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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5318, 12 April 1878, Page 2

According- to the - telegrams received from Eufdp'e yesterday 'the'Statdiof affairs is mot" sb alarming, as we were led to expect from the news previously received. Russia is doubtless appalled by the military preparations which have been undertaken ih Great Britain, and hence the mildness pt Prince Gortchakqff’s reply to England. ‘ ' The ' haughty tone which” formerly characterised the despatches of the Bug-’ 'siari statesmen greatly'irritated thk 1 pehffie,' knd to this more than any other cause may be attributed the rapid'growth' of the'war party in, •Englani;!. ~ A. few months ago the friends of peace were predominant, but. when Ears find Plevna had falleH;’and the" Russians were at the gates of Constantinople, a change came ‘dver'the feelihgH of "the English pebple." This change was , not altogether caused by the great success of tlie'Russian toema. -To those acquainted with the relative strength of the two belligerents itwas from ,l the first clear that'the the Mussulman would'/have to give way before the Muscovite. It was only : a question.of timel jCvictory was certain to r;est with the largest battalions,,especially when the more numerous body had the advantage of discipline and prestige. . ■ .The wars of the lasb, five generations ,have i , incontestably ” proved 'that Turkey’ would- be,overmatched ■in a 1 struggle with Russia/; Therefore'from the'outset Russian succesis- was’regarded ah■ so' cettain that there was really little"rbom for surprise at the colliipse'of the Turkish arnis. 7 'What most'offended tile English ' Government "and people was "the "attempt'-by'"Russia to treat the Eastern Question' as- hue'’which rested 1 solely betweeri 1 Russia'and Turkey,’ and 'consequently dealing with it without regard to the-’ffeelings ' and interests* of other'Eurofiean-nations.- 'The Secret treaty, entered into between Russia and Turkey was particularly offensive to England, ■ and--Hve-‘observe-- that , Germany, Italy,,, and France were also offended at the underhand proceeding's- of 'Russia.-.-/Prince Gorfcchakoff must ere this, have regretted :hisi/bold j step of "Ignoring" the feelings. of i .Europe' in the -'Settlement .< of - the Eastern/Question. ■Russian.■machinations.have againpas in 1854, been frustrated, not by artifice i or- intrigue, hilt by a show' of. Btrength by England which -has wonderfully'itapressed the-Government of the- Ozawa The -secret 'treaty; to mse. a dommon phrase, is not wofth.the paper it da written on. EvtfyoUP must'regard"thd late news- as highly 'satisfactory!' ‘Theiwar- feeling 1 had' reached to a pitch in England that it only required a blight act bn the part 'of i Russia' to precipitate matters. The'real danger to .peaoe lay in the strong anti-Russian feelings of Lord Beaeonsfield. It Is' now well known that-after the surrender of Osman Pasha at Plevna, the Prime Minister-ardently desired that England should actively interfere on behalf of the Turks. It was ‘ the influence of the peace party in the Cabinet which prevented the.-mother country, from waging a, war in which she would hot- theli have- had"a single ally, and would possibly have provoked other .qations,to si.de with Russia. ...Earl Beacqnsfield believed-that'the integrity of Turkey was essential to the balance of- power in Europe, That feeling was not shared in by the statesmen on the ' Continent.' !; It ' was' felt that the “.kick man” would have to be killed outright some time, aUd /the" sooner the" deed was d6ne the better. It was only -When Russia indicated that she required concessions to be, made which would' place” the i control of Sonth'-Eastern B'rope in the hands of -the'Czar that the Great 1 Powers felt■- > deeply interestedin the 'Outcome-of the war.". As long as..the Czar stood by his promise not to'seek any fresh ac-cessions'-bf territory'in;.Europe, .there’was no, fear'* of the Great .Powers" interfering ; but 1 whonthe terms 'of -pea'ce-were’such’assto make, the Black Sea a Russiah/Take, Austria and Germany felt that-their interests were imperilled. However,- it must .be said that all along Austria had mjsgivings as to the philanthropic intentions 'of Russia, but with proverbial’ ■ ’hesitation refused' - to’ > -act until England took the initiative, , It is somewhat strange to' read 'telegrams’ to the effect that. -1 Austria, -a” nation .. with. a, nqillion of an" array, would* lie ' guidedby' the action of England,"'for AnStm-.Hungary has infinitively more do.fear .from, the encroachments of Russia ‘than Great Britain. But. 'notwithstanding this," if England;-had drawnthe 'sword some -monthsMagontou behalf of Turkey, it is the general: impression that she wbuld” have' 1 been ’left 'to tight'i-it out. ■alone. ' Germany has wstake-'ln the.free navigation of the Danube and the -Black Sea, and ■it wbuld-have satisfied-’otff Teutonic' 1 brethren if English blood and treasurexhad secured it Mr* them/ I ’Had if war.resulted" between England and'Russia, Germany (would -have pro-, fessed to look'‘on-'with-'a cynical indifference,, whilst perhaps expressing a slight sympathy for the ■ great-Northern Power. - Nothing hasbeen the complications arising out of the Eastern Question than the attitude" taken' up'-'by the''Germain Press. ' The 'newspaper!- literally -teemed with taunts; it..was daily pointed 'out' that England was l ' -in "' a " state ■ of > ' decay, and the : proud position she occupied during the first' quarter of ' the' present-'century, when-single-handed fbf years she- waged war with ■NapoleoU -the Great, was contrasted with the ignoble front she presents to T day. The nationwhich crushed"-the" greatest 'Conqueror of modern'times'was now afraid' to encounter a bankrupt nation with an array that had enough' wbrk'-to"do' in beating the’despised Turks. -All this and more was strongly dwelt upon by organs of public opinion in Germany. The articles 1 were-o’olned' into the War journalsin 'England!”- Of. 'course;' - the -■ intention obviously 1 wnh ‘to go'ad the-people into favoring what "is ‘termed' the' l vigorous, policy of the Premier. -But" Carnarvon,-Derby, and Salisbury acted at 1 a"drag upon the'warlike intensions dfc Earl BeaPotfsfiekl, and judging by the latest telegrains there is-' a ; good ■ pr'Aspect'of war being 'averted/ 'The"Government policy, we notice, has been" endorsed ■ 'by/'' a large majority, in,. Parliament. Although not sympathising ■ - with 'the'"bellicose language indulged in by Lord Beaconsfield, we are of opinion that it was wise and judicious to take 1 ; all’-neoesßary-precautious for! emergencies.’.- In the discussion oq-i the vote off six millions, Mr. Bright asked v whether if was necessary that England: should! go !i with; shotted-iCUJmon and .rovolveik.tosthefooMideratioa of tho Eastern question. The large- majority that, voted with >the Govcrnraeat showed pretty plainly that in the opinion of the majority of Englishmen it . won! dibei i highljf ne cessaryi i havesomething behind to back up -the demands of the British representatives at!the/CoUference; K ■ -.I