The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1887. THE CRISIS IN EUROPE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1456, 14 January 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1887. THE CRISIS IN EUROPE.

The speeches made m the German Reichstag, during the debate on the second reading of the Army Bill, by Von Moltke and Bismarck are calculated to strengthen the belief that the outbreak of a great war cannot long be' delayed. As between France and Germany, it is evidently the opinion of Von Moltke that the only security against the precipitation of hostilities is to render Germany obviously too strong to be attacked, and that the moment France thinks she has her neighbor at a disadvantage she will unsheath the sword. Indeed so confident is he of this that he did not hesitate to- say that if the Bill for the increase of the German ?rmy were rejected, war was certain to result. And although Prince Bismarck followed with the declaration that it was out of the question that Germany should attack France, he was very guarded m his allusions to the relations existent between the two Powers which, while characterising as presently « good," he admitted to be "difficult to maintain." Later' on, he expressed his full -trust m the French statesmen at present m power, but went on to declare his conviction that war between France and Germany would occur sooner or later, and that the time when the conflict would takje place depended upon the stability of *he French Ministry. As stability is about the last characteristic which any reader of history would think of attributing to any French administration, at least under the Republican form of Government, there is. a grim irony m the words of this Iron Prince, whose words are thus equivalent to an announcement that war is certain at an early date. And that he intends, if war eventuate, to make it a final struggle, he announced m so many words, stating that " if Germany were victorious she would not rest until France had been crippled for generations;" In the same speech the Great Chancellor admitted that there was great difficulty m preserving peace between Russia and Austria, but plainly corroborated the recent news as to the alleged treaty between Germany and Russia by announcing that " Germany would never begin war with Russia, and would never make an enemy of that country for the sake of Bulgaria." The world is, therefore, doubtless, to understand that Russia will be allowed her own way as regards Bulgaria as a quid pro quo for her abstention from interference m the impending conflict between Germany and France, which Bismarck and his fighting general, Von Moltke, plainly perceive must inevitably take place at an early date. It begins to be plain that the early spring will see the outbreak of one of the greatest struggles of modern times.