The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-02


the cross Of Christ on the dome of st
Sophia Even a large number of ths
Inhabitants of Africa, followers Of Mo
manned will be effected The dipIo
mats of all Europe are anxiously not
; ing every move. England alone is un,
easy and her statesmen are evidently
wishing that there was better under
standing between the Lion and the
Bear. English writer's both military
and civilian perceive that the semi
hostile feeling that has prevailed in
England toward Russia, coupled with
the hitherto settled policy of the gov
eminent creates a situation Of infinite
difficulty which, unless abandoned,
may develop into a colossal struggle.
They are both powers with Asiatic pos
sessions of prime magnitude. The ad-
vance of Russia in Central Asia-her
possession of such important points as
/ Khiva, Tashkend, Bokhara and Nerve
brings her within easy striking dis
| lance Of Herat, the gateway to the In
dus, and makes her a menace to India.
1t is true that Afghanistan interposes
between the two powers; but Russian
influence is predominant in Central
Asia, and when she shall desire TO aim
a blow at India it may be assumed that
she will have the alliance Of Afghanis
tan, and that the gates of Herat will be
opened to her without the necessity on
her part Of striking blow.
Besides, to the south of her Siberian
frontier lies the empire of China; and
the consensus of European opinion is
that Russia either already has, or will
have, an agreement with China, by
which the Siberian railroad will pass
through Chinese territory and have a
terminus at port on the Yellow Sea.
Here she will be in a position to thwart
or interfere with British interests in
China, Japan and all Eastern Asia. On
the completion of the Siberian railroad
and in the possession of a port in east
ern waters, unobstructed by ice, she
will come upon the scene in full pam
oply.
But Constantinople is destined to fall
sooner Or later into the hands of Rus
sia- 1t is destiny, held by historians
to be inevitable since Peters time
ConStantinople, the beautiful, has been
Russia's one fixed, unalterable purpose. |
1t may be postponed; it may be dis |
guised; it may even at convenient mo-
ments be denied; but there it is-im-
70 10 ,io;a
day when it can be accomplished. |
That purpose is the possession of Con-
stantinople, and the placing of the
cross of Christ on the dome of St.
Sophia
England alone now menaces with her
powerful navy, and because of the fear
that Russia would become a Mediter-
power putting, in jeopardy Brit
ish interests which are already threat
ened in India by Russia 1t is said
that Lord Salisbury would be glad, if
permitted by public opinion, to go into
a treaty with Russia whereby the city
Of the BoSphorus would fall to the ear
For England has no other interest in
the rotten Turkish empire
for whose sultan the hour has been
struck. But the English people have
been so imbued with suspicion Of Rus
sian designs, and with such fear of
Russian aggqressions, that he heSitates
TO act He doubts whether so bold a
policy would be in accord with the gen
eral public sentiment. But, as we have
said, there is an obvious and growing
sentiment in favor of a rapprochement
between England and Russia. What
he outcome will be time will disclose.
But it is, doubtless, a safe conjecture,
that Russia will ultimately be the
proud possessor of Constantinople.