New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
RUSSIA'S EASTERN PLANS.
coNsUMMATE DIPLOMACY IN FREEZING
OUT ENGLAND
PLAYING FOR THE "GoURKo WEDGE
LANDS ONLY CHANCE IN NERVE AND
ppONpT ACTION


PROMPT ACTION
The following letter has recently been received In
this city from a man well posted on the movements
Of Russia in the East.
The greatest stake of modern times-ihe control
OF the Eastern IIcnisphereis now being played Tor
at Constantnople> All the European powers hold
cards. but the leaders Russia and England
Russia has behind her all the Continental powers
save Italy Italy goes with England.
II is proof of consummate diplomacy that while
Russia is playing for the "Gourko Wedge. when
involves the throwing of Turkey out OF Europe ana
also out of portion Of Asia Minor. and while Eng
land hear desires above oil things the preserva-
tion OF the aatus quo so That Turkey may stiii be
swapping at Russia's heels and general ncend'ary
making Europe uneasy AT her power 10 create
trouble and breed (whle England goes on indus
triously pushing her Oriental traie). England has
been so eTectualy frozen out that she can force
her way into the fight only on a pretext that means
the destruction of the Ottoman Empire As to Eng
land and Turkey. the seizure OF Egypt has been used
against England with great effect The hope that
Turkey may regain Egypt compensation for
probable losses In Europe Is held out most skilflly
TO the Sultan by Nelidof and to-day unquestionably
Nedoff is all powerful with the Sultan Whenever
he says a thing and means 1t the Sultan will accept
st.
So far the fencing has been on the extra guard
ship matter. There IL nothing in IT, So long as quiet
there except by arbitrary. high handed use of
power and they could not agree TO slices of the
melon to be cut. With trouble in Constantnople the
guardships would lie of no use. 1t would require the
fleets and they would he there in twenty hours
united TO the extent of protecting all European In
terests England blundered into trap In making
the proposition and enabled Russia to show that
England "focked by herself" But her weakness
having been shown by her enemy. England has felt
that she show her strength in some way 10 re-
cover prestige. The willy Russian Ambassador has,
however made her efforts productive only OF waste
of strength But England has done one shrewd thing
from the beginning. She realized that with her
fleets below the Dardanees she was In the fix OF the
poor boy at the frOlic. who had very little TO say.
but that II the guardshp matter cond be SO worked
as to the Dardanelles not only with ne: fleet
but with the fleets of the Powers. England at the
head of the Sea of Marmora would hold command
ing position. She has bent all her energies so 10
arouse the Christian world that whenever the op-
portunity could be made for the English feet TO force
q passage the other fleets would accompany her. In
this work she has made undoubed progress and pos
sibly may arrange matters to give her chance TO
1ead off.
But the danger TO England is that Neldon can
at any moment get the frmans and nc or the
Austrian Ambassador will get them il necessary.
Then England must find new way 10 get where
her ships will count II England had the nerve
now to play her game Lord Give played It, ana
oush through the Dardanelles II is moral Ger
tainty that the fleets would follow and she wo"iu
gain her point. If she loses the chance ana ie's
the guardships go up before she starts up 'ie
Dardaneies with her fleet and as an escort to the
1,ryad she has lost the game IL would De easy
now TO start fight in Constantnople on which
England warned in advance, could be ready 10
push into the Dardanees ahead Of everybody yet
Forcing all the fleets 70 follow. Whether she VIII
play her hand that remains to be seen
The "Gourko Wedge" has long been RUSSIAN
s,ate secret most carefully kept. Its ines were
laid out by the late General Gcurko OF the Russian
Army after most careful examination and investi-
cation by secret agents fully competent TO pass on
It's commercial and military features. The work
was put in hand Immediately after Russia nad de-
etroyed England's work in ''neutralzing the BACK
Sea IN 1s7O when Russia began build fleet on
the Euxine Gourko reported 1t In 1876, and then
came the Russo Turkish Russia got to Con-
stautinope and held the city in the hollow OF her
hand But a hesitating blunder by the car at a
critical moment threw away the game after Russia
had won IT, and England came out on top Eng