The Ashburaton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1888. THE CZAR'S AMBITION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1815, 14 April 1888, Page 2

The Ashburaton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1888. THE CZAR'S AMBITION.

Puzzled to account for the restlessness of Russia, and the constant and unceasing efforts which she puts forth to extend her already enormous empire and dominion, the average reader of the disquieting telegrams which appear from timo to time under the heading of " The European Situation " usually falls back upon Peter the Great's will, and has a vague notion that Czar after Czar is actuated by a desire to fulfil the hereditary policy set forth m that remarkable document. Quite possibly it may be true that the desire of the modern — like that of the ancient — Alexander is for world-wide dominion, ' and could that desire be achieved then history would probably repeat itself m a sigh for " more worlds to conquer," but it is quite as likely that a strong religious motive has more to do with the action from time to time taken m the name of " Holy Russia " than has that of a desire for military glory or national supremacy. . For it must be remembered that the Russian Czars are regarded by the Greek much as the Pope is regarded by the Latin Church, and hence there is not a little plausibility, not to say probability, m the theory as to the ultimate aim of tho Czar's policy which has just bean put forward m the "Wiener Tagblatt " by a French traveller m tho East. According to this authority, " tho Czar would be glad enough to obtain Constantinople, but the real object of his ambition is to become ' the Pope of Jerusalem.' The war of 1854, the French observer remarks, had its germ m the quarrels over the Holy places m Palestine, and was a continuation of the conflict be- ! tween East and West which tho I Crusades left still unsettled. • Every ; step of the Russians toward Constantinople,' says ho, <is a step towards Jerusalem. It. is of great significance that the Emperor Alexander 111. confides much more m the power of religious enthusiasm than either of his | predecessors did. He wishes to procure ( a more official and ostentatious consecration of his religious authority, and to have his position emphasised as the supreme protector of the Eastern Churches and the Orthodox Faith, and so rally all the Greek- Oriental Churches and people around the person and office of tho Czar as tho Constantino and Justinian of the modern world. This bold project has been long m prepara tion, is never lost sight of m any diplomatic movement, and no sacrifice of money is thought too great to secure this end. Numbers of settlements of Eastorn monks, of ap parently harmless and unpretending character, have been and are being founded, and Russia finds tho money for the purchaso of the land. Aid and counsel are always to be had from tho Russian authorities. Tho European Powers restrict their attention too one- ■ sidedly to the movements on the Bosphorus and ignore the extraordinary but quiet movements m the Holy Land." Two of tho Vienna papers — " The Politißche Korrespondenz and The Wiener Tagblatt " — a2^pear to put some faith m th j Frenchman's observations and prodictions, The latter has no doubt that the Czar •would hold a coronation on the site of tho Holy Sepulchre of tlie world's Hcdeemer to bo tho highest possible consecration of his authority. Many imagine that Alexander 111. reckons much upon being crowned Emperor of Asia m Samarkand j but to have the Crown of Asia Bet upon his head m the mother city of Christendom corresponds much more to his character and to tho thoughts which ho cherishes m the stillness of Gatschina." All this may or may not bo true, but whether or not, tho theory is certainly new, and it is undoubtedly ingenious and interesting.