New-York tribune., 1912-11-24
Two Centuries Ago This Imperial Prophet De-
creed Conquest of Persia and Turkey and
Series of Alliances, Made Only To Be
Shattered, with England, Ger
many France and Austria.

out until july Sometimes il is open to
commerce as early as May But in Sep
tcmber il is closed again.
Then Russia reached out and took the
eastern shore Of the Baltic. II was a
great Improvement over the harbOr Of
Archangel, but still her ships were ham
pered in the coolest months Of the winter.
Her dominion spread southwark until she
controlled all the northern coast Of the
Black Sea No trouble-here from snow
and ice. but trouble just as ehectJai 50
far as her warships were concerned. IL
was agreed between Russia ana other
European powers that her uudisputad
possession Of this new territory should
be contingent upon her warships passing
neither To nor from the Black Sea. The
Dardanelles are closed to them and Con-
stantinople stands guard. Had this strait
been open TO Russia at the time Of her
war with Japan her Black Sea fleet
might have been rushed to the support
of her Asatic squadron, and the result
Of the war might have been different
II was impossible. The consent of the
European powers was withheld. No
stronger incentive is needed for Russia
to covet the Ottoman stronghold.
A LONG STANDING CRAVING.
That she does covet it is almost axlo-
matte Its desirability was pointed out 10
her nearly two hundred years ago by her
greatest ruler. The wisdom of his advice
has been repeatedly demonstrated since
that time. Russa's acts have more than
once indicated an attempt TO satisfy her
craving They have indicated, too, that
the precepts of Peter had not been out
grown That his testament has been
living force among his people until to-day
may best be seen by an outlined reference
TO A few significant items i'm their history.
The first two Of Peters rules are Of the
general sort that might apply with equal
force to the policy of any modern nation.
In compliance with the third there stand
out the alliance of Russia in the Seven
Years War the Holy Alliance In lsl3
and her assistance to Austria in the Hun
earian rebellion in lS4S. Her position In
the present Turkish crisis, especially I'm
her relations TO Servia. is an embodiment
OF the spirit of the third rule also.
The history of Poland furnishes an al
most complete carrying out Of Peters
fourth rule. That Inflated country was
divided-the famous partition of Poland
in l772 Courland was annexed by Russia
in 1886 I'm May, 1871 the kingdom of Po-
land was declared Russian province,
and twenty years later, in January, fol-
lowed the decree abolishng all political
distinctions of Poland kingdom. Just
year later ukase of the car desiSnat-
ed Poland the "Vistula Province Its
separate internal government was abol-
ished and complete union with the empire
was effected on February %, 1868
GOT FINLAND AND lAPLAND.
The fifth rule also worked out ad-
mirably In practice, for on September H.
1880, Sweden ceded to Russia the whole
of Finland and Lapland and the islands
in the gufs of Bothnia and Finland.
The next injunction laid upon the
princes of Russia. namely. that they
should choose their consorts from among
the German princesses. was followed 10y
Paul, who married Mary of Wurtem'
burg: Alexander l. who married Maria
of Baden: Constantine, who married
Julene Of SaXe-Coburg; Nicholas |. who
married Alexandra of Prussia; Archduk,
Michael, who married Eleanor of Wur.
temburg; Alexander II. who married
Maria, the daughter of the Grand DUKE
Louis H. of Hcsse Darmstardt; AleXandei
| III, who married Princess Dagmar OF
Denmark. and Nicholas II, who married
Princess Alix Of Hessc.
The policy outlined in the seventh rule
has been strictly followed up. The larg,
est exports from Russia are made t
| England. When Napoleon Illuminated TN,
| famous Berlin Decree. November q, 1895
! by which the British Islands were dc
clared 10 be in state of blockade an,
all commerce or communication with then
was prohibited, the Emperor Alexandes
vas the first to see how much the inter
ests of Russia were at stake and how
Continued on fourth page.