New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-09
ENGL4ND'S CONTINENTAL POLICY.


The announcement that England intends
hcnccforth To deal with Turkey on her own
initiative. regardless of the other Powers. is. If
happily it be true. 10 be welcomed with hearie>t
acclaim. 1t indicates turning back To m old
but 10 a far better and nobler policy than has
of late prevailed. II will enable the world TO fix
the exact measure of responsibility 50 far aS
England is concerned. for whatever may hence
forth occur NJ Constantinoplc. There is every
reason 10 expect it will result in some radical
changes for the better For it is perfectly well
known to all the world that England has been
foremost in advising urging and demanding re-
forms. and that she would long ago have en-
forced her righteous demands with Il strong hand
had it not been for that wretched invention of
cowardicc and greed. the concert of the Pow
crs.' When England said the Armenian mas
sacres should stop Russia said they should 20
on. Germany said ditto TO Russia. and England.
to preserve the concert acquiesccd Such con
cert is a compact with the devil. If England has
indeed broken away from it. she has done the
most crediiablc act in her diplomacy for years
There can he. Of course. no possible ground
for complaint by the other Powers at such action
by England. She breaks no faith with them in
deciding TO stand alone. On the other hand. 1t
is notorious that the whole history Of the con
cert has been marked with broken faith toward
her While she has scrupnlouSly kept the agree
ment for joint action they have Ignored it when
ever it has served their selfish interests so to
do. When England was ready 10 send n fleet
10 the Bosphorus to bring the Porte to terms and
to save Armenia. she rcfrLined because Russia
urged the necessity of joint action. Yet al that
very moment Russia WAS secretly intriguing
with Turkey on her own account for the eSab
shment of a virtual protectoratc over the lat
ter. The whole prcicnce at Il concert WAS. in
deed. trick on the part of some Of the Cont
mental Powers To persuade England 10 keep her
hands off while they secretly played their own
games
Nor need England fear 10 aci alone. She is
the one Power in Europe able 10 10 So II would
not matter II she We're. ~ has been said. with
out a friend in Europe. Her splendid ISOLATION
is really n source of strength Whether or not
she would be able again TO stand. a> in the past
she has stood. snGlc-hinded against the whole
Continent. may be- Il matter of doubt. 1t must
bc remembered AT any rate that in these days
more than ever before war H. financial opera
ton. and thar after every other Power had cx-
haustcd Ill it's capital and all its credit England
would only just bc beginning 10 draw upon her
Overlooking treasury. hut IL i not conceivable
that all E,vopc could br arrayed against her.
1t Is scarcely within the limit of possibilities that
any serious coalition Of Powers could he made
to attack he. That any one Power will 90 10
war with her slnglehanded Is quite beyond the
pale.
For what could Russia or Germany do? Either
Of them would find her navy driven from the
seas in twinkling. her ports blockaded and
their Notifications destroyed. and her whole
coast AT the mercy Of the Irresistible British
fleets. France alone might hope TO make some
stand against her AT sea. though 1t could not be
for long. for the French navy is decidedly in
feror in numbers to that Of Britain. But France
has other fish To fry. For twenty-five years her
one overmasrring ambition has been TO wrcak
revenge upon Germany for the Terrible Year v