New Zealand Times. MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1875.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4399, 26 April 1875, Page 2

New Zealand Times. MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1875.

The news by the San Francisco mail, which we publish to-day, contains several remarkable items. The chief interest from Europe centres in the prolonged quarrel between Prussia and ecclesiastics acting under instructions from the Pope. The civil power is dealing vigorously, with the contumacious bishops and clergy, and should foreign complications not arise it is perfectly plain that Prince Bismarck will triumph in the end. But his ultimate success, or rather the success of his policy of subordinating the ecclesiastical to the civil authority, depends, very much upon the friendship of the Great Powers. As for any of the inferior States, the German Chancellor has nothing to fear from them; and his recent note to Belgium, and the implied threat which it contained, must be regarded as a declaration that he will not hesitate to use the military forces of the Empire to enforce obedience to his views, which, so far, are in unison with the opinions of a large majority of the German people. ' But there are those who see in the note to the Brussels Government the first step towards a war of annexation. It is argued that the possession of Belgium would round off the German territory, and give the possessor of the third largest ironclad fleet in the world the control of a seaboard and I harbors. With Antwerp and the Scheldt: ih the iron grasp of Kaiser William arid his successors, there would be comparatively little, chance of the dismemberment ' of the newly constituted Germanic Empire ; but as this policy presupposes a war with England and her allies, it is somewhat too audacious even for Prince Bismarck. It has not been kept secret from England, copies of the notes which passedbetweenthetwoGovernments having been officially transmitted to . the British Cabinet, At the same _ time, it is just'possible that' the conflict between Church and State in Germany may result in a great European war, in which England wQI be inyolved. • No sooner has the Montenegran dispute been settled, amicably than a new danger menaces the Porte. nian! Government is calling out troops. Why this should be done is not stated,. but for some time past an uneasy feeling has existed in Western Europe, that "the " Eastern question" would again disturb the peace of the Continent through the aggressive ambition of the Roumanian State. That principality is now governed by a cadet of the Hohenzollisrns, and if Prince Charles has the ambition and perseverance of hia race he is most probably bent upon throwing off his allegiance to his Suzerain of Turkey. Some time ago Roumania sought to assert the right to conclude commercial treaties with foreign Powers, but as it is not an independent State, it received no encouragement from without. Moreover, the savago intolerance of the people, as ovidonced by their brutal persecution of Jewish residents, is not calculated to create any outside sympathy for them. But the Hospodar may be acting in conformity with instructions from Berlin, and if so, he will not relinquish his design. As a feudatory of the Sultan of Turkey, the united principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which form the Roumanian principality, enjoy all the advantages of independence with few, if any, of its responsibilities. The Spanish war continues. Anarchy reigns supremo. Don Carlos does not recognise the right of Don Alphonso," and the civil war is being prosecuted with, yet greater ferocity than before. .The young King_ has undoubtedly the strongest position, but if the Pretender can keep the field for a few months longer

lie will very seriously embarrass the Madrid Government—which, by the way, has appeased Germany by paying an indemnity for the Gustave outrage committed by the Carlists. ':'■ ; ■•..'■. ' > From America we have a sad record of deaths and disasters by the March" storms. The foreign and domestic trade of the United States appears to be greatly depressed, not fewer than, sixty steamships employed last year in the regular trade with Europe having ceased to cross the Atlantic. A rumor reaches us also to the effect that the Washington Government is negotiating for the purchase of a portion of the North Mexican territory, and that the Government of Mexico is not averse to the transaction. Sooner or later, annexation of Mexico is "the " manifest destiny" of the United States.