| Show y 7 THE GREAT BEAR AND THE BRITISH LION THE present phase of the eastern question to is strikingly interesting to those who take pleasure in noting the R attitude of the great nations of europe toward each other russia continues to pursue the policy of encroachment encroach nent went in the direction of british interests recently opened by a violation on the part of the fhe czar of the treaty of 1878 prohibiting the passage of ships of war ti trough through the dardanelles Darda nelles lord salisbury gave russia to understand that if turkey surrendered her control of the important strait england would promptly ty act to prevent the usurpation of the prerogative by the czar this for the time being checked muscovite operations at that point russia is not yet ready to begin war not having yet completed her negotiations for a loan joan with french and german bankers combined the temporary check resulting from the resolute attitude of the british government only relates to russian operations at one point russia now taking the dispatches as correct makes demonstrations in other quarters equally vital to the weal of f england an understanding der standing assaid is said to have been reached with greece under which in certain eventualities the fleet of that country would be placed at the disposal of the czar in the archipelago color is given to the report by the fact that the royal famil families lesof of the two countries are related and the two peoples are united by a common religion besides greece considers herself the rightful proprietor of the island of cyprus now in possession of great britain it Is also stated that a commercial treaty has been formed between russia and persia of so close a nature that a foreign ambassadorship of the two countries to is to be combined in one representative if this alliance be placed with the recent military demonstration on the afghan frontier it assumes conspicuous importance herat in afghanistan has been called the gate to india hence great britain must protect it against invasion by russia at all hazards it can be readily reached from the persian border it will be seen from this how bow menacing to england a russo basso persian treaty would be to england the points embodied in the newer phases of russian policy practically almost surround turkey which is necessarily the great obstacle in the way of the muscovite advances greece lies on the south of european turkey persia on the east and russia on the north of turkey in asia present operations rege represent gent a diplomatic game of chess the he manipulator who happens to get beaten at this phase of the contest is liable to resort to methods more serious if the czar contemplates warlike eventualities he will anxiously await the approaching political struggle in great britain should the result be a victory for the liberal party and the selection of gladstone for the premier ship russia would have a comparatively open field the grand old man as he has been called has an bounced that in the event of his becoming the head of the government he would evacuate egypt such a step looks like sheer foolishness under existing circumstances it would in consequence of the attitude of russia necessitate the closing of ef the suez ca balor leaving british india exposed to great danger the closing of the famous artificial waterway water way would have a disastrous effect upon british commerce while to leave it open and practically unprotected would be akin to madness what great britain needs now and what will evidently be necess necessary ury for some time is a government with a spirited foreign policy fl of the beaconsfield Beacons field stamp salisbury belongs to the school of statesmen who believe in political promptitude and resolution in connection with foreign relations gladstone is noted for a lack of determination in situations out of which war is liable to grow he is just the man that chat the czar would delight to see made premier of england we are of opinion that such an event would be but little short of a calamity for great britain england is the lion in the way of the attainment of russian aims and ambitions there is a tradition to the effect that when the great bear of the north should put his paw on the british lion the time for the development of what dr cummings of london calls the coming struggle in europe would be close it at hand whether there be anything in the anticipation or not the attitude of the two national emblematical animals is getting into accord with the thought the student of the eastern question will be greatly aided in his observations by an occasional reference to the atlas |
