Russia

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 41, 16 September 1886, Page 2

Russia

The London Times, in an article on Russian activity and want of faith, says: — "It is felt to be hopeless to attempt to live on cordial terms with a Power so absolutely regardless of fair-dealing and systematically pursuing a policy of anarchical disintegration. Her ostensible friendship is as dangerous as her own opposition, since the only use to which she ever puts an alliance or understanding is to push by intrigue the same policy of selfish aggression which in the other case she pursues, by means which at any rate are less insidieus. An alliance between Germany and AustriaHungary, if not always entirely gratifying to the amour-propre of the less powerful State, is at least felt to be a guarantee for substantial interests. But when Russia is of the party all confidence disappears, giving way to excited conjectures and alarms often too well founded. The Batuom incident has proved too much even for people disposed for one reason or another to look leniently upon any breach of faith with England. If it has sometimes been found convenient to talk as if England alone had made the Berlin Treaty, and alone is the loser by its infraction, no Continental statesmen can fail to remember that the Danube is not an English river, and that an absolute Russian control of the Black Sea threatens other than English interests. Whatever gloss Western jealousies may put upon the Batoum transaction, it remains a warning that no neighbor of Russia can count upon her fairness or friendohip, and that each advantage she gains at the expense of one instantly becomes a weapon to be used to the detriment of all the rest.