TURKEY AND RUSSIA

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 30, 1876

“TURKEY AND RUSSIA.”

[The following article from the Youth’s Companion is a careful digest of the present political relations of Turkey and Russia, and as such is worth preserving by all who would have clear views in reference to the painfully interesting “Eastern Question.” G. W. A.]

Let us recall three facts. One is, that Constantinople, the present capital of Turkey, was the seat of the Greek church, of which Russia is now the head, before the Turks invaded Europe.

The second is, that a large portion of the inhabitants of Turkey are not only Christians, but are Sclaves, that is, of the same race and blood as the great body of the Russians themselves.

The third fact to be kept in mind is, that for two centuries the Russians have coveted Constantinople, for two reasons; because she has her ambition that that city should once more be the capital of the Greek church, and because she desires to be a great naval power. Now the possession of Constantinople would give her the command, not only of the Black Sea, but also of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Peter the Great left it as an injunction on the Czars who should succeed him, to conquer Constantinople; and this has accordingly been the aim of the Czars ever since. The Crimean war was the result of an attempt to make this conquest on the part of the Czar Nicholas; but England and France came to the Sultan’s rescue, and Russian ambition was checked by the fall of Sebastopol.

Russia still covets Constantinople, and is believed to be, at this moment, taking advantage of Turkey’s difficulties with that end in view. She has encouraged the rebellions in Bosnia and Bulgaria, and undoubtedly urged Servia to declare war against Turkey, and the Servian army is full of Russian officers and soldiers.

But what concern has England, so far distant, in this trouble between Russia and Turkey? What cares she whether Russia takes Constantinople, or what becomes of the Sultan’s rule? She has two reasons for being deeply interested in the quarrel. In the first place, England is the foremost naval power in the world. She boasts that her navy is the greatest, and that her fleets rule every sea. She dreads to see Russia in possession of the Bosphorus, with a great port at Constantinople, rising to be a rival naval power.

But she has a yet more powerful reason than this. England rules over the great empire of India. She is most anxious to maintain that rule, and will fight to the last to maintain it.

Now Russia has been for years approaching India with her troops by way of Central Asia; and now her armies are almost in sight of the Indian frontier. There is little doubt that Russia is ambitious to possess India, as well as Constantinople.

Well, it happens that the nearest route for England to India is through the Mediterranean, and by the Suez Canal. Suppose, then, that the Russians had Constantinople. Her fleets could sail freely on the Mediterranean, and would prove an immense obstacle in the way of English ships going to India. She might be able to cut off English communication with India by this nearest route altogether.

In case of a war, then, we should see the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean stopping the way of the English, while with her armies in Central Asia she made an attack on India.

It is mainly this fear of losing India, and of Russia’s getting it, that impels England to sustain the Sultan, and to resist a Russian conquest of Constantinople; thus she fought for Turkey in the Crimean war, and will probably fight for her again, if the worst comes to the worst.

Austria has a deep interest in the Eastern problem, though which side she would take in the event of war is doubtful. Her empire is composed of several races which do not live very amicably together under one rule. Within her limits are Germans, Magyars, or Hungarians, Czechs, and Sclaves. Each of these races distrusts the others, and fears that one of the others will gain the ascendancy in the empire.

The Austrian Sclaves border upon the Servians and Bosnians, who are also Sclaves. Austria is afraid of the latter’s becoming independent, or part of Russia, for then she might lose her own Sclavic population. So Austria has always sided with Turkey, and would be very likely to do so now. Besides, Austria would not like to see Russia become more powerful, and become mistress of the Danube.

Neither Germany nor Italy have a direct interest in the Eastern difficulty; their course, in case of a war, would be dictated by their alliances, and the gain they might expect from the promises of a power—probably Russia—in return for their aid. Both would be inclined to favor Russia; for Germany desires Belgium, Holland, and Denmark, and Italy craves a part of the Austrian Tyrol; and Russia would probably consent to aid in fulfilling these ambitions.