The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-25
WHAT DOES RUSSIA MEAN,

Is Russia running for a fall? Does
she concede her defeat by Japan, and
is she determined to save herself with
her own people by bringing on a gen
eral European war? Some people be-
lieve this. and 1t may be so, but there
Is nothing in the seizures she has made
In the Red Sea that would warrant
such belief, If the facts are looked
at dispassionately.
Take the question by it's first handle
How did her ships get out of the Black
Sea, when, by treaty, these should be
shut up there? The obligations tn
keep them there was on the Sultan of
Turkey. The very treaties combining
them there left 1t within the discretion
of the Porte to abrogate the rule when
ever he saw fit. The Dardanelles
Straits are being constantly used by
sea-going vessels owned by persons
of various nationalities and without
objection. the Sultan's Government
having first granted permission. If
Russia obtained permission, reckoning
must be had not with Russia. but with
Turkey. We confess, having no
sympathy with Russia in the present
contest and little with her at any time,
initiation put upon that country in bot
thing UP her Black Sea feet and COM
Polling its inactivity, when a life and
death struggle was on. 1t looked un-
fair that England could so constrain
Russia in the natural use Of what pow
er she possessed. Europe has never
been able to agree upon a division
of the Turks domain and in the gem
eral sQuabble how to divide, the only
practical result has been to use Tu;-
key as cork, closing Russia in that
quarter and limiting her to the Black
Sea. Russia has wheedled, purchased
or overawed the Porte and has de-
spatched certain ships through the
Straits. Once out, they are amenable
to international law. 1t is absurd to
call them pirates, as some excited peo-
pie in London seem disposed to do.
Russia has certain war vessels cruising
in the Red Sea to intercept and seize
Sohtt sOOuS OIi their way 10 ia
pan. Innocent ship owners must sub
nit to stoppage and to overhauling
them just as they would have to sub
init to search by the fleet at Vladivos-
tok if this CHANGED to be encountered.
The place on the high seas has moth
ing to do with the case. Have you
contraband aboard destined for an
enemy's port? You may sail from New
York, Savannah, Mobile, Liverpool o.
Hamburg and if you are carrying aid
and comfort in the shape of munitions
and supplies to Japan or Russia, then
the risks must be run of seizure and
confiscation by one of the belliger-
ents.
Can any one doubt that there has
been a vast deal of contraband stuff
going through the Suez Canal to the
East? Russias fleet out there is al
most a negligible quantity and adven-
furious merchants might, with all as
surance, send contraband goods by the
ship loads out there and reap "a golden
harvest. Suddenly a gun is presented
just outside the southern entrance to
the Suez Canal, and a demand made,
"Heave to. and let US see what you
have on board?" The MAlacca, about
which the English are SO angry, is adj
mitted to have had on board several
hundred tons of war stores consigned
to Hong Kong, and the steamers ultI-
mate destination was Yokanama, ia
pan. Under the circumstances, it
looks as il Russia might very well have
smelled a mouse. have seen him brew
ing in the air, and have determined to
nip him in the bod, la Sir Boyle
Roche. Certainly, at the great ais
lance from the scene and from the
facts. Russia may very well be given
an indulgent Judgment. We have Il
dark suspicion that Russia is rlgnt in
this matter, and that certain bold mer-
chants. anxious TO get d cent per cent
profit. have been caught in the act OF
shipping war materials, the ultimate
purpose of which was to help thu
Japs.