Year: 1876

4


verge Of war is more fully developed by the
report We give to-day of the decision
reached in the Cabinet council held on
| Thursday. The determination to occupy
Constantinople with thirty thousand British
troops if Russia invades Turkey, and. if
the Powers oppose this, to occupy Egypt,
shows that the official mind is in sound
condition, inasmuch as it has one thought
for Turkey and two for England. Con-
stantinople is in this crisis the apple OF
England's eye. To the fate of that great
centre the greatest Of commercial nations
could not be indifferent, and it is nowhere
believed that England could do less than re-
sist to the utmost its transfer to a Power
not friendly to England's dominion in
the East. There is, we believe, no
doubt that the occasion will be given
for this occupation. Russia will invade
Turkey. That seems to be indicated beyond
the possibility of doubt by the news that
the war party is dominant in Russian coun-
ellis that the sentiment Of antipathy to Tur-
key and the adhesion to the hereditary
policy has such thorough possession Of the
national mind that the Emperor is forced to
forego his own inclnations, which are for
peace.


Passion. therefore. is behind the Russian
movement-passion, enthusiasm and con-
viction that the hour has come for the
fruition of hopes cherished and vainly
fought for by the dead and gene generations.
These are powers not readily stayed, and
they will carry the Russian armies over the
Pruth. Then will come the occasion for
the occupation of Constantinople by Eng
land, and the point whether the Powers
oppose that movement will be of SUI
preme interest, as will also the course the
Powers may take in regard to that fact and
to the alternative or additional point of
England's policy, the occupation of
Egypt. First, it will be inquired
whether England occupies Constantinople
with view to her own interests or in de-
fence of Turkey. They justly urge in Ber-
lin an idea also presented in these columns
few days since-that Russia in the inva-
sion of Turkey simply supplies the force
which compels q delinquent to assent to the
law rs made and agreed upon between all
the other nations. She executes the common
will and not her own purposes, and must
be credited with sincerity and honest
intentions. Every nation, therefore, which
agreed to the note that kussia goes to en-
force is morally party to the act that Rus
sia executes and England not only agreed
to that note but framed it. Furthermore,
she informed the Sultan that it was her ulti-
matum, and this was SO clearly understood
in Constantinople that the Grand Vizier
offered his resignation because he
could not see any safe issue for
his government, either from the refusal
or acceptance of the English note, and
gave his master the chance to find bet
ter advice elsewhere. If, therefore, England
is morally party to the war in support of
her own ultimatum how can she be party
in support of the Sultan against that ulti-
matum? But if England goes to Constanti-
nople on her own account she sets the ex-
ample of selfish indulgence and closes the
door to any complaint she may make if Rus
sia should also pursue her own purposes.


Events at the seat of war in Servia seem to
indicate that the Turkish commander has
not yet heard that he may shortly have
Russian army in his rear. When,
some days SINCE it suddenly became
evident that in few days the tramp Of Rus
sian and English armies might be heard in
Europe, the world forgot the relation in
which the Servian and Ottoman troops stood
and the comparatively small battles they
might fight. the poor defeats they might
suffer and the little victories they
might gain. Attention is recalled to
that scene of operations by the report of the
movement of the Ottoman army at Saitschar,
interpreted as on attempt to reach Paratjin.
Paratjin is in the rear of Deligrad and about
two marches nearer to the Servian capital.
Saitschar is on the Timok and is the ex-
treme left of the Servian line Of defence An
Ottoman irruption at that point would turn
Alexinatz and the defences at the Banja
Pass or any other defences on that line
and the way would be open to Paratjin and
thence to Belgrade. In order, therefore, to
prevent the successful march of the Mos
lens from Saitschar to Paratjin the Servians
would have to abandon their elaborate forti-
fications and fight an open battle-a trial for
which they are certainly much better pre-
pared now than they were before the advent
of their numerous Russian volunteers. If
the Turkish movement compels a battle on
these conditions we shall hear of stirring
events before the arrival on the scene OF the
new belligerent.


The price Of The HERALD to-day Dnd hence
forth ,cM be three cents.