The Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2268, 13 August 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1870.

Again we have just escaped from the ruin which another war would have brought upon the world. Our telegraphic summary from Europe tells of

those petty events in the history of mankind which:'-sometimes eventuate in grand disasters. The jealousy between France and Prussia, ever since the extension of power of the latter, has been' a -source of uneasiness to Europe. It is not that any danger threatens France. The quarrel is not one that involves any great, national interest. It is merely one of those morbid delusions arising out of the question, “ Who shall be greatest “ among the nations of Europe ? The balance of power, like the balance of trade, has been a fertile ot discord. It has led to arbitrary divisions of territory, and to different wars. The monarchs of Europe have been, in consequence, at variance with those over whom they ruled, and nations have quarrelled with nations. The balaxice-of-powev notion arrayed Austria against Italy, Hungary against Austria, France and England against Russia, numberless people against their rulers. It has been the fertile source of revolution, and has caused nearly as much bloodshed from that source alone asis usually spilled in a great war. And now every move that Prussia makes is watched with eager eyes by the statesmen of France. The elevation of Prince Hohenzollern to the Spanish throne would in all probability have placed him in a very uneasy berth. For a century Spanish royalty has been a ricketty affair, and in the present state of the Peninsula anyone who maintains the position of king will have to hold the reins with a strong hand. Spain itself has not for sixty years been in a position to create uneasiness, excepting as an ally, and similarity of religion has formed a bond of union between that country and France, notwithstanding the events of 1812 and following years. It will be also fresh in the memories of many how in the latter years of the reign of Louis Puillippe, he strove to ally his family with the Spanish Bourbons, and how nearly that proposed alliance led to a war between France and England. When therefore tho French Government saw a movement that would give to Prussia an influence and political relationship so long and eagerly sought by France, it -was looked upon as a “ threat,” A strong man usually disregards a threat. Confident in his power he despises menace, in full reliance that when attacked he will be well able to defend himself. But though nations are made up of individuals, national thought is made to differ from individual thought. J eannot in her innocence hit on the naive conclusion, “ Let those who make the quar- “ rels be the only men to fight.” Unfoi-tunately this bit of unsophisticated wisdom has not become a political maxim. Statesmen see all sorts of evils looming on the political horizon through events which common people regard as very common-place affairs. France for many years dictated to Europe. France created the kingdom of Italy, in spite of the arrangements of 1815, to which that country was a consenting party. France, in fact, was looked upon as the leading country of the European Continent, until the startling revelations of the needle-gun told of the power of Prussia, If it had not been that the Chassepot rifle is now in the hands of the French soldiery, and that its merits are supposed to be equal, if not superior, to the needle-gun, very possibly Prince Hohenzollern would have been now King of Spain. It is really too bad that these family matters should have power to disturb the peace of mankind. Only three years have passed since the world’s prosperity was seriously impeded by the Prussian and Austrian war. The consequences have not yet been recovered from. Men had just begun to reconstruct their broken foi-tunes, when unexpectedly another source of discord springs up ; and while we in Australasia have been looking forward to better times, news comes that tells us of events that might have plunged the commercial and industrial world into deeper distress than before. Who knows but the next announcement may be by the cannon of a hostile frigate or privateer 1 The Evening Star does reach the Colonial Government, and is seen by the Ministry. It is not therefore out of place to -suggest to them that time after time it has been urged in our columns that it is time that Colonies—especially British Colonies —were excluded from the local quarrels. Though nominally under British rule, they are in reality equally open to settlers from all countries. We are still at peace. It is for the interest of every nation in Europe that, no matter what happens there, Australasia may not be embroiled in the quarrels of a parent State. The fact that we are expected to defend ourselves points to the futility of any weakening of the parent power by a division of its military force, and therefore any attack upon a Colony would be but for spoliation and robbery, and would have no influence, whether successful or not, in determining the conditions of peace. If we are to be relieved from this danger, we

must move in the matter, and urge the unfairness of our position upon the Home and other Governments, We suppose it Avoiild be thought derogatory to the British Government to take the initiation, but it would be no reflection on our credit as Colonists to do so, and now is the time for the movement to be made. When Avar really comes it will be too late.