France contemplate with alarm the rapid growth of
Russia, and yet know not how to arrest its progress. They see the
Russian tzars, year after year, annexing new nations to their
territory, and about all they can do is to remonstrate. All agree that
the only effectual measure to check the growth of Russia is to prevent
her from taking possession of the Dardanelles. To accomplish this,
England and France are endeavoring to bind together the crumbling and
discordant elements of Ottoman power, to infuse the vigor of youth
into the veins of an old man dying of debauchery and age. But the
crescent is inevitably on the wane. The doom of the Moslem is sealed.

There are four great nations now advancing with marvelous strides in
the appropriation of this globe to themselves. Russia has already
taken possession of one seventh of the world's territory, and she
needs now but to annex Turkey in Europe and Turkey in Asia to complete
her share. France is spreading her influence throughout southern
Europe, and, with a firm grasp, is seizing the provinces of northern
Africa. England claims half of the islands of the ocean, boasts that
the sun never sets upon her dominions, and _has_ professed that the
ocean is her private property. Her armies, invincible, sweep the
remotest plains of Asia, removing and setting down landmarks at her
pleasure. Her advances are so gigantic that the annexation of a few
thousand leagues, at any time, hardly attracts attention. America is
looking with a wistful eye upon the whole of North and South America,
the islands of the Caribbean Sea and the groups of the Pacific.[31]

[Footnote 31: The jealousy of the leading nations in regard to their
mutual encroachments is amusingly illustrated in an interview between
Senator Douglas and Sir Henry Bulwer in reference to the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty. An article was inserted in this treaty by the
English government, binding both England and America not to colonize,
annex or exercise any dominion over any portion of Central America.
Sir Henry argued that the pledge was fair and just since it was
reciprocal, England asking no more than she was ready herself to
grant.

"To test your principle," said Senator Douglas, "I would propose an
amendment of simply two words. Let the article read, 'Neither England
nor the United States will ever colonize any part of Central America
_or Asia_.'"

The British minister exclaimed, in surprise, "But you have no colonies
in Asia."