| Show THE EASTERN QUESTION IT ie 18 now DOW accepted as a wll acthen bated fact that a british force has bag not as reported taken pros session of sigri harbor on the island of mity lene as a strategic point to enable england to control the mouth of the dardanelles Darda Dard nelles anellee it to is evident however that the alleged picnic of british officers on the island was a feint maneu vre for the purpose of causing the publication of a reported seizure to go abroad the object in view was evidently twofold two fold to ascertain what effect such an act would have ullon the powers in case it should be necess necessary to resort to it it was also perhaps intended as a deterrent to russia who appears to have started upon an active resumption of her traditional policy of aggrandizement to our view the eastern question is much more likely to cause a gigantic war in europe than is the enmity existing between germany and france the latter country is reluctant to fight because if she were success successful fu I 1 in a gle there would doubtless be a revola ton ion the man who led the preach french armies to victory would become the idol of the people and they would force him whether he might will or no to he their dictator virtually changing the republic to a monarchy another danger would be that in case of defeat the populace of france would demolish their form of government anyway as it would be pronounced a failure in addition in the event of war arising out of the franco german question the socialists of france would foment revolution while her armies were in the field it is clear that what there is of wisdom in france will cause that country to avoid war as long As aa possible germany is also in fo an uncomfortable lor for table position on the same subject should hostilities break out between herself and france rt it would appear from the understanding existing between the last named country and russia that she would be placed be tween the upper and nether millstones while france could throw her forces force into sinto germany from the south russia could do the same thing from the north the eastern question hits has been the source of a number of bloody wars ware already the latest of thee were the crimea of 1854 in which france was an ally of england edgland and the russo turkish war of 1877 78 over the latter there was much european diplomacy which culminated in the berlin congress of the powers and the notable treaty which was virtually the work of the late lord beaconsfield Beacons field who carried nearly every one of the points on which he be insisted the policy of russia toward aggrandizement diz ement is operated under her claim to be the pro protector bector of the christian populations of the furbish rea area a the same power also insists that she e to is the heir in achl chief cef of the sick man as turkey is usually designated since 1854 the area affected by the eastern question has extended and may now be said to in elude asia minor persia turkestan Turk estan afghanistan egypt and india the movements of russia affect the interests of great britain more than those of any other country this is the reason why she to is at present cam ively isolated on the subject she has called upon the powers who signed the treaty relating to the non passage of ships of war through the dardan elles to aid her in putting a sto stop p to the encroachments encroach ments of russia the reply is not encouraging the governments to whom the application for aid is made favor the maintenance of a policy of interference noninterference non it is not clear that war will be the immediate result of the situation that tt it will sooner or later grow out of the eastern question there to is little room for intelligent doubt it would look like madness on the part of any of the powers to plunge europa into a bloody struggle ju just fit now even if there were no other preventive cause than the condition of the crops in the old world the harvests are practically a failure over the continent the opening of sanguinary international strife when the masses are in distress for want of bread would be worse than insanity war is always one of the worst conceivable calamities when it to is associated with famine and conse plague it becomes a contin gency to be avoided by every possible means it ilia is not unlikely that fear of r the awful consequences will cause both russia and england to act with the utmost caution inducing them to stop short of an actual cause for the opening h of hostilities |
