2nd November, THE above is the title of an interesting article in the September issue of the' Munithly Review," but the article itself do#s"hot: cover so much ground as "the" title leads' us' to expect. Mr. Ly Villari,: the -writer, doesn't' really. present a" balance-sheet, bit' "only some of: the}' materials, that is, some of the diplomatic gains atid' losses? by the war, necessary for the preparation of a balance-sheet.. It'is"'to0"soon yet, says Mr. Villati, to appreciate to the full' the' results of the war. There} are, three important points that stand out; the' welding of Japan' into Great Power, "ad the shattering of Russia's schemes of "absolute dominion throughout" Asia and' of predominance; these "have "become history under our eyes, "The third is (say "rather, rapid) medieval ahd semi-Orien'al despot tism into a modern Constit ational State." - This -is- going on at-the present moment the Czar himself realises: thatvhe isan anachronism, Mr, Villari proceeds: then to describe the position of eminence occupied by Vussia: before the war.~ She was credited with vast-power and-an irrepressible. destiny. " By many she was hated) by: a few—from a safe distance—admired. by all feared. 'The belief in Russia's invincibility was partly the outcome of: the worship "of-size, which: was deemed synonymous with strength, and cast spell: over the minds: of: a large section ofthimanity..... Her failures were! foryotten,'.and. her successes aloneremvmbered; her steady advance in Asia, and her conquest over} immense though thinly populated territories, strengthened her influence on the imagination, especially amon; Orientals, for hee progress appeare' to have the inevitable (relentlessness of a law of nature, Even her bitterest adversaries, who' were perpetually denouncing her Machiavellian wickedness," andthe mendacity and unscrupulousness of her statesmen and: diplomats, were only too' ready to take: the wildest Russian boasts on trust. There was, as a matter of fact, nothing diabolically subtle about the methods of Russian statesmanship, which' consisted: largely in vainglorious boasting and in being: ' too clever by half; th tual results of
have been nil, bad not foreign Powers this and the empire's policy would been driven into a state of hysterics at every Russian menace. Again and again Russia has been defeated in battle asin the Crimea, and her diplomnoy outwitted as at Berlin in 1878; yet by: the fear which she inspired, she succeeded in, acquiring an influence out of all proportion with her real: power." Everyone can point-out Goliath's weakness now that he has been prostrated by David, and there was one-British statesman, whom it is the fashion now to disparage, Cobden; who, pointed it. out, in the House of Commons more than fifty years.ago; but it is. strange that it. succeeded -in imposing on all the cutest minds in Europe until, Japan undertook successfully to demonstrate Germany, says Mr. Villari, has lived constant fear. of Russix ever sit ice 1870; "however aggressive the-tone of the German Government and Press' towards other Powers might be;: the greatest pains were taken to conciliate Russia." Austria-Hungary: was -kept together "by: fear of "Russia, and-it was' this fear' which for so long' prevented the quarrel between the. two halves of the 'Dual~monarchy from coming to: an" acute erigis. " 'In the "Balkans" the 'Russian—word: was everything; and jealous' as~ England: ress heats (yb ror obs no saad has~always= been of-her-interference—- in the Nzar East, it must/beiadmitted that what liberty..the Balkan; States. have acquired, they owe.to. Russia, "Her conquests in Central Asia, her. encroachments: on:: Ghina,., and the ruthless::; severity..with which. she treated all who opposed her, created a profound: impression - among...the,, natives, and the fame of' her, exploits and the terser of her name, were. spread from bazaar-to bazaar through;:: out the-Eisti i In India itself, -|Russia had a very great pres, ige among the natives, to whom her name, was one.of awful..and mysterious significance, and Englishmen both oilitary; and civil were in perpetual anxiety as: to: a-possible.. Russian. invasion.... The; prospect of a war with: Russia on the. Indian, frontier was.: almost*too;, terrible,.to, contem-. plate. Further; East there, was the same' dread of. Russia: and.confidence in -her, destinies; her absorption of. Northern "Chita -, and =Manchuria, and"'her: spredominance, over the:, whole of the Middle Kingdom; was generally -regarded ".as,. a.-foregone by: all, save. the. Jup;.,, The. first result of the collapse of Russia) says: Mr.'Villari, must.be an increas v'ofGerman influence,: Freed from'vhe fear of Russin on her eastern': frettier, Germany has taken a higher tatie with France, but in doing so; has strengthened the Anglo-French: en: toute."' The effect: on "Austria; has been very unfortunate, for the Hun-", gations, no'longer afraid. of.being erushed'by Russia, as they. were. ina; 1848, "'are'readier: than- before ito). contetiplate scission.tiom:: she: Haps-burg tionarchy," In: the Balkans the: successes of Japan' were lat first. regarded' with dread; from they-feat'., that' Russia, checked: in" ithe; Bye. /East,- would. seek fresh adventures, south of the Carpathians and the?'Save; bat.: the completeness' of "the" Russiaudeéfeat~-and thé'manifest impotence of her Black Sea' fleet have reassured Turkey and the' outlook; is - decidedly cloudy. her former Erbin' In Central Asia Russia's loss of prestige may. induce a Moslem rébellion'on the one hand} or'a Russian endeavour on the other: had to restore, her position by a, fresh policy' of adventure. "No-one, cab as yet a curately gauge the effect; offRussia's: defeat: on India and its: native races. "The course of the war hag merely shown them that Russia is miich.weaker.. than..they supposed, arid that she has been defeated by a, Péiver "hithieréo" unknown -to- th: mpi but thesally...of England... British) pééstigeshould certainly revive, alt
oftlier xival.':"T'be great: hope for. the Ide Aegatively; owing to the defeat ited is that the conversion.of Russidy intro a free! hull constitutional.couintry; will be-peimanenti The #internationy allbolidaeity6f autocravy;'whichi has found its expression. inthe Tri
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.