Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY. NOV. 5, 1898. The European Concert.

Manawatu Herald, 5 November 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY. NOV. 5, 1898. The European Concert.

France has publicly acknowledged how low she hag {alien in the scale of nations by refusing to negotiate with Great Britain as to commercial access to the Nile, on the plea that her big ally Russia has promised shortly to assist in raising the whole Egyptian question. It appears that the shortsighted action of France in refusing to work cordially with Bri tain in the joint control of Egypt is vexing the government beyond endurance, and in every way, except by a straight-out declaration of war, does she work tojhamper the peaceful settlement of Egypt. We have doubts if the force of 15,000 Abyssinians said to be marching on Fashoda in oonj unction with a French force from an opposite direction, will get much further than they are now, as Britain holds friendly relations with Abyssinia, and the force now on its road was started, at the instance of France, long before the Sirdar gained his brilliant victory over the Dervishes at Omdurman, and before the British Ministers had so directly and emphatically declared their intentions with regard to the Soudan. France knows what these intentions are and dares not; move until Russia will give her leave so that- it is unlikely that Abyssinia will be so foolish as to poke her army into such a hornets' nest. To keep things moving in (he neighbourhood of Egypt by stirring up strife seems to be the policy of the French, but we foresee that labour spent in this manner will be energy wasted, if not actually misused as to stir up more opponents to her objects. Extend ing from Egypt there is a stretch of land along the ooast of the Red Sea and forming the. eastern boundary of Abyssinia which belongs partly to Italy, partly to France and partly to Britain, and someone has stirred up the Sultan of Raheita, in Eritrea, Ihe Italian portion of the coast linp, to rebellion, and finding he has made a mistake he files to Obok, the French sphere, which suggests that he knew he had the sympathy of that country in his little game. Italy has not long ago got out of a very awkward scrape in Abyssinia, better than she might have done had it not been for the good services of Britain, and France can rely on Italy lending all help to Britain Bhould a tim° come when help was needed. France

has to lean on Russia and thus she would be wiser to say nothing with out that Power 1 8 approval or she may say too. m ich and have to humble herself too low in order to lvert a war. The position is, of oourap, critical, a? the excitable temperament of the French race has to be taken into consideration, but if tbat factor could be left out the danger of war would be but slight. All the Powers must ba aware that at no time in her history has Britain been better prepared for war, and tbat the combinations that could be made against her are not to be compared to the power that would rally at her call in the hour of danger. France lean 3on Russia, and thinking the time is near at hand for strife is getting Spain to keep her quarrel open with America, which seems to us to be a curious arrangement, as the country has lo3t her navy and is therefore of little value in the contest that will take place when France wills it. If any- . thing, such a proceeding would be to the advantage of Britain, as it would throw the United States with up, but we shall show, from what has lately taken place' that no such reason will be at all necessary to secure the goodwill and co-operation of our cousins over the sea. When Spain commenced war with the United States there was a strung feeling in Europe to unite and assist Spain, and the facts, litely pub lishod at Home, are these:— "Not long after the opening of the war the Government of a certain Continental Power conceived a brilliant and thorough conception, the object of which was to rescue Spain, to ad minister a humiliating rebuka to American ambition, and to assert complete European supremacy in the fjreign complications of the Western world. This Power, it i* perhaps almost superfluous to m>n tion, was France. By a combination of good fortune and diplomatic adroitness the French Government secured the support of the other Continental Powers, Germany und Russia amongst them, whose aid was necessary to success. The stroke was all but completely prepared, and nothing remained but to secure, if not the active adherence, at least the tacit consent of neutrality, of the English Government. At this point unhappily for the ambition of France, the first and last check to the scheme was received. " The English people," so reasoned the French Cabinet, 11 have suffered more from ' American aggression ' of late years than any other nation ; deeply angered by the worse part of the American Press, they mu&t have reached their limit of endurance under the menaces of President Cleveland. Here, therefore, h their opportunity for an easy and overwhelming revenge. Ac» cn'dmgJy ih'a proposition of intervention—diplomatic if tbat should be sufficient, by force of arnii if needful — was definitely submitted lo Lord Salisbury ; but to the unmeasured surprise and grief of the French Cabinet a reply, after due consideration, was delivered to the ?£fcct that if the plan were not directly abandoned, not only would Her Majesty's Government refuse to countenance its execution, but would join forces with the American Government and declare war on France and such supporters as should come to her assistance. The negotiations at once fell through, and the French

Government were compelled to beat an abject and unqualified retreat." The lesson this tale teaches is that the European Powers, all in harmony, prefer not to interfere with B-itiin and the United States combined, so what idea of success two counlrie?, Russia and France, can hope to have in such a dispute it is difficult to conceive, and the impor ration of Spain into the struggle is making matters worse than they were before. We feel assured that ware war declared by Russia and France against Britain, the United Sta'ei would remain neutral until her help was wanted, in the same manner Britain has stood by during iho Spanish-American war.