THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2067, 19 February 1889, Page 2

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

The spcoial London correspondent of tho lc Sydiey Morning Herald," writing ou December 7, does not take a hopeful view of tho Eavopann situation. " Toe peace, (he points out), Is very likely to bo kept antll the spring, bat lew would vonture to look beyond that. Nowhere do the people want war, but tho aotion of the polltio>»riß tuust, sooner or latar, have, this reanlt. No fewer th»n 300,000 men, horse and foot, and cix or seven hundred guns belonging to Russia are pointing to the Auatrlan and Roumanian frontier, nrlthoafc tfo&keaing the force which lcoks towards the Prussian garrisons. lo the small European countries — so oh as Eervla, Roumauta, Bulgaria, and Macedonia — the drift of things is m tho direction of war. The opinion of those who are entitled to be heard aeems to be summed up In the impression brought to England after a visit to the European capitals by General Braokenbary — namely, that the peace of Kuropo cannot bo long maintained." In oonneotion with the foregoing it may be added that the five great Continental Powers of Europe now have 12,000 000 men under arms, not to mention the naval armaments, almost double m elzi the whole sea fighting foroa of the world twenty years ago.