THE RELATIONS OF GERMANY AND RUSSIA.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1921, 21 April 1880, Page 3

THE RELATIONS OF GERMANY AND RUSSIA.

The "North German Gazette," the organ of the German Government, has the following very serious article upon tho relations between Germany and Russia : "Oathe western frontier of Russia fresh fortifications are contemplated. Kovno, close to the Prmaian frontier, is to be surrounded with detached forts. The Warsaw and St. Petersburg line is to be protected by fresh military erections at Grodno and Bialystok. The Russian Gavornment certainly can have no apprehensions of a German attack. Yet it. is hard to believe that such extensive and expensive structures are taken in hand without some adequate object. The immediate purpose of the Russian Government in taking these measures probably is to feign apprehension of a German attack. If they succeed in producing this impression among their subjects, it will be easy to get up a hoatilo excitement against Germany and her putative designs. If it be true that Russian designs against Germany, fomonted, it is well known, by General Count Milutine, Minister of War, are to be put off only till France Bhall bo ready to join, tho new Russian fortifications on the German frontier must bo intended as a base for aggression against this country. Acoordiog to Napoleon 1., Europe was to have been either Republican or Cossack within fifty years of his time. These fifty years have passed by, and one cannot help regarding it as very significant that such au experienced politician as Napoleon should have looked upon the French and the Russians as the two only conquering nations bent upon graspi-'g what is not their own, and aiming at absolute predominance in the world. There are certainly but too many incidents in history justifying tho view taken by tho Fronch Emperor. Neither F/anca or Russia ever had anything to fear from Garmany. Russia has been repeatedly invaded by Swedes and Poles, who are no longer in a position to repeat the experiment; France in all her wars with Germany has always been th 1 aggressor. The colossal armaments of these two States which oppress all Europe can be only meant to usher in a new policy of aggression."