New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-04
RUSSIA AND THE STRAITS.

The prospect of a European congress for the
readiustment of relations in the Balkans and
the Near East generally suggests the almost IN
evitable raising OF the question OF Russia right
70 traverse the Dardaneles and BOsporus
with her military as well as with her CONNER
cial fleets That question would, of course, be
raised if the Treaty of Berlin were taken up
for revision, though, as q matter OF facf' II
antedates that instrument by many decades.
1t is now nearing two centuries since the
straits were open TO the Russian navy That is
10 say they have npver-unleSs for few years
three fourths of q century agO-been open to
the Russian navy since Russia has had navy
worthy of the name, or since Russia has had a
frontage on the Black Sea, and. therefore, nat
ural and peaceful reason for trayersing Them
Peter the Great founded the Russian navy, in
a meagre fashion, but it amounted to nothing III
his time or for years after and it was only four
teen years after his death that the straits were
legally barred against all Russian ships. For a
little time Peter had possession of the mouth
of the Don River and, therefore, an outlet upon
the Black Sea. but lie soon lost il to the Turks
and il was not until more than half century
after his death that Catherine the Great Sc
cured a permanent territorial frontage on that
sea-largeIy by virtue of the i'll requtcd ser-
vices of John Paul Jones.
The prohibition of Russian use Of the straits
Is curiously bound up with the history Of Bull
garia 1t was in 1879 that the prohibition was
first formally made. in the Treaty Of Belgrade,
after the Turks had regained possession OF that
city without the firing of shot. IT was stlp-
ul9ted in that treaty that Russian ship,
either of war or of commerce, should enter the
waters Of the Euxine. Russia had then almost
no commercial marine. and was not likely to
send such rs she had 10 those waters, and as she
had 10 frontage the EuXine there was no
reason for her sending warships thither, except
ing with bellgerent intent against her neigh-
Dor BUr in f714 a treaty gave Russia permits
sion ia So ID her mercantile marine through the
straits = d when some years later Catherine
effected 7 conquests on the EuSine lttoral a
considerable Russian commerce arose In those
waters In 1923 a Russo-Turksh treaty made
M RuSsias dictaton bound Turkey to close the
straits against ali ships of war Of whatever coun-
try. though it might have permitted Russian
ships 10 traverse them. In 1S41 however, an
other treaty closed the STRAITS in time of peace
against warships of all nations, and Imprisoned
in the Blacl, Sea the ships which Russia had
constructed there. This led to the war of 1853
ana at the END of it the Treaty Of Paris in 1886
not only reafiirmed that closing Of the straits
bat also dccreed that Russia should not main
tain Il feet in the Black Sea dockyard upon
its shore That extreme prohibition prevailed
until 1871. when the Convention of London per-
United Russia TO have n Black Sea fleet and
dockyards. though the straits remained closed
This convention. however. kept the straits
closed against only Russian ships of war Those
Il Great Britain and France might 20 through
with the Sultans permission.
This last is really the state of affairs which
now exists for the Treaty OF Berlin in 1873
made no change in it, OF course, the aspect of
the ease has been materially altered IN recent
wears hy the creation Of other than Russian
pavcs aud the rise Of other than Russian and
Turkish political and commercial interests on
the Black Sea RGDania now has an lnds-