The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-13

the Atlantic. A glance at the map will
show that, as it is, Russian Lapland Is
projected westward like wedge between
the northern border Of Sweden and Nor
wegian Finmark, and bites deep into
Norways territory, the tip of the wedge
being only few miles east OF Tromso'
Now, If Russia has hitherto been re-
strained from the seizure of the desired
outlet to the Atlantic in this quarter. 1t
was because Sweden and Norway were
known 10 have at their disposal, even IN
peace times, highly trained standing
army Of 81, Oon men--as large as that Of
the United States-together with twenty
three battleships and coast defense SHIPS,
all of which would he mustered for the
defense of an imperiled harbor. NO
doubt the odds would be overwhelming
If Russia we're left at will to prosecute
her plan without interference on the
part of other great Powers. But the
Swedes and NorweGians between them
would be able to protract resistance
long enough to give England or Ger
many an opportunity of interposing
with efficiency. Scandinavia's power
of self-protection would be considerably
enhanced by the adhesion of Denmark,
because, although the Danish army on
a peace footing is small it has war
strength of more than 100000, and its
nine battleships and coast defense ships,
with its cruisers, gunboats and torpedo
boats, might be of much service in OBJ
structing the movement Of the Russian
navy from the Baltic into the Black Sea
through the sound.
The outcome Of the war in the Far
East, the close approach to certainty
that Russia must renounce for an in
definite period, if not forever, the hope
of becoming a first class naval Power
in the Pacific, is we'll calculated to ex-
cite misgivings in the Norwegian mind.
If the acquisition Of Norwegian har-
Dor on the Atlantic has seemed desirable
to Russia heretofore-it is known to have
been at least once during the present
generation the subject Of careful study
at st. Petersburg-how much more en-
viable must it seem to-day, when all the
projects which have had the Pacific for
an objective, and which seemed to have
approached fulfilment in Port Arthur
and Dalny, have encountered what looks
like an insuperable obstacle in Japan!
Why should Russia waste her resources
any longer in q vain attempt to fight
thousands Of miles from her base when
Norway lies at her door, and when, with
a tenth of the effort, she could create
Port Arthur on the Atlantic which would
be a formidable menace to German and
British commerce in the North Sea? Not
even the Grand Ducal coterie can be
presumed to be totally lacking in COM
mon sense Cut off from the ocean in
Eastern Asia, they could not fail to
recognize that the line Of least resist
ance pointed to the Norwegian coast.
Scarcel, will the ink with which is
signed treaty of peace between Japan
and Russia be dry before the peril Of
Scandinavia will be brought home to
her children with a shock. They will
then recognize that for them there Is
only one sure method Of escaping the
ABSORPTION whereof Finland is victim,
and that is to form federation of the
three kingdoms, each retaining COM
plete local independence, but concen-
trating their military and naval re-
sources for mutual defense. Such a
federation might take the extra precau-
ton of contracting an intimate alliance
with the German Empire. Thus would
an impenetrable barrier be reared
against Muscovite aggression and Scan
dinavia might look forward with abso-
lutte security to long career OF self
development.