New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
RUSSIA ON THE MOVE.
pRrNcE LoBANoFF AND HIS POLICY.

literature, and apparently disposed to limit his
octivity to the srictest requirements OF his duty
az Muscovite Ambassador at Vienna. Prince Lo-
,anof seemed the man above all others most
rxs,y 10 continue the species Of passive policy in
ro-s,su affairs pursued by Prince Gortchakoff
aurng the last decade OF his lfe as well as by
,,s successor. the late NJ. de Gers. 1t was known
hat on several occasions he had averted an open
-rnture between his Government and that Of
Austria: that he had counselled the late Car
,,oaeration with regard to Bulgaria and that he
GAS OF an eminently conciliatory disposition. 1t
,vss reported that he was strongly adverse to
che aggressive doctrines Of Panslavism, and that
- ne had any aim in view il was merely TO
,-ns about better understanding between his
country and the remainder OF tEurope-that he
wished to bring Russia into closer touch with the
,sst Of the civilized world. He was considered an
srnently moderate and therefore safe man.
ard statesmen in every capital Of the Old World
rubbed their hands at the idea that under the
,ew Car and his new Chancellor matters would
he allowed TO Jog along peaceably and quietly.
az during the reign Of Alexander III
These congratulations now turn out to have
been premature and Prince Lobanoff. as Chan
os,Ior has shown himself to be very different
art Of man from Prince Lobanoff as ambassa-
sor. During the brief six months that have
Giers. Russia's foreign policy has undergone a
very radical change and his advent TO office is
NOW seen to have constituted the beginning Of a
new era in Muscovite politics The sluggishness
of the latter. that marked feature dur
ting the previous reign. has now given way 10
activity and movement In evecy direction. Rus
ala al any rate as far her foreign relations
are concerned, is branching out on all sides. and
while the Prince cannot be charged with having
IN any way pandered to the Panslavist dreams OF
aggression. yet his methods. just because they
are characterized by less brutality as well as
nv less gross intrigue and transparent deceit
than those OF Count Ignatieff and other leaders
Of the movement. are infinitely more Of subject
for concern TO foreign Powers.
A MAsTERsTROKE OF POLICY.
N the brief space Of tn, Sc six months that
Prince Iobanoff has been IN Office he has man
aged By one master stroke Of policy 10 secure for
his government the FREEDOM lance al Peking. sup
planting England. which had previously enjoyed
a superiority Of influence In the Chinese Empire
asuperiority built up and maintained at an enor-
nous cost. Yet 1t took Russia but a few days to
destroy the ediice which England had been la
boriousIy building up during more than fifty
wears For when Lord Rosebery. after finding
his projects for concerted action in behalf Of
China discountenanced by the great Powers
swung round and converted England into the
best friend and even ally Of Japan Prince Lo-
banoff stepped forward the defender OF China
stopped by threat Of war the japanese march
upon Picking compelled the M!kado to relinquish
the larger portion of the fruits of his victory
and then loaned the Celestial Government the
money needed TO pay the war indemnity Lending
~ at per cent interest and borrowing 1t at
per cent in Paris. thus pockcting l per cent on
this financial transaction. AT present Russia's
voice is all-powerful al Picking. Thanks TO her,
the French missionaries have already received
4 900 900 francs indemnity for recent outrages
whereas neither the English nor American mis-
sionaries can secure even thu punishment Of their
assailants or the rerrimand Of the local manda-
rms in spite Of all the demands made by their dip
Iomatic representatives upon the Tsung Ii va
men Thanks also 10 Russian influence. China
has lust concluded treaty with France con-
cedfng TO the latter besides numerous CONNER
cial advantages vast territories In the south
which the Picking Government had previously
promised TO Great Britain
In Abyssina. too. where Italy has for nearly
two decades been endeavoring 10 build up
colonial empire similar 10 that OF England IN
India sacrificing life and treasure without stint
for the purpose, Russia has within the last six
months stepped in and without the cost or
man or OF a kopeck robbed Italy Of the fruit or
all her labors For the Negus, having denounced
the Italian protectorate as obtained by fraud
has now placed his empire under the spiritual
protectorate Of the Car; and with Russia no one
knows precisely where religious politics end and
those secular begin. Should Italy persist IN her
intention Of reassertng her suzerainty over Aoys-
sinia by means Of another campaign against
MeneIik this next winter. IL is probable that she
will find that his recent Embassy TO 81. Peters
hu-e has borne fruit and that the Car will in
tervene in behalf Of his new vassal much IN the
same way as he has done in the case or emma
FNGLAND's INFLUENCE sUPPLANTED.
While the Shahzada has been outstaying his
velcon,e in England. the court. Government and
people OF which have gone % no end Of trouble
and expense TO receive him IN a fitting manner,
hts father the Ameer Of Afghan.stan. has been
connecting with Russia until Muscovite influence
is now reported TO have supplanted that OF Eng
land at Cabul At Teheran, too. Great Britain
has once more dropped into the background
making way for Russia. while. with regard TO
Turkey Prince Lobanoff has cleVerN egged
England on 10 pull the chestnuts out OF the hre
and 10 bear the odium Of coercing-nay' even Oh
dismembering-the Ottoman Empire reailzihs
full well that no partition Thereon can take pace
without Russia herself receiving the lions share
Al Belgrade Russia predominates once 'no'e u
suoh an extent that the Servian Government
has tine, ham ernboldened 10 address most ag-
yrsssi,a and hostile note 10 the Vienna Foreign
Office on the subject OF customs regulations
while in Bulgaria the animosity against RUSSIA
has disappeared so completely that no one neeu
be surprised II its people one OF these DAYS cast
Prince Ferdinand adrift IN order TO please '"ei'
friends at ST. Petersburg Russia Is known 10
be at the bottom Of the conflict now raging win
greater intensity than ever between Sweue" anu
Norway. and 1t Il openly asserted tha' hau -
not been for Muscovite influence at ChrlS''"i''a
the Norwegians would long since nave accep'eu
the conditions offered by that broad-mihutu anu
liberal monarch King Oscar reco''0''''