Affairs in Europe

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 30, 1867

Affairs in Europe.

EUROPE is in that extremely critical condition that war in one part of the Continent would probably involve the whole Continent. It is in fact one vast powder magazine; apply the torch to any part of it and the flame would at once communicate to the entire building. Prussia and France would not fight single-handed for Luxembourg, nor Russia and Turkey engage in a national duel over the possession of the Bosphorus.

All that saved a Continental war last summer was the lightning speed with which Bismarck and his needles forced Austria into compliance with the demands of Prussia. While the sleepy Powers were waking up and buckling on their armor, the German war was begun and finished. The greatest of living diplomats had in a few days accomplished his objects most effectually and staid the ravages of war. The Count was of Macbeth’s opinion that “if it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly,” and the result has justified the wisdom of his policy. But it is hardly possible that the thunderbolt of war could now fall upon Central Europe without hitting Eastern Europe, and even crossing the channel and striking gouty old John Bull in his workshop.

The great Powers are none of them willing to begin the fight. Turkey protests that she is the most liberal Government in the world, the very “bird of freedom,” but that Russia is an old bear that tore Poland in fragments, and that the English lion should unpaw Ireland before making a fuss about Crete or Servia. Prussia is even bolder of speech than the sick man of the East, and tells Napoleon in plain Dutch that he must let Luxembourg entirely alone. The other Powers are less demonstrative, but evidently keep up “a terrible thinking.” They act very much as if “spoiling for a fight,” but each is waiting to take the other at a disadvantage. It is possible that the storm may blow over and leave the sky clear and peaceful, but the strong probability is, that the thunder of cannon and the rain of blood will precede the final calm.

The failure of the Czar in the Crimean war was not felt by any of the parties to be a finality. Russia is continually increasing in strength and enterprise, while Turkey is becoming more and more feeble all the time, and what is more, the Western Powers are less concerned in the integrity of the Ottoman Empire now than then. England alone has any special aversion to Russian aggrandizement. Her Majesty’s Indian possessions are not far removed from the southern boundary of Russia, and the latter is gravitating toward British India. The English Government is, judging from the tone of the British press, more apprehensive for “the balance of power” in Asia than in Europe, and that for the very good reason that John Bull has a very profitable investment on that continent, and wishes to retain a monopoly. So far as Europe is concerned, he has no special interest in Continental affairs. All he asks is to be let alone in his island retreat. Once he aspired to the crown of France, and still later he went into partnership with his “Dutch Uncle,” but now he is “I by myself, I.” Italy may disturb the national balances, France may shatter the Holy Alliance, and Prussia may suddenly become a first-rate, instead of a fourth-rate, Power, indeed the whole fabric of European polity may be torn into shreds, and the British Government will sit calmly by and not raise a finger to stay the progress of events; but when the Czar has his eye on the riches of the East, and threatens, however remotely, to dispute the supremacy of India, it begins to shake off its lethargy. Those who predict that England will not take part in the pending struggle forget that Russian supremacy in the Bosphorus would endanger that of England in Southwestern Asia; but such is the fact, and for that reason England cannot, in the event of an Eastern war, remain a listless spectator.

In a time like this there are never wanting those who predict the final result; but frequently events take a widely different turn and bring up at a stopping place not thought of by the seers. In this instance let the war drum of that continent once marshall the hosts of Europe, and no human calculations can at all divine the result. It is, however, highly probable that Turkey would be dismembered. Russia will never rest until the Black Sea and the Bosphorus are secured without restriction. Constantinople is likely to become a Russian city. The Turkish territory in which the Greeks predominate would probably be given to the Kingdom of Greece, with which Russia would establish a close and strong alliance. All these things are, of course, conjectural, but the evident tendency of events is in that direction.—Chicago Journal.