WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF RUSSIA BE VICTORIOUS?

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 995, 3 September 1877, Page 3

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF RUSSIA BE VICTORIOUS?

The “Morning Post,” adopting the views of the Sclavophils for the nonce, says : —“ It requires no extraordinary powers of conjecture to forecast the mutual relations of France and Germany for some time to come. If not engaged in actual hostilities, they are certain to be watching one another fiercely across the new boundaries as they are to-day. Italy would not assuredly be less disposed to be Russia’s benevolent ally in case of Russia’s triumph than she is at present, while she only expects the victory of the Muscovite policy. As for Austria, whatever elements of weakness and disaffection may exist among her Sclav populations while the Russian standards have not yet advanced beyond the Danube, we may be convinced that in the event of Russian influence being definitely predominent right down to the Adriatic, the centrifugal action of the Sclav nationalities of the Hapsburg Monarchy would be immensely stimulated. If Austria must be neutral now r in the present condition of affairs, we may be satisfied that after peace, on Russian terms, she must be not only neutral but subservient. There only remain, then, the British and Russian Empires to be taken into consideration, and to be compared with one another. What will be, what must be, the position of Russia in case of such a. victory as is desired by our Sclavophil agitators ? The expulsion of the Turks from Europe or their retention on terms of complete vassalage —and we think the complete expulsion the more probable alternative of the two —will have extended the Russian dominion practically to Greece and the Adriatic in Europe, and to the Persian Gulf in Asia. The Turkish fleet, either surrendered under the terms of the treaty or destroyed, will in cither case have left the Black Sea to become a Russian lake, whose shores will be thick with arsenals and shipyards, in which the cheap but terrible torpedo fleets of the future will be furnished in any numbers, and from which the huge transports for the conveyance of Russian expeditions can issue at any moment. The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles may be nominally neutralised or subjected to some kindred process of diplomatic legerdemain, but to all intents and purposes they will be within the reach of a Russian expedition within four-and-twenty hours. Instead of the thirty ironclads of the Russian fleet, or their equivalents in the fleet building of the future, being cooped up in the Baltic, they will be established in the Black Sea ; and 100 torpedo vessels and all their attendant enginery will be at the Suez Canal before any reinforcements from Britain could cross the Bay of Biscay. On land Russia will bo absolutely invincible. The millions of the Christian population of what was European Turkey will be at her disposal, whether they be “ autonomous ’’ten times over or not. Asia Minor will be as firmly in her hand, when the hand has closed on the highlands of Armenia, as are the plains of Alsace-Lorraine in the hands of the masters of Metz and Strasbourg. Syria will be crouched at her feet; Persia will be her menial. At the same time, the warlike spirit of her own people will be inflamed by their mighty triumphs to wider achievements, and the dream of excelling Alexander and Napoleon will no longer seem vain or chimerical in the case of the ruler of a hundred millions of men established in such positions of unparalleled advantage and predominance. Is this picture overdrawn in the humblest details ? Will not Russia dominate in the Sclav lands of Europe, and will she not dict ate to the broken Mahommedanism of Europe ? Is it possible that it could be otherwise? And what must be the position of England ? By what resources is England to hold her Indian Empire, or even to retain an open market for her commerce in Asia ? The Moslems of the world wall hate Russia, but will respect their cou- | queror all the same. They will have hate deepened with contempt for the perfidious fools who betrayed at once their allies and their own most vital interests. Nay, if any spark of ambition still remains in the beaten Mohammedans, that remnant of a mighty flame will only be able to kindle to some likeness of its former self at our immediate detriment. If Russia cast back the Khalif upon Asia, then it will become the duty of the Ehalif to enthrone his faith once more in glory at Delhi as well as at Bagdad. W e clearly cannot hope for the two things together, to have Russia supplant the Ottoman, and to have the Mahommedan contented with our policy. Is it under these conditions that wo can expect to oppose the march of the Czars ?”