New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-21
RCSSIA'S STAKE ~ THE WAR.

That would be a partial and superficial view
Of the case which represented Russia rs having
gone 10 war with Japan merely for the sake OF
Manchuria, or Of NIanchuria and Corea. The
possession. or at least the control. Of those
regions is doubtless the immediate and direct
object Of her campaign. just as those countries
are themselves the actual battle-ground but
there is back Of il an object which transcends
this in importance as much as the Russian En-
pire exceeds in area these few disputed prov
inCes. l. is an object which Russia has had
constantly in view since the time of Peter the
Great, and the obtaining of which has ever been
the very basis and cornerstone Of Russian for
eign policy. Men say Japan has staked her very
existence in this war. II Is no less true that
Russias stake IS, if not her very ufe at least
the supreme and dominant ideal Of her national
life for the last two hundred years That ideal
is that which formed the hearts desire OF Xen-
ophon's Ten Thousand, and 10 which they gave
exultant voice from the heights Of Treblzoud
In their glad cry Of "Thalatta, Thalattaw
Russia for two weary centuries has sought
the open sea. In those centuries. and. indeed
since the days OF Daniel. three centuries earlier
stu. she has been one OF the greatest land
Grabbers the world has ever known Yet by q
strange peryersty of fate not all her acqu-
sitions have gained her that one supreme de-
sire. Ivan and Vassi Ivanovitch gave her n
frontage on the White Sea and on the Arctic
Jcean but those were not the seas she sought
Ivan the Terrible gained Astrakhan. but the
Caspian was n mere inland lake. Peter the
Great secured his window looking upon Europe
81 the head Of the Baltic: but the Baltic is ice
bound Catherine the Great extended the en-
pire 10 the Euxine; but the Dardanelles re-
NAMED barred by an alien power Alexander II
planted his banners on the shore of the Sea Of
Japan; but Nladivostok is ice locked for nearly
half the year. Meantime, Poland Finland
Georgia, Tartary and many other lands fell into
Russias hands, enormously increasing her area,
but giving her, after all, not one single port
upon an always open sea. The history Of the
world contains no comparable example Of so
great an empire so shut IN and way from the
blue water which forms, and must ever form
the worlds highroad Of commerce and Of power
Now. let us see I'm what directions a Russian
outlet to the sea might be obtained. One is on
the North Atlantic But Sweden and Norway
VIII never grant 1t TO her, and she could scarce
~ hope 10 take IL from them by force-from
them and from those who would arise as their
protectors. For the same reason an advance
down the Baltic TO open water is impossible
The third opening is into the Mediterranean. IL
she could make the Black Sea a Russian lake
and secure both shores of the Bosporus and
Dardanelles. But Captain Mahan is doubtless
right in his opinion that Germany and Great
Britain cannot possibly permit her to gain such
mastery of the Levant In the fourth place
there is the Persian Gulf toward which she
has long been pushing; but TO reach II she would
have TO effect the conquest of Persia and then
to meet Great Britain's positive prohibition
Finally. seeking the by the line Of least re-
sist&nce, though In this case il is by far-the
longest line, she has built railroad across the
broadcast Of earth's continents TO seek her goal
/ upon the shore OF the Yellow Sea- 1t is her
/ latest effort 10 realize her ideal-we might NJ
most say her last hope OF realizing it; for st.
after ali she has done TO cross Siberia and gain
& footing in Manchuria, she shall be turned back
and barred away from the Yellow Sea. with
/ what expectation can she renew her quest else
whore IN less hopeful directionsF
That is Russia's stake I'm her war against
/ Japan. Her lifelong yearning for the open sea.
\ her desire TO become as great maritime MS she
I IS land power her craving to enter into those
I relationships with other nations which are pos
sible only TO those who have unhampered nc
cess 20 the high seas-that is the object for
/ which during all these centuries she has fought
wars, conquered realms and poured out not
/ only gold but blood rs freely as the Yclga
/ pours its torrents into the Caspian. For all
/ the Yolga's pouring. the Caspian remains I'M
hllod-nay. its waters are actually receding
/ from the brim. We know not whether IL will
/ b. more heart breaking or brain maddening st.
! after all that she has done to reach the sea- she
finds an insuperable barrier still interposed
and the goal Of her desires made even more