentrated in the Crlmea
and Southern Russia and that the whole OF the
Black Sea fleet has been put in commission. In the
midst of profound peace the Sultan is informed III
the most offensive language that his formidaoie
ueighbor purposes to take the earliest opportunity
of annexiug his European dominions and OF taxing
possession of his capitals. AS you Will have areaoS
learned by the cable dispatches. the Gar Deioio
leaving the Crmea issued a proclamation 10 the
Black Sea fleet statny that circumstances ma!
prevent the realization OF my wishes Tor the pc'nc
de,elopment of the elfare OF my people. ana may
comnel me TO defend by force Of arms the dignity
of the Empirer Then few days later the Mayor
cf Moscow made an astonishing address to the En-
peror. which having been previously submitted 10
and approved OF by the latter. must be considered
as proceeding from an august source. III contains
among other things the following remarks: Tour
Majesty has restored life 10 the Black Sea, there
fore our nope gains wings and strength is impaired
70 our belief that the Cross of Christ will soon
shine again upon ST. Sophia the grand cathedrai
1T Constantinopc now converted into mosqueI.
Turkey is at the present moment utterly ana com-
pletely crippled by the recent Bulgarian and Greek
large portion of her army a war footing for the
past ten months Na.nraly Russia desires to take
advantage of these political difficulties which. by
diminishing her fea. give her greater inclination
20 pluck laurels at Turkeys expense. Moreover
the Cars Government has reason to believe thas
Just at present it is not likely TO be hampered IN
it, designs by the interference oil any OF
the other European Powers. England Is en-
tiroly engrossed in the consideration Oh hei
Irish difficulties, which for some time TO come
will monopolize her attention to the exclusion OF
fore On politics Austria intends either by Hiehdiy
or hostile means to get hold of Salonlca and Is
therefore interested in the downfall OF the sultan
Government. Germany will not interfere. Tor
Prince Bismarck watches with much satisfaction
all extension eastward of the Russian and
Austrian ImpTcs which necessarily weaken theH
position as factors in the politics of Central
Europe. As to France, her sympathles are al IN
favor of Russia. on whose assistance she counts al
her next war with Germany.
Opportunities and pretcxts for beginning the
conflict between Russia and turkey are available IN
any quantity. In the hIs- place none OF the last
instruments of the Russian war indemnity have
been paid by the Porte; secondly, there is that
distasteiul Bulgarian convention as yet unrecog
nized by the Car thirdly. there is TIE quest on OF
reforms in Armenia. hes DIES many Others OF minor
Importance. For mouths past those interested
in the affairs of Russia have foreseen the early
declaration of this inevitable war. N.hllIsn, after
q period of relative quietudc has again become
rampant and discomfort has reached an acute stage
The Gar. when lie travelled 20 the Crimea six
weeks ago, proposed TO make an m,erial progress
TO the country of the Cossacks of the Don for the
purpose Oi presenting TO them their new Hotman,
the young Czarewtch. He likewise intended
i'm TN If Rnf of
however. had to be foregone in consequence of the
local authorities declaring that. owing to the
universal feeling OF disaffection. they could not
answer for the Cars life. War has become stern
necessity. Like Napoleon Ill, the Car is obliged
to look upon il eXped ent 10 divert the storm
of public discomfort from internal questions. The
public mind is thoroughly unsettled and requires
something to prevent tie disafectlon from
Gegenerating into regular revolution. Moreover
the Gar is encouraged by the knowledge that it
will be popular Apart from the Panslavist
question, the great mass of the people feel that
their state cannot be made worse nor their daily
e1 stence more wretched and that every change,
every event, is likely TO be for the better.
Another sign of the impending struggle is the
vertabe steeplechase which is going on at ST.
Petersburg after army contracts. Hundreds of
thousands nay. millions, OF dollars are being spent
by tho various competitors in efforts TO insure the
acceptance of their tenders. To most OF the |
superior officers the prospect of means |
golden harvest. Accustomed as they are to rob
soldiers and the Government in times OF peace, they
have much better opportunities for extending their
mapractices at time when. by OF increased
expenditure and relaxed control thieving is
rendered abnornally easy and profitable
However surprising tho assertion may appear,
considerable doubt exists to whether in the long
he paI i'm of vi will he IN
The latter has very correctly been described a
Colossus with feet of clay. Although It's popula-
ton is almost three times that of Germany. yet its
effective military strength is decidedly Inferior
and relatively to its size may be considered as
insignificant OF this comparative weakness no
better proof exists than the last war. Even the |
worst dcpreclatOrs OF the Russian Government the
most sceptica to it's resources did not expect to
Zee its armies held in check. beaten and reduced to
impotence by enemy weak and ruined as |
Turkey And hen at last after a series of defeats
Russia succeeded in overcoming the Ottoman |
armies the field the effort exhausted her that
she forced to stop in mid-career and lose the
PRINCIPAL fruits of her victory and sacrifices. The
cause OF this weakness secret 1t arises first
of all from the fact that the condition of the
Imperial finances allows Of the mobilization and |
main tenance under arms OF only portion of the |
immense strength of the country. In the war OF |
1871 Germany put into the field evcn-ei ghths |
of her entire military forces In the last war
with Turkey Russia sent into the field no
than $4,000. oil about one-third Of the paper
strength of the army. And these were all whom
with tie utmost exertion she could send For
wars nowadays swallow up sums so enormous that
If they be at all prolonged the national exchequer
becomes absolutely incapable of providing for the
ants of the army in the field. Yet even force Of
100000 ought 10 have suhiced to crush Power
like Turkey, if il had been we'll led. organized, and
above all If the commissariat had been properly
attended to- Bad clothing. worse food, inadequate
b 0spital arrangements with the sickness resulting
herefrOm made greater ravagss in the ranks of the