The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1898. RUMOURS OF WAR.

Feilding Star, Volume XX, Issue 143, 16 December 1898, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1898. RUMOURS OF WAR.

Ata'hougu on the one hand we are continually beiu» assured that there will be no European war, yet on the other hand we receive day by day information that the Great Powers are increasing their armies, their fleets, and their defences. The proposal for a general disarming of the nations made by the Czar of Russia was to huve been discussed at a Con Terence, but tha idea has since been abandoned as utterly hopeless at the present juncture of affairs. Germany is adding to her already enormous army, Kussia is preparing for war on a scale of magnitude unparalleled in the history of that nation, while Austria, the timid and the diplomatic, following the example given by her neighbours, is adding to her forces another army corps and reorganising her field batteries. England is still increasing her army, and even in a greater proportion augmenting the strength of her navy by the addition of ships, officers, and men. Every vulnerable point on her coast line, which is likely to invite attack from an enemy, is being fortified, while existing fortifications are being strengthened. There is a spirit or: unrest, a fear and a dread, in the political atmosphere which is portentious. The question is— where is the attack to come from ? England, the Triple Alliance, which is composed of Germany, Austria, and Italy, the United States of America, and Japan huve practically entered into a a friendly alliance, while a more conciliatory tone has been adopted by the German Press towards England, a change doubtlessly made at the command of the Emperor. Spain is hardly a Power to be reckoned with, therefore the disturbing element can only be looked for in France or Kussia. France is not strong enough to fight single-handed and her only hope is that if the worst comes to the worst that Kussia will come to her help. The "splendid isolation" of the United Kingdom is still maintained so far as alliances offensive and defensive are cuncorued, iui tbe peopiw of the naiion, as of y<re, are quite "prepared to fight for their own hand," and that is why she is maknig such vast warlike preparations to enable her to meet and to overcome her enemies on land or sea. England does not desire war. Had she done so sufficient provocation has been given her any time within the last decade to justify her in commencing an attack, but wiser counsels have prevailed, so that while preserving the peace she has lost nothing of her power and dignity as a nation. We do not auticipato that national political calm will bo restored until a marked change fov the hotter has takon place among the people of France, their rulers and governors, and we do not :

anticipate that change will come until there has been some bloodsheddiug either by a war or by a revolution. The past history of that gallant nation has shown how just is such an opinion.