Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-14
A GIGANTIC PROGRAMME.


Seldom in the history OF Europe has
there been so much talk of peace as
now. Every time one of the controllers
of the great machines of war opens his
mouth it is to tell the world that he lies
awake o. nights in order that grim
visaged war may smooth his wrinkled
'front.' and bloodshed may be ayerted
from his country. For all that, there
has not been, since the Franco-Prussian
war, a time when hostilities appeared
more imminent. And yet there are cir
cumstances in the European situation
that are puzzling, to say the least.
Amongst these is the ascendancy Rus
sia seems to have acquired in the coun-
ellis of the sultan, as shown by the Incl
dent of the Dardaneiles. Almost every
one who speculates on the ultimate des-'
tiny of the Sick Man would expect to
see him extending his hand
in amity towards John Bull and
imploring the protection of that benevo-
3ent individual. On the contrary, the
spectacle of TapproeHment between
Russia and Turkey is presented. This
is empha atically a case of the lion lying
down with the lamb. The car must
have used some strange sorcery to have
brought such result about, and if there
is really going to be war it must mean
that Turkey has been persuaded that
Russia has laid aside her plans for the
absorption of Constantinople and the
Bosphorus. There must be some sort of
an understanding to explain the good
relations which exist now between
the Porte and Russia. For centuries it
has been the dream of the ruler
of Russia, inherited from Peter the
Great, to transfer the seat of Russian
empire from st. Petersburg to Constan-
tinople. Turkish statesmen know this.
But when it comes to the Dreibund, it
sees thoroughly affiliated with that
movement England, which has practic
ally seized Egypt. AS between an abb
stract fear of Russia and the concrete
fact of her already partial dismember-
ment by England, Turkey seems to have
made peculiar choice, but it was en-
vironed by difficulties from every point
OF view. Such a course would not be, in
fact, more singular than the alliance be-
tween Germany and Austria which the
war over the Schleswig- -Holstein ques-
ton would have seemed to make impos
Hible for generation at least, but which
was accomplished so quickly by the
genius of Bismarck.
The maneuvers which have been wit
messed in France, Germany and Austria
have been on a colossal scale. Those Of
Russia are now taking place in Poland,
and five hundred thousand men are
said to be engaged in them. Russia
must have million armed men massed
upon the German and Austrian frontier.
If she has really secured the good will
Uf the Porte the situation, in the event
of hostilities, has been very much sim
pfified for her, and. would much increase
her ability to strike effective blows
along the Austrian and German from
tiers.
1T has been said that the next war
will be one of giants, and such phrase
was never more appropriately applied.
In fact, the struggle will be so gigantic
that it requires heart of iron and
nerves of steel on the part of him who
shall precipitate it. The assertion has
been often made that it will be short.
This by no means follows. While the
modern armaments are calculated to
make battles brief and decisive, the
area covered by such war as that
which is looked for would admit of a
very protracted struggle. 1t is alto
gether an affair of such magnitude that
the lover of his kind cannot help hoping
for some pro vidential interposition that
will prevent it.
In Numbers, should England hold |
aloof, the contestants would be about |
evealy balanced, practically. 1t would |
be scarcely fair to accord to Russia the
weight which her enormous population
On paper would give her, and which, if
counted, would mean slight prepoh-
Ierance to France and Russia. But (
Russia covers vast expanse of terri
tory, concentration of her forces is diff
cult, and much OF her great army would
be called upon to watch her interests in
Asia. It is no exaggeration to say,
however, that if The war should break
nat. very nearly two hundred and fifty
millions Of people would be involved in
khe struggle.