Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-17

wv Undoubtedly Russia has done
Wv all In her power to come to
an agreement with Turkey to
allow the Russian Black sea fleets
passing through the Dardanelles. For
a considerable time the European cabi-
nets were greatly agltated by the pos
sIbillty Of such step, which might
even at this late hour turn the for
tunes OF war IN favor OF Russia. II
the powerful Black sea feet were en-
abled to Join the Two Baltic squad
rons now on the way TO the theater OF
war In the Chinese sea the Russian
naval supremacy over the brilliant but
smaller japanese navy, which at best
must have been sorely tried by the
great nine-months naval campaign,
would be insured, Since the final sue
GEES OF the entire combat rests almost
solely upon the domination OF the sea,
both warning powers strain their re-
sources to the utmost, one TO maintain.
the other TO win back the domination
over the waterways between Japan and
the Aslatlc continent. Only IN this light
the desperate step Of sending the Bal
tIo feet on 80 immense mission around
tho world under the most difficult cir
cumstances without coaling stations,
depending simply upon colllers, can be
explained
It Is realized. therefore, Of what SUI
preme Importance some secret agree
inent between Russia and Turkey,
which would make the passing OF the
Black sea squadron through the Oar
danelles fait accompli would be not
only for the bellgerent, but for all the
great interested powers. It has been
suggested in several quarters that Tur-
key might simply connlye at the Rus
sian sortie and plead her inability TO
prevent Il. No one who knows the
topography Of the Bosphorus and the
absolute military control OF the straits
by Turkey would consider a breaking
through Of the Black sea fleet against
the sutan's Will possible az ALL Num-
berless Krupp cannon OF the latest type
IN open and masked batteries nc every
curve Of the strait dominate this water
way 80 completely that not a single
cannon boat could push through With
out permission. The fact that both
Baltic squadrOns have sailed and have
not been reinforced by one single Black
sea vessel Is proof sufficient that the
Russian advances at Constantinople
have failed. The true nature OF these
negotiations VIII probably never be
known, but they were surely entered
upon by Russia, although the excite
ment over the exit OF several ships Of
the volunteer fleet through the Dardan-
elles and their subsequent attacks
against British and German ships OF
the volunteer marine has already made
n great and universal stir. Russia was
actually forced to withdraw the con-
Yerted volunteer ships 10 her Battle
ports, as they could not return 20 the
Black sea, having once unmasked the
armament after their passage. They
were short OF being branded as pirates
and would surely have led 10 active
complications with England had they
not been withdrawn I'm time, As TO the
sultan, he certainly received u strong
protest from the ambassadors OF the
neutral powers, ana Herewith his fu-
ture action In refusing any further
tacit aid TO Russia was prescribed Ac-
cording TO the Paris treaty Of 1856 mo
ship OF war belonging to foreign
power shall be permitted to pass into
the Dardanelles while the porte Is at
peace"
The sultan recognized that any
allegiance on his part IN favor Of Rus
Bia, his hereditary enemy bent upon
the destruction OF his empire. would
put him into the anomalous position
OF n practical Russian ally and that in
this event Great Britain would be en-
Joined 10 represent actively Japan's
Interests IN the Mediterranean. He
understood that the passage Of the
Russian fleet from the Black sea would
forever yiuate the contention Of the