The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1899-12-28

merchant steamers and Russia's war
ships were locked in ice and it was not
unti the recent acquisition from China
of Port Arthur that the Cars naval
base in the Pacific was rendered effective
by open water the year around.
For years Russia hoped 10 extend its
empire southwark to the Mediterranean.
with Constantinop.c as the objective
point, but its ambition, while perhaps not
completely shattered, was indefinitely de-
layed by the Congress of Berlin in 1873
when Europe erected the quasi indepen-
1t Balkan States as n buffer between
. Cars dominion and the sea.
Since then Russia has been pushing
steadily southwark toward Persia and
Afghanistan. All the intrigue Of which
Russian diplomacy is capable has been
eNerted In securing preponderating in
luence in the semi-barbarc courts Of the
Ameer and the Shah. So successfully
has this diplomatic intrigue been carried
! on that to-day it IS generally believed
that Russia has engaged by secret treaty
to occupy Afghanistan with Russian
troops in order to preserve order after
| the death of the present Amer and Sc
cure the throne to his successor.
And it is an open secret In European
capitals that the Shah has agreed to give
Russia the port Of Bunder-Abbis, ON the
| Persian gulf, whenever Russia chooses to
occupy it, and has also granted conces-
sions to Russian syndicates for railways
running from Russian soil 10 the Persian
gulf. Russia's control of the Persian
/ gulf would be dangerous to the British
Indian empire.
Russias designs in China are equally
understood. Already the Car holds the
| Manchulian peninsula and is disputing
with Great Britain at Picking the right
to dictate terms and concessions to the
| Chinese Government.
Francs the Cz1r's Ally.
As far as territorial acquisition is con
1 cerned, France has almost as much to
gain as Russia. Then, too, France is
still smarting under the chagrin Of the
! Fashoda incident, when a year ago Mai
| Marchand was unceremonions.y bundled
out Of the Upper Nile country by Lord
| Kitchener
France has territorial ambitions in AZ
rica and China, and unfortunately in the
present crisis these ambitions run counter
to British interests. France would like
to add Morocco to the western frontier
Of Algeria, and In n general European
war undoubtedly would endeayor to seize
il. IL united Europe should defeat Great
Britain in war, the latter would be driven
out of Egypt. and the British control
pass TO another power, and France
would again step in to demand the land
Of the Pharaohs as its share of the booty.
With Egypt would go naturally the con-
troll of the Suez canal, this depriving
Great Britain of its short road TO India.
In China France, too. would expect to
gain in a war with Great Britain France
already has a strong foothold in the ORR
emit
Added to all this Is the feyerish condi-
ton Of France at home. The army is
disa1fected, eonspiraeies are rife and roy
alist plotting is incessant. The republic
is torn by internal strife. Nothing would
clear the French atmosphere more thor
oughly than war in which fractional
quarrels at home would be forgotten and
employment given to a great army that
long has chafed under ideness.
Will Kaiser Aid QueenY
The crux of the whole situation seems
to rest with the German Emperor If
Germany casts its lot with Europe. Great
Britain may as well call out its last avail
able man, for the sea girt empire will
indeed be in danger. But there is ap-
parent reason to believe that Germany
will cast its lot with Great Britain.
Several months ago, before the Trans
vaal negotiations assumed n dangerous
phase, Lord Salisbury and the German
ambassador to the court Of st. James