Year: 1876

| British interests In the East uemanu tnat
the capital of Turkey shall not be permitted
to fall into the hands of Russia conse-
quently every effort will be strained by
England to protect that important strategic
point from capture. 1t is only necessary to
glance at the map Of Eastern Europe in
order to comprehend the value OF Constan-
tinople as the key of the situation, so far as
England is concerned, and to see that as
long as the city remains in the possession OF
Power hostile to the Czar the highway 10
India remains open and safe. 1t is not that
Constantinople itself lies directly in the way
! of Russian advance, for it does not
| do SO more than Athens or Cairo, but De-
cause of its peculiar position of. control over
a vast area of territory which must be kus-
sianized before any successful attack can be
made on the British communications. For
instance, Constantinople guards the en-
trance to the Black Sea, and in the hands OF
Turkey or England shuts in the Russian
fleet as completely as tho Baltic ice
| closes the ports of that sea in winter.
1t keeps open for the fleets of Turkey
and England the channel leading to the
Black Sea, thus limiting the control of Rus
sia over that water to degree highly
dangerous to Russian interests, as was
demonstrated during the Crimean war.
With Russia in complete possession of the
Euxine the most important part of the coast
of Turkey would lie completely exposed to
attack, and, indeed, it would be impossible
to defend that territory against Russia with
out the aid of powerful European COM
bination against the Car. 1t is clear, there
| FORE that the Russian aim is to secure free
ingress and egress for her fleets through the
Bosphorus, and this cannot be perma-
holds Constantinople.


The narrow channels, bordered by high
and rugged shores which lead from the
Archipelago and the Black Sea to the Golden
Horn, render the defence Of Constantinople
against a naval attack an easy matter even
for Turkey alone. The iron-clad, and,
above all, the torpedo, can be applied to
this end with q certainty of success. But
on the land side Constantinople is more
vulnerable and it is to that line Of defence
that England and Turkey are directing
their joint efforts The operations neces-
sary for successful attack on CONSTANT
nople by land involve difficulties that might
well cause Russia to hesitate before attempt
ing to overcome them. Before o siege gun
can be pointed at the defences the attacking
army must make triumphant march across
| the Balkan Mountains, driving the allied
English and Turkish armies before it to the
city walls. Even by effecting landing at
Varna, on the Turkish coast, Russia must
operate with large number of we'll fortified
and garrisoned Turkish positions in her
rear, and great river, the Danube, stretch
ing across her land line of retreat. The
probability that English iron-clads will dis
pute the passage of an expeditionary army
from Odessa by sea is very strong, and great
naval victory by Russia is therefore neces-
sary to prepare for her successes on land.
Taking into consideration the relative naval
that siege of Constantinople by the Rus
slams is only very remote possibility.


The Central Park Suspension.


The position in which the Park Depart
|
carry on its duties of caring for and perfect
ing Central Park-should be remedied at
once. The way is plain enough. There are
number of unexpended balances which
only need the consent of the Board Of APP
portionment to apply them to that
most important portion of the Park
Departments care The accusation of
mismanagement which has been set up
in certain interested quarters against
the Park Board is too transparent to bear ex-
animation. Nothing of that nature is charge
able against the gentlemen intrusted with
the responsibility of preserving our great
municipal pleasure ground. During all
their term of service no accusation of in
competency or wastefulness with the public
money has been made. An OBSTRUCTIVE
official who, in the first place, made prom
ises that the transfers of balances should
be made, lets the appropriation for
the main work run out and now re-
mains passive while cry of mismagement
and extravaganza is raised. This plan,
worthy only of the smallest of small beer
politicians, is kind of sharp practice that
cannot be applied with impunity to the vast
affairs Of city like New York. It is not a
question in which the arts Of the politician
can be allowed to intrude. The present
Board Of Parks has done its work compe-
tently, and its expenditures have all been
made on IN economical scale Nothing has
been further from its management than ex-
travagance, and the exact proportion of its
results to the money laid out is an ample
answer to the charge of waste Let there
be an end, then, to this disgnceful blockade
of an efficient department. Those who con-
stitute themselves the enemies of the Board
arc declaring themselves the enemies Of our