The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-02
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY. SEP. 9.
THE EASTERN QUESTION.

nTmed, IL VIII con1pei some action py the
other powers of Europe, and the action of
Turkey is sure to be resisted by England,
whose great commercial highway TO India
Is through the Mediterranean 70 the Suez
canal, and for this reason England has
always jealousy resisted any at
tempt on the part of Russia to
secure free passage for her war
ships from the Black Sea through the
Bosphorus and the Dardanelles TO the
Mediterranean. In l774 the Russian
arms compelled Turkey to grant Russia
the right of free navigation of the Turkish
seas, including the Dardanelles. In 1888
the Russian arms compelled Turkey to
sign a treaty providing that the Darda-
nelles should be closed to the commerce of
France and England, while always
open TO the Russian fleets. But in
1910 England, Prussia and France
Interfered and compelled Russia to re-
nounce this treaty of 1888 and Turkey
made the Dardanelles neutral to the COM
merce of Europe.
Under the treaty of 184i Russia's war
ships were completely corked up in the
Black Sea. which was big bottle with a
small neck, and Turkey wss permitted at
her will by the great powers of Europe to
keep it tightly stopped. Under this treaty
of fs41 in time of peace no foreign ships of
war were admitted to the Bosphorus or
the Dardanelles. Emperor Nicholas. of
Russia, in 1854 invaded Turkeys DAN
ubian provinces, and England, whose
policy then was to maintain the integrity
of the Ottoman empire as buffer between
Russia's advance in Asia and her Indian
Empire, went to the help of Tur-
key. Napoleon the Third joined
England. not because he cared
button about the controversy, but
because he wanted to give the fippant.
excitable French people something to
talk about, and Sardinia, through the in
fiuence of France, sent her troops to help
England in the Crimea. Russia was
affirmed the odious Black Sea clauses Of
that of 1S4i, but Russia saw her chance in
1870 when France and Prussia were in the
death grapple and abruptly announced
that she would no longer sub
NIT to that article of the
treaty of 1855 which interdicted
her having any vessels of war in the Black
Sea. England demonstrated, but con-
ference of the great powers signatory to
the treaty of 1856 was held in 1871, and
this obnoxious clause of the treaty of
Paris was abrogated. In 1878 Russia went
to war again with Turkey, and England
lid not go to her help, so Turkey was
.,eaten, and under the treaty of Berlin in
1879 Russia recovered all she had lost by
the Crimean war; the Black sea was open
to her war flag and its shores to her
arsenals
If the latest intelligence is confirmed,
therefore. Russia has made another adj
vance and has recovered all she enjoyed
under her treaty with Turkey of 1888,
which she was compelled by the great
powers of Europe to surrender under the
treaty of 1871. If the powers signatory to
the treaty of Berlin determine to enforce
respect for its provisions, the Sultan of
Turkey will be compelled either to omen
the Dardanelles TO all nations or close
them to the war ships of all nations as
they have been hitherto; he will not be
permitted to discriminate in favor of
Russia as Turkey did in 1885.
England is the most deeply interested
party and must doubtless take the initia-
tive in calling upon the powers signatory
to the treaty of Berlin to enforce its pro-
visions. of which there is nothing now
left except the guarantee of the complete
independence of Roumania, Servia and
Montenegro. Unless Germany interferes
10 enforce the treaty of Berlin, the re-
monstrance of England would not be
needed by Russia, for Englsnd's Indian
empire is within easy reach of the claws
of the Russian Bear. Russia's army, with
the Trans-Caspian railway behind il,
is at Mery and Pendjah. less than
200 miles from Herat, that is, Rus
STA is at least 200 miles nearer
Herat than England's nearest military
railway station. Once at Herat Afghan
istan would help Russia 10 force the gates
of England's Indian frontier, and it is en-
tirely probable that with few exceptions,
like the Skins and the Rajpoots, the In
dian races would rise in rebellion and well
come the invader, because Russia has
treated her conquered Asian provinces
thus far better than the English have
India, and the chances are that if a
Russian army of 10o,co0 men ever moved
ON Engiand's Indian empire from Herat
the Indian Peninsula would very quickly
acknowledge the sway of the car.
The Russian has already succeeded in
winning golden opinions among the
Afghans, who hate the English with in.
extinguishahle rancor. And vet England's
Indian empire is in no danger, if she
chooses 10 mind her own business and let
Russia have the Black Sea and Constan.
t,nope, which she does want. and not
India, which she only threatens rs a diver
sion when England grows ugly in Europe.
The natural thing would be for Austria.
Russia and Germany u agree TO a par
tition OF Turkey in Europe without any
regard 10 England and France. Indeed
Sir Charles Dixie holds that England
has no interest or policy to re-
siSt the partition of Turkey. and
no power 10 resist it If she had the
will Russia does care about CONSTANT
nople, but she does not care a button
about Calcutta or kurrachee. England's
best way 10 secure her Indian empire is To
let Russia work her will and clutch Con-
stantinODle Russia cAutS do E,..'.a