The Portland daily press., 1890-01-22
BISMARCK WOULD LOCK THE GATES
While Urging England to Enter tho
DomInlons Of the czar
Ne Twice Prompted the Porte TO
Fortlfy the pardanelIes.
An Interesting Story Of Some Recent
European Political History.

LONDON, January 2i.-The New York
Herald, London edition, publishes the fol.
lowing from its Constantinople correspond.
ent: "Some interesting information has
been given to me by high official, which
manners of Prince Bismarck at this court.
In 1885. war between Russia and Great
Britain seemed imminent. in consequence OF
the attack on the Afghan army by the Rus.
slams under Alikhanhoff, and the occupation
by the latter of Penideh. Bismarck's hos
tllity to Gladstone's government was so no
toriosu that there was nothing surprising in
the fact that Baron Radowitz, the Prussian
ambassador, received instructions at that
time to press upon the Porte, with all possi-
BILE energy, the Imperative necessity OF re-
fusing TO the British feet the free passage of
the Dardanelles, In the event Of war be-
tween Russia and Great Britain. In this
course, Baron Radowitz received the strenu-
ous support Of his Austrian colleague, Gen.
Won Golz. The commander Of tine Turkish
artillery, himself German, also received
from Prince Bismarck the most pressing di-
rections to leave no stone unturned to render
the Notifications Of the Dardanelles impreg-
nable and impossible.
In July. 1885, Lord Salisbury succeeded
Mr.. Gladstone as prime minister. Bismarck
quickly allowed 1t to be understood that he
viewed the change in the government of
England with favor, and that he would be
disposed to modify the unfriendly attitude
which he had consistently maintained
toward Gladstone's administration. In spite
Of the short Gladstonian interregnum. the
bad effect Of which on Bismarck was neu-
tralized by the intimacy between Lord Rose
the courts Of Berlin and st. James was ap-
parently great, and almost developed into
one Of understan ding.
In the autumn Of 1886 Bismarck had been
much gratified by the concilIatory and con-
ceding policy pursued by Salisbury's gov
ernment toward Germany, in reference to
Zanzibar and Samoa. His expressions Of
satisfaction and pleasure were profuse, and
the German alliance was beginning
to be popular In England, and Salisbury de-
rived credit from being supposed to have Sc
cured 1t.
At that time Russia's attitude toward Bull
garia was menacing. Prince Alexander had
been kidnapped and had returned to Sofia,
only to abdlcate. Austria and Great Britain
had denounced the outrage on the prince and
ton, and were. by their representatives in
Bulgaria, actively encouraging the Bulgar-
ians to resist Russia and look to them for
support. This Austro-Bri,is policy had
been earnestly but secretly, so far as Russia
was CONCERNED, pressed on the two govern
marck
In October and November he again in
structed his ambassadors at Vienna and
London to do all In their power to bring
about an ofensive-defensive alliance be-
tween Austria and Great Britain, against
Russia. Salisbury was sorely attempted to
acquiesce in the views of the German chan
cell0r, but fortunately before he consented
he made inquiries at Berlin as to whether, In
event OF war, Bismarck would pledge him.
oil IN oil 10 fnas wx,sNh
and France, for the British fleet to have free
passage Of the Dardanelles; he remembered
the state of things in 1885. To these in
quiries he received either no answer, or eva
sive answers Nor Is this matter Of sur
prise when 1t Is known that. just as In 1885,
so In the winter Of 1886, Baron Radowitz re-
ceived Instruction to urge the Porte to close
the Dardanelles In the event of war. and that
Gen. Won G0lz received the same instructions
to push vigorously and perfect the fortifca-
In considering this instructive news. It
must be borne In mind thar the Black sea
offers the only spot on the face OF the
earth where Great Britain can operate effec-
lively against Russia. The destruction of
the Russian Black sea fleet, the arsenals at
Sebastopol, and the Notifications Of Batoum,
and II necessary, the warehouses of COM
merce at Odessa, would be no impossible
task, would not even be a difficult task for
powerful and well commanded British feet.
a fCAy ollsut ouCCcoo ODtdtutQ ny SUCH u
feet would be sufficient to promote reyolu-
tion In the caucasus against the Russians,
and railway communications with Batoum
and Tiflis would be utterly interrupted by
the presence in the Black sea of a vict0 rious
British feet, for to Great Britain the Black
sea is more than ever the heart of the Rus
sian empire.
In connection with the above this fact is
most instructive. The Notifications of the
Dardanelles on the Mediterranean side are OF
a very formidable character, yet from this
side Turkey has to fear principally the in
trusive friendship Of allies. On the Black
sea side the fortifcations of the Dardanelles
are slight and feebly armed. and little or
nothing has recently been done to strengthen
them. Yet the strength of the Russian
Black Sea feet has been trebled in the last
hve years, and is being added to month by
month.
!. A coup-de-main upon Constantinople by
the Russian feet offers little more difficulty
than the advance of the Russian army on
Erzeioum This statement can be verified
easily by any person on the spot, and is no
secret to any one in Constantinople versed
In military matters. During the last five
years the Porte has acted entirely under
German inspiration