AUSTRIA, RUSSIA, AND ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1242, 28 February 1878, Page 3

AUSTRIA, RUSSIA, AND ENGLAND.

The Vienna correspondent of the “Eastern Budget’ 5 say a, writing on the 28th December: —“Public opinion here is greatly alarmed at the prospect of a collision between England and llussia. The intervention of England in the war would, it is feared, add considerably to the difficulties of AustriaHungary, though even the party which sympathizes most warmly with the Porte dees not venture tp suggest th,at such an event should nrcd'.'.ce g change in the policy of the Government. In the pre- ‘ sent stage of the Eastern Question there can bo no longer any idea of the maintenance of the stnitin quo in Turkey. All that the Great Powers have to consider is how best to pro*

tect their own interests ; and it is not to be supposed that Austria-Hungary, having so long adhered to the alliance of the three Emperors, yrjll abandon the security she has thereby gained in order to seek better guarantees in the chances of a new and far more uncertain policy. Moreover, the state of public opinion in England is not such as to giro the Austro-Hungarian Government any encouragement to depart from its present attitude,and it is believed herethattho danger of a conflict between England and Russia is not so imminent, as some people suppose. Prince Gortschakoff possesses in the Turkish Circular Note an argument in favour of the continuance of the war which the British Cabinet may find it difficult to answer. He can point to the terms of that document as showing that Russia is compelled to make more sacrifices in order to secure the objects for which she has begun the war, and that she may, without giving offence or laying herself open to reproach, for the present decline to make any specific statement as to the terms of peace she may ultimately feel herself justified in demanding.” The same paper, referring to the relations between Austria-Hungary and Scrvia, says :—“ We hear from Vienna that the step taken by the Austrian agent in Belgrade to warn the Servian Government against extending its warlike operations to Bosnia and Herzegovina was considered necessary in order to avoid disappointing the high-flown expectations of certain Servian enthusiasts. This is not to be regarded as in any way affecting the relations of Austria-Hungary with Russia, as, although the latter Power has accepted the co-operation of the Servian troops, no alliance or engagements of any kind exist between it and the Servian Government.”