The Evening Star MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3845, 21 June 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1875.

While we in the Colonies pursue our daily avocations, scarcely thinking of international relations, the people of Europe are subjected to repeated agitations and alarms. There seems to be a settled conviction that TTai ™ a K»gauoiu scale must take place. Ask why, and men jpoint to the vast armies, drilled and armed to the very height of modern requirements, and tell of a national thirst for vengeance on the part of Prance, of the sinister designs cf Prussia, of the aggressive policy of Jiussia, of the equi vocal position of Austria, and the unsettled state of Italy. Impressed with vague notions on these subjects, but holding them with the tenacity with which men cling to mere creeds, every event, however trivial, rouses apprehension and alarm. Not long sinee a short panic on the Stock Exchange was caused by a newspaper article, said to have been written by authority of the Prussian Government, regarding the attitude of Belgium in regard to the struggle between Church and State in Germany. England’s influence averted any evil consequences to the weaker state, and the panic subsided almost as quickly as it arose ; but it lasted sufficiently long to cause serious Josses to many. Fortunately, our New Zealand wool sales were not proceeding at the time, or the returns wou!d;have borne serious evidence of the sinister effect of adverse rumor upon the value of money. In a state of expectation for an event held to be inevitable, every movement of Monarcbs and Ministers is closely watched, and speculation is constantly busy as to its meaning and intent. The Emperor of Austria paid a friendly visit to the King of Italy. Very likely no special object was to be answered by it, but the meeting of two such august personages could not be allowed to take place without comment. It cannot be imagined that Continental politics would escape discussion when they held converse together. The determination of Bismarck to free Germany from ecclesiastical dominion, and the resistance of the ilomish Church to his patriotic measures, could not be overlooked ; nor could the attitude of the dignitaries of that Church towards Protestant institutions in all Protestant countries throughout the world. In fact it must have been forced upon attention through the difficulty of arranging a place where vhe two friendly monarchs could meet, without subjecting their harmonious intercourse to unpleasant interruptions. Kings cannot visit like ordinary individual. If two gentlemen in private life desire to enjoy a tSte-a-tile, clubs, hotels, or their own homes are open to their choice - but one Continental Monarch cannot arrange with another to dine at any place he may please. The ground has to be examined first. It has to be considered where the meeting may take place without offence. On this subject the London ‘ Times,’ , view of the visit of the Emperor of Austria to ctoh Emmanuel, explained why cy mo at Venice. The mystery is so we unravet id, and is so well worth reading, nat we give it in full:—

The accord of Sovereigns at the present day is expressed by interviews which announce to the world that goodwill reigns between the potentates, and tnat at the most a few details of controversy require to be settled. The visit of the King of Italy was paid to Yienna two years ago, at the time of the Exhibition. He had no reason to complain of his reception. The hospitality of the Austrian Emperor was perfect, and if any painful feelings aaected Sovereign or nobles or people at the sight or one who had made his little kingdom into a great one at their expense, there was no indication in their manner or the character of their welcome. V ictor Emmanuel came and saw the capital which has been so wonderfully renewed with the new youth of the Empire; he visited the endless halls a *+ 8 structure which the ambitious strained its resources to build and fill with the world’s inventions, and he returned home with the consciousness of having achieved a new success against Roman hatred and Trench jealousy. victor Emmanuel s visit was not preceded by details. As soon as it was settled that he should visit Francis Joseph he went to Vienna as a matter of course. The case d , l ?, ere ? fc y ith the return visit. It has been difficult to decide whether the Imperial guest would be pleased to come, and whore the King of rtaly could consent to receive him. The chief cities of Italy are associated with the rains of hrones of which the Austriiai Emperor was the chosen protector; and however he may accept his owu reverses, he can hardly be willing to adver-

tise his abandonment of his friends, or to recall to I the world’s memory his inability to defend them,' The capital of the King of Italy is now the C ! 'y of Rome, and nnder ordinary circumstan' ces * foreign Sovereign would be received the' e . But the Emperor is the Sovereign of a Very Catholic country. What pious resentment he would instil into the hearts of multitudes if he broke bread with the sacrilegious spoiler of the Church “ the Eternal City ! Then there is the holy tenant of the Vatican, a personage still of sovereign rank, and one who must necessarily be visited. What sort of a reception would the Pope give the guest of Victor Emmanuel ? His Holiness would be pretty sure to implore or rebuke; perhaps he might be prompted to take the latter course in a disagreeably sensational manner for the edification of the faithful throughout the world. Perhaps the jourmls of Europe might even have to chronicle that his Holiness found himself too weak to see the , “P e at all. In any case, there would be the difficulty of holding relations with a personage with whom the Emperor’s host, the King of Italy, is not on speaking terms. Rome was, therefore, out of the question. Should it, then, be the former capital, Florence ? But there is a Grand Duke of Tuscany, who is also an Archduke of Austria, living on Austoan territory, and, no doubt, cherishing i hopes of being restored in some great day of vengeance to reign over his portion of a disunited Italy, Though the Emperor may not share his resentments and his dreams, it would ho, hardly chivalrous to accept the hospitality of the usurper in the palace that was the Grand Duke’s. Similar objections apply to Naples, which, indeed, was assailed and captured by a professed revolutionist, a republican, and a reviler of the Pope himself. So great were the difficulties that it was actually proposed to meet at Brindisi —a prosaic seaport, where nothing historical seems to have happened. At last it is agreed that the Emperor of Austria shall arrive at Venice on the 6th of April, remain there two days, and afterwards go to Pola. It is stated that the Emperor himself selected Venice, and the Italian ‘ Opinio ie’ observes that this noble forethought on the part of the Emperor shows how intimate and cordial are the relations between the two Sovereigns and their governments. Undoubtedly there is a happy boldness in this choice of the capital of the last-ceded district. We trust, and are glad to believe, that the result will be a more complete union of sentiment between the two States, naturally among the most conservative in Europe : the one because it has already gained all in the way of territorial aggrandisement it can need, and the other because almost any European convulsion endangers its quiet possession of what it still possesses.