The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11,1888. Peace

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 83, 11 February 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1888. Peace

With the dawn of a new era of prosperity the prayer of every true colonist and honest man should be for peace in Europe. The present condition of commercial affairs in New Zealand is such tbat a continuance of the same for three years would effectually retrieve the losses of the past ten But that can only be by the maintenance of tranquillity among tbe I war seeking military hordes who are now angrily facing each other ou the other side of the globe. In reviewing the position the Post says : — " "When next England ia involved in war the colonies will have to share to the full the responsibilities and dangers of their position as integral portions of one of the belligerent Powers. They will have to make up their minds to partake of all the dangers and consequences of the war, equally with all other portions of the Empire. This will of course involve them in a large expenditure. If war broke out now, with Englaud as one of the parties to it, each colony would at once have to put its local forces on a war footing. Our batteries would have to be completed at all hazards, aud they would have to be kept fully manned. The permanent force would require to be largely increased, and the volunteer force not only extensively recruited, but put upon actual service. Day and night patrols of the coasts where au enemy might land would have to be maintained, and all civil er industrial employment would have, to a great ex-, tent, to be sacrificed, or at leai't rendered subordinate to military duty on tho part of the most able-bodied portion of "the community. To provide the funds neces--Barv for defence, in all probability all public works would have to be suspended. Then the whole Bystem of maritime communication between our several ports and from abioad would be revolutionised. Several of the direct steamers would certainly have to be converted into cruisers, and not improbably some of the intercolonial steamers also. The chief ports would require to be absolutely closed between dark and daylight, no vessel being allowed to enter or leave during the nighttime, or even to enter in the day-time, without its being first ascertained that they had not fallen into the wrong hands. Let our readers try and realise what a terribly vexatious interruption of ordinary communication and business all this would cause. Under such a state of things business would necessarily stagnate. There would be ao commercial enterprise, no speculation no investment. All transactions would be restricted to the very smallest possible proportions. As to the import trade from Home, it would be almost killed by the enormous war risk insurances which would necessarily be imposed, and by the withdrawal from maritime mercantile purposes of so many large steamers." This picture is in no way overdrawn. Let us hope wiser councils will prevail, and that the peace of tbe world will not be disturbed merely to gratify the ambition of a few men who are themselves placed beyond personal risk or lo6s. It is really impossible to form any accurate opinion on the state of affairs in Europe from the fragmentary telegrams which reach us, but judging by the knowledge we have, there is a possibility of a prolonged peace should the coming six | months be passed without a collision.