Show HER strongholds STRONG HOLDS HER NATURAL advantages IN TIME OF WAR fail france afford to become the Enemy of europe correspondence of the the ever recurring eastern question awakening such unusual inter interi i est at the present time is so complex i ing in its nature that time and space forbid any attempt at an account of its growth to the present dangerous i stage of development russia being the principal disturbing agent we will briefly give an outline of the methods and policy of aggression adopted by her during the last two centuries in referring to history wo find that in russia possessed an area of about english square miles so that during this nenod of years through her modus operand i e quarreling with her weaker neighbors she managed to steal nearly two million square miles of their territory and in a period of years mainly through the same groces s her population had increased about per cent or from fourteen to seventy four millions and during tho last twelve years it is estimated to have further increased to the enormous figure of about millions of lato her growth has been towards the cast more than the west threatening british asia her efforts at encroaching on her european neighbors received a severe check by tho crimean war but this was only I 1 temporary for russia during the franco complications violated tho treaty obligations imposed on her and has rebuilt Seba so that it is difficult to see where europe has been benefited by such a vast expenditure pend iture of blood and treasure dussias Rus sias remarkable growth has been largely favored by natural surroundings roun dings being essentially a country of plains and possessing a strong government aggressive in its policy she has found it an easy matter to reduce tho petty government and tribes adjacent to her her policy after conquest and annexation is conciliatory cili atory so far as is consistent consi stant with safety this method is adopted in extenuation of the wrongs committed on those whom she has deprived of national independence and to prevent internal outbreaks especially noticeable is this feature in her mild government of finland whom sho treats more like an ally than a subdued province this mild treatment however is not generally adopted but only in such sections as she thinks it unsafe to treat with harsh measures many portions ol 01 the country are ruled with quite an opposite policy being put through a severe process in order as much as possible to obliterate all traces of previous national 1 ity as witness poor poland much as wo may deplore the many cruel methods adopted we must admit one fact i e she has been eminently successful as a whole in her efforts of assimilation when we consider the extensive territory under her sway exceeding square miles being one sixth part of the land surface of the globe with the character of her inhabitants so dissimilar in interests habits and customs we cannot but wonder atthe infrequency of any prominent symptoms ofis satisfaction nearly all her subjects beom to accept the situation forced upon them and unite in extending this formidable colossus vires ac eildo let us now take a birds oye view of the geographical futures of the russian empire as compared with western europe in doing so we shall observe a very wide distinction the latter presents a broken and fragmentary contour consisting of innumerable islands gulfs peninsulas capes promontories etc plentifully sprinkled along her coasts how marked is the contrast with the compact formation of the vast empire of russia mature with a lavish hand has bestowed on western europe a eca coast of about miles while russia with far more land surface has been limited to a coast of only miles and of this comparatively frugal allotment about half belongs to the white sea and icy ocean both of which are frozen during eight months of the year the baltic in its gulfs freezes five months out of the twelve the caspian also freezes in its northern half russia is loft with tho black sea alone for commerce during the en tiro year which is merely a backdoor for tho mighty empire this is an inland sea the narrow entrance to which belongs to a foreign power tho entrance could be easily closed to russia in the event of war in view of the foregoing facts can we wonder at dussias Rus sias restless anxiety to possess the coveted prize of constantinople she looks with jealous eyes on western europe open at all seasons for navigation in striking contrast to her sea bound shores thus we see itis it is not aggressiveness si veness alone but largely force of circumstances associated with her marvelous growth that make the possession or the ja paramount necessity m her eyes her onon hosts are pent up like a nutty torrent reeking its natural outlet ready to overflow over flew the dam which europe has constructed and each year the stream rises higher while europe looks tremblingly on fearing the dam will break and 3 ate her natural causes then have largely aided in bringing about the present crisis russia anet i they haye reached their goal neither can well recede the result most naturally be productive of war in briefly noticing the complex and champlion cha character of the politics of europe we have but to observe the attitude of france and russia the former seeks the alliance of the latter as a dernier resort merely to get revenge on germany at the same time france fears Eus siaa aggressiveness si veness and under other conditions would aid in checking it can franco afford to become the enemy of europe can she afford to com acan by placing in wary dussias Rus sias hand a winning card in the desperate game being played for the future destiny of europe 6 W DAVIS |