Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1887 — Why the Russians Did Not Take Constantinople. [ARTICLE]

Why the Russians Did Not Take Constantinople.

The Paris correspondent of tho London Tinier has supplemented the recent disclosures relating to the diplomacy of the Russian-Turkish war with a most interesting bit of history. At the moment when the victorious army was at the gates of Constantinople Count Schont aloff telegraphed to the late Czar that England would not resent the occupation of the oity if no attempt were made to seize Gallipoli and blockade the ironclads. The Czar placed unbounded confidence in the Ambassador in London, and was convinced by these dispatches that an advance would be safe. Accordingly a telegram was sent from St. Petersburg to General Gourkho at San Stefano ordering the troops to march into Constantinople at once. This dispatch was in cipher, but it passed through Turkish territory and fell under the eyes of the enemy. Suspecting what were its contents, the Turks mixed up the ciphers in such a fashion that when the Russian commander received it at San Stefano it was absolutely unintelligible. General Jgnatieff tried for two days to make out the dispatch, and finally asked for detailed instructions. The British Cabinet meanwhile had been informed by Musurus Pasha of the crisis and directed Lord A. Loftus at St. Petersburg to inform the Czar that the occupation of Constantinople would be considered by England a cause of war. The projected advance was then abandoned, and General 'lgnatieff was directed to make a treaty with the Porte without occupying the city. Dr. Blowitz vouches for this recital as absolutely authentic. The conquest of Constantinople and the overthrow of the Ottoman power in Europe were thus prevented by a very simple device. Gen. G. C. Kniffen, War Department, Washington, D. C., after two years, says: “My wife has not had an attack for two years. I trust St. Jacobs Oil will reach the uttermost parts of the earth and do as much good in every house as it has in mine.”