OCR Text |
Show A GLOOMY PROSPRCT. The attitude of Russia begins at la.it 10 alarm England. Bvyond dispute the great power of the hui tii ia preparing lo take advantage of the war rating between France and Germany. When the erippHug deu.ai of ltusMU by the 1'iench, English, Sardinians and Turks was followed by the treaty of Paris, in 1356, (hat empire was placed in a sufficiently humiliating position. Her ambitious projects towards Turl-ey and northern India were believed to be che:kuiated, by the stipulations which oonfined hor naval force on the southeast south-east to an insignificant proportion, shut the Dardanelles and Busphorus against her, f nd prevented her strengthening her maratime or military power on the jhorea of the Bla:k Sea. These restrictions were and have ever since been repugnant to Russia, and she wishes thetn removed. This means danger to Turkey, and the Ottoman empire ia the barrier which lies between be-tween Russia and British India. To threaten Turkey means to threaten British rule in Asia. To give Turkey and India to Russia is to build up a power strong enough to almost over whelm the rest of Europe at any time. This was the reason why France, England Eng-land and Sardinia, three Christian nations, na-tions, united with Mahomedan Turkey to arrest the progress of Christian Russia; Rus-sia; and the battle-field on which the contest was fought and decided was the Crimea. The most powertul loe Russia tuen had France, for the fight was more military than naval is now engaged in a death-struggle for existence. The Khedive of Egypt is ambitious, and wishes to exchange his nominal vlce-royship vlce-royship for recognized independence. Russia could count on him for an ally. Prussia claims the Rhine provinces of France, is working for a united Germany, Ger-many, to mako it the dictator of cen " tr il Europe, and may have other ambi-ti ambi-ti jus schemes hidden in the brain of Bismarck. Bis-marck. Here would bean ally for Russia, fiat would make Russia, Germany and Egypt a terrific power; and would enable en-able the two first, if successful, to divide the sovereignty of the eastern hemisphere. Russia flatters Prussia, mikes the Crown Prince of the latter couutry a Marshal of the northern empire, em-pire, and manifests a more than otdi-niry otdi-niry degree of sympathy with the Piu-sian successes. England is alarmed; Austria is alarmed; the Hungarian diet considers the situation a grave one; Sardinia, now become united Italy, is also uneasy; un-easy; and the Porte talks of having 6'i:000 men ready to take the field. The co nplicauons thicken. England saes the Alabama clai ni rising again like a spectre, and begins to feel they are about to be pushed. The United States and Russia are rery friendly. Here is another cause of alarm for Biitain, although not much is said of it. The Dominion of Canada may be placed in danger any hour. There is little wonder that the statesmen of neutral powers in Europe hive a difficult road to travel in at present, while holding the reins of government. Grave questions are assuming as-suming belligerent proportions. The very atmosphere seems loaded with inflammable in-flammable and hostile elements, which the touch of a match may ignite, to kindle the most dreadful conflagration of war ever witnessed by the world. |