THE RUSSIAN PRESS ON ENGLAND'S EASTERN POLICY.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1655, 13 February 1883, Page 4

THE RUSSIAN PRESS ON ENGLAND'S EASTERN POLICY.

, . Xi/ -M'JW J/liH>'lJ/,Hu jTiik following is an interesting account of Russian views' ;bf! England's altered position in the East, taken from the , Sir«e Itactnr/a. Thi§ • paper 'hazards , the,' supposition that > the item porai'y : removal of Englands 'chidf- base' of I (diplomatic* ! operations in the East, fioin iCoustanti" nople to Cairo; i-uiay turn out to af permanent change. It continues : '"Eng'latul has apparently ibecomequite intliHfereht to iciorms in Asia Minor, and to the ternol'allairs'of Tnrkcyi in (Europe and Asia peneially. The i indifference is, no doubt, partly owing to recent changes in the Balkan Peninsula, and partly to the conscientious investigation ot Asia Minor by English agents. ■ The Balkan territory have become the bone of contention between Slavonic, Gei man ani Greek elements, England sees no chance there of piopeily applying her coinhiercjhl policy. In laet, efforts in this direction would only lead to the lesult that was 1 very riearly attained by the late Lord Beaconsfield—namely, 1 a war with Russia— to the advantage of Austria, by facilitating the lattcr's conquest of the Balkan Peninsula. It would doubt;less be much more profitable for the English, if the struggle between the populations continued, and the contending parties, counting upon the support of England in the future, were now to make concessions suitable to English commercial interests." The leading Russian Slavophile organ, alluding'to the same subject says : "England's interest in the East with her successes in Egypt have greatly changed. She has even lost interest in the construction ot the railway through Asia Minor and Persia to India. All her attention is conccntiatcd on the water way to India, on Egypt and the Suez Canal. The advantages to be gained through Egypt, to say nothing of an uninterrupted communication with India, have diminished the importance, in English eyes, of commercial connection with Eastern Roumelia and Asia Minor. Here no great success is to be effected. On the one side the markets are dominated by Austiia, and on the other, as also in Central Asia, Russian tiadc is showing signs of unteiing in open conflict with that of England ; vheieas in Africa and more distant Asia English commerce has has made brilliant progress during the last ten years. On England's main line of commci cLil and colonial policy Egypt appears as the central position that must be secured by military force and diplomatic skill. When once Turkey has ceased to have a decisive voice on the Nile, England, without loss to herself, can afford to leave the Sultan and the Porte to their fate, as well as a great part of the Tiukish dominions, provided only that no time be lost in firmly settling m Egypt, while the rest of the European Powers are thinking over the matter and collecting their strength. By withdrawing herself fi om among the guardians of the integrity and inviolability of the Tiukish Empire, and drawing France after her, England has set free the hands of Aubtvia, who already has one foot on ' the Balkan Peninsula. Mr Gladstone could not now conscientiously cry ' Hands off to Austria. In order to consolidate the conquest of her picscnt pie-eminent position in Egypt, England must show herself indulgent towards the conquerors in European Turkey. At Vienna, it seems that the Austrians are not backward in taking advantage of this new phase of the Eastern question."