The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-29

buuV Wv ALu tuS WOItu WOutu Oo -
reaching.
After Russia's hope Of securing m
outlet 20 the Mediterranean was dashed
by the result Of the Crimean War, she
transferred her energies for n quarter Of
n century from southeastern Europe
TO central Asia. where she gradually
got possession Of Turkestan and pushed
her boundary southwark almost TO Herat.
In 1877 she reverted to her old dream
of ascendency in the Balkan peninsula.
only to find her designs upon Constanti-
nople definitely blocked by the Treaty
Of Berlin. Then came a complete change
of objective. the Cars advisers having
determined to seek in the Far East the
ice free port which seemed u~nobtainable
in Europe. The new programme was
at first carried out successfully, and
by the beginning OF this century it had
eliminated with the leasing Of the Lao
tung peninsula and the practical estab-
lishment Of Russian authority in the
three PROVING es of Manchuria. The
ultimate absorption OF Corea was kept
in view. Japan. however, interposed,
and the outcome of the struggle which
ended with the Peace Of Portsmouth
has convinced Russian statesmen that
their country's contemplated expansion
on the Pacific coast of Asia must be
renounced. There remained the alter
native of an outlet to the Indian Ocean,
and although here also the Anglo-Japa-
nese alliance, made in August. 1905.
seemed at the first glance to present an
insurmountable obstacle il has of late
been found that England's opposition
might be overcome, thanks mainlyto the
mediation Of the French Government.
A renewal of the cordial understanding
which existed between Great Britain
and Russia in isi2-i5 is, indeed. the
logical sequel Of the recent extraordinary
change in the relations of the former
Power with Russia's ally, France.
II England yields to the Gear a foot
hold on the Persian Gulf. Russian ambi-
ton will be diverted from the Pacific
to the Near East, and the three Powers
engaged in the Crimean War will he
impelled by self-interest to cooperate
when the hour arrives for the partition
Of the Ottoman inheritance. The virtual
accession of Great Britain TO the Franco
Russian League, through the concession
TO Russia Of access TO the Indian Ocean,
would thwart Emperor WILLIAMS plan
for the ~furtherance Of German prepon-
derance in Asia Minor and the Euphrates
Valley. He would have to fall back
upon BIsMARCR's project, that of pro-
curing eventually an outlet to the
Mediterranean vhrough the annexation
of those German speaking provinces of
Austria which lie between Bavaria and
the head Of the Adriatic. Thus the House
Of Hapsburg would probably have TO pay
in the end for the establishment of an
Anglo ranco-Russian understanding in
the Orient.
In view of the fact that but for the
Intervention Of her French ally Russia
would have striven in vain to approach
the Indian Ocean, it is hard to under
stand why the Russian censorship should
permit a we'll known newspaper, the
NoUoe Vremvd, to denounce the alliance
with France on the ground that il has
outlived its usefulness and that the
Socialist supporters of the Clemenceau
Ministry continually in their newspapers
revile the Russian autocrat. while many
of the Premier's colleagues make no
secret of their sympathy with the aims
Of the Russian reformers, II is scarcely
credible that the anti French diatribes
in which that journal has been indulging
for some weeks can have the deliberate
approval Of the st. Petersburg Govern
ment, although thus far they have
escaped official rebuke.