THE RUMORS OF WAR IN EUROPE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 30, 4 February 1880, Page 2

THE RUMORS OF WAR IN EUROPE.

The following was contributed to the Auckland Star by an ex-officer; of the German army :— - More and more threatening the spectre of a European war appears to rise on the political horizon, nearer and nearer approach the dark clouds announcing the thunderstorm, and already the alarmists triumph who prophesied since 1871 that without a new devastating war no peace would be established in Europe. Already the telegraph announces the concentration of strong Russian forces near the German-Aus-trian frontiers; already we receive communications about French preparations for war, about arming the j German fortresses, increasing the strength of the German artillery; and for timid minds the war, with its train and distress, seems already to be inevitable. We would advise that all • alarming news should be received with reservation, or at any rate, the evil consequences not considered as unavoidable. In trying to show the news in the most favour-: able light, we leave our readers to ap? • prove or not of our opinion. At the outset we do not believe ttjat Franco is already arming. A power really intending to surprise its neighbour will never make the preparations; so openly that the; newspapers can announce them - to the wholes world. the continental -powers- do hot require any preparations for war, all their military arrangements beijng Calculated so perfectly that in tjhe Shortest time millions of soldiers vill stand : in the field. Further, such preliminary steps cannot be taken without the permission of the Legislatures, Bin- | ply because jfchey are very. -expensive. Therefore, we do not as yetr-feelieve, iin~ the rumour of French or Austrian preparations for- war. The'-'fabfc yttftft Russia, as it is said, has 350,000 ,'men iA Poland is not necessarily a demonstration against Austria. It can be explained by the fact that EuHsia, being compelled by the terms of the Berlin Treaty to withdraw all her troops from Roumelia and Bulgaria within the last few months, has sent a great portion of

|them to Poland; ; in jorder to repress the (rebellious agitations of ; tho Poles sad the Nihilistic disturbanceß, -the daugepjous tendency okwhugh is^&hjo&n^&.late iq attempts on- the Emperor's); life. jßesides, these 350,000 men are .moat probably; not concentrated; inQQjie.Qßppt, but distributedrpTer^tlie whole country, which already before swas garrisoned by more than 200,000, men. j »The increase of strength of the- German Artillery i was commenced three 0 years ,&go,_ and the means for jthe perfection of « the fortresses on the eastern frontier -,' was granted in 1874. , Such .' Qxienaive and important alterations 1 caiinbt^ be Jmprovised a few days before the n qut<break: of a war. Likewise what ( is eaid' about French military preparations is nothing but the natural consequence of the reorganization ...of. the French army, which has been /going on #bw for more than six years. . : . . " ; "' v -„ * \7? ' ; Moreover, • real preltexjt for a war is wanting at present,* for Jhe Adrian occupation of Bosnia and took place a long time;"a|p,^it|.^be approval of Russia, and tte, tion of Austria to ' have ' %'_Btralegio railway with, regard, to Sery ia^doel not se.em.id us to ba a; li]kel£; reason "for"* wit.'' We resist ' as ' lpn'^ aa possible tjhe l! !;thoughii that a , ? '^yi|reign or a nation should be ao blinded aa to load itself with .the 'responsibility of the dreadful conseqaenoesUhafwoul^'foiiqif; ; in; the ;train;,of. ' such ' We must 'remembijr! thsft ''the" 'E'rapproi: '", whose health is severelj?^shaken bylaw trials ; that the Emperor of , Rusaia is ft Pri&ce^tired ,of :his;li^'^ giyWtPrV melanchply' j , , thatj "-i Ecnperpr , of _ Austria is also no young * nian,, ,andy besides cautioned by former, iil-aaccess in'; War, and '"that'^n^, ! '||ap^ ( "in.. J consequence of her interior .uosettiied J relations, ought^^.bnly lp s wißhlM,peaci?iM It;;.C3r'tainly .is ".true,.; th^t^auoWcoa-;' , aiderations must not be trusted tQOjisa<sb^ ,' fpr. . history, abowa numeroiia ins^ of more unlikely warflj and the ppjjjqy pf k ' the GaFernnaentß, the wifshgs an J jmijji- I;'' nations of the nations, are infiaiculaoter^ and do not always follow quiet reflections. We ban, only give ( s 'expressidn o^ to purwißb, lhat Proviaenqe,raayJ iea^ ,' the 'sovereigns and najlioris of Earope ''^ to'theright road, for'i'r'nq'w.ihe^parlt^i should tall, into ,tfee,! "pywder-barreij, and . the' grand powers ll^ of,'. Earope should go to warj ' th'eu" '$& t'ago ',j shall witness such, a fprmidabifli ''j' fipht 'as the world hW JneV^ L seen £ before. Our iron, age nas' '. febftnJ£e(T'" 4 " the nations of fCarope into gignp tie armies, has broaght the engines for t%destruction of human life to snjncre^i-l. ' ble perfection, and has exhausted: oil . • skill of the human minJj all powers of ' Science, to invent new weapons for. the pitiless demon of war ; eothat millionV may yet be added to tbe ! hundreds of thousands who fell victims to falseperceptions of national interests, JBrtt,. . although wishing to deny the" proba-| bility, not boing able to ' gainßay' the possibility of an impebdiag "war, : we shall -now try to consider^ how, -in. 1 huaoan judging, He the obanoes of the . parties concerned ;. what, means are at their, disposal ; what hopes of auceesS they may have ; andV.how.^iKey"eV«»ti; will happen. Let us think ourselves ; |nj the study of Count M.oltfee^^ibrifldjp'l^ ourselves to be preßent;at |'cp¥n'fiil^i| war held by the Duke of Gjsaibri|gp and let us try to relate how professib'n'ai ! ben judge the aitufttion of Europe. If the peace should be disturbed Kusßia only will disturb it, beoaoae she finds her conquests in Turkey endangereci -bj-.-Aiditrjlaq: andjEpg|jsh;4^ hates Germany, fleeing L . that this pow&H supports them> and) sbe hope* ttptfiyenß by^A ■'■ miernal" revdlutiomary^ Roubles. RiisliVsiil|y;4f Ve ine war ii opened against ,. Germany^ t trijj^ ,bp JFranee ; Germany's ally^acop/ding" to recin^ treaties, :\ i A^y^^tf^^, England. Sowechaye.-jpn the onej side , Grermaoy, Aastrie, and per haps tEng-L 2lana : V on the other Rus'(fiß»n(! J Ffan«Jß. , !j^; O o;a>^evt^i^^^^ j The German army counts, -.after. (tha;u list'tf ■fot itt i : B7£f-^ AxwUy -"" " n ?rtVi * ?i5 ' v^ :,. ,451,000 men, iQaemh, \i-, « c > t-9jn*b« 1,233^000 riien,6f s whieh v ii^lT4. t OOQ ' ...,,. . men c^avalr|^:^ - gnnßij33.CQrlressfspjr,oiftCfe i her frontier, her nfav^oon-i '■' !.r'. -V -r tain's 5 -36