The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1891. European Affairs

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 18, 11 August 1891, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1891. European Affairs

Although the pacific speech delivered by the Marquis of Salisbury a few clay 8 ago in the Mansion House, was received with feelings of satisfaction by many of the nations of the earth, yet there are two of the Great Powers, who appear detertniaed to take part advantage of the first available excuse to plunge into a bloody and devastating war. The friendship existing between Fiance and Russian can have no peaceful end for its object. Russia wants to extend her borders in the direction of India, while France pants to be- at the throat oJ: her old enemy, Germany. At a banquet at Moscow Admiral Gervais, of the French fleet, said that, taught by misfortune, France was collecting her forces, not the least of which was the friendship of the Czar. In Vienna, the Eusso-French alliance is looked upon as the remarkable event of the year, and diplomatists admit that a deep-rooted popular discontent with the international poailion has been revealed in Russia, the whole of whose people desire to see a change made in the map of Europe. In Berlin the opinion is that His Holiness the Pope looks for the restoration of the temporal power by a European war which the alliance between France and Russia is believed to be furthering. Whatever the quarrel, those nations which have to defend themselves from the aggressions of others, will, it is believed by war experts, have the best chances of victory because, protected by their fortifications and lines, the attacked will sweep the attacking armies from the face of the earth by the new and rapid firing arms of precision Europeans will now use in war. That further news of an disquieting character may come to hand at any moment, appears only too probable.