National Republican., 1886-08-27
RnRsin and TnrlxeN.

The attempted deposition OF the Bulgarian
prince affords favorable opportunity for
a brief retrospect Of the relations between
Russia and Turkey. When Peter the Great
changed the seat Of government from Mos
COW to the marshes Of the Neva he remarked
that ST. Petersburg was "to be the window
from which he could look out upon Europe"
He saw from the first that Poland and
Turkey interfered with his western and
southern projects. After various dlsmem-
berments, his descendants wiped out Poland,
and the ruling principle Of the Russian race
today is to sweep away Turkey. Since the
beginning of this century Russia has at
tackled Turkey on nine different occasions.
Three times the northern armies have been
within an easy march Of Constantinople
and nothing but the united voice Of Euro
pean powers has been able to prevent the
czar's occupation of that city.
When Peter assembled the throne Russia
ruled over five million square miles of the
earth's surface; the present emperor gives
law to territories which extend over nine
million square miles, the addition being
equal In extent to the whole of Europe.
Turkey has pursued course Numerically
opposite. In the middle OF the fifteenth
century the Turks seized Constantinople,
and entered on full possession of the vast
dominion which the imperial city had ruled.
Bitter religious strifes divided the powers
Of southeastern Europe and rendered them
incapable Of combining against the common
foe. In few years Greece was subdued;
Servia, which had hitherto been
tributary principality, sank into province.
Bosnia and Albania were promptly an
nexed; the Crimea was wrested from
the Genoese. While rival kings con.
tended for the crown of Hungary the
conouering Turk availed himself of their
weakness and took possession of large
portion of the kingdom. Wallachia and
Moldayia were compelled to pay tribute to
the unbelievers. Egypt was subdued. and
| Il Turkish army besleged Vienna. Sturdy
little Montenegro alone held on to her
mountain Businesses, beginning heroic de-
| fense, which was TO reach victorious close
| only after four centuries of incessant war.
But even followers Of the prophet cannot
always win. In the year 1871 the fleet of
Turkey met, in the battle of Lepauto the
united fleets Of Venice and Spain,
Genoa and the pope, and was utterly de-
stroyed. Disaster followed disaster. The
government grew weaker and more op-
pressive. Its corruption became extreme.
Incessant war ragged between Christian and
Turk, and the former gained back slowly
all that had been lost. Hungary was
saved. Venice and Poland drove back the
| Turks and defeated them In many desperate
battles. The strife was then commenced
with Russia, the most implaeable and per-
sistent Of foes, whose hatred and strength
have grown with the centuries.
Fifty years ago 1t was estimated that
there were 2,7O0,000 Turks in Europe. That
number has now dwindled to 1,150 900.
When the war Of 1877 commenced with
Russia the sultan ruled European popu.
lation Of eight and half millions, or, II
the tributary states are included, of over
thirteen millions. When the war closed
the tributary states were finally broken OF
from the empire, or the vast European
populations, upon whom fell four centuries
ago the calamity of Turkish conquest, all
except four millions have at length oh.
tanned deliverance.
If the British interests In India had not
stood in the way, Turkish rule In Europe
would by this time have been finally closed
Russian government is by no means 4
model for states OF the nineteenth century
but, compared with the rule of the sun
speakable Turk, 1t is almost perfection
Russia has fairly entered the comfy o
European nations, but the Turk still
retains, under thin veneer of externa
polteness, all the intractable characteristics
of his Tartar ancestors who, at the begin
ming Of the Christian era, roamed over the
vast region which stretched from the Gas
plan sea eastward to tile borders OF China
Russia has for ages looked with an
enylous eye upon Constantlnople and the
Turkish seaboard. Historians relate that
ga prophecy Of extreme antiquity foretells
the ultimate accomplishment of her pur-
poses, When or by whom 1t was first