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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5239, 8 January 1878, Page 2

The present position of affairs in Europe is peculiar in many respects. The Turks, after hard fighting and many marked successes, are now on the losing aide. The question now agitating the public mind in England and Austria is whether the Black Sea is to become a vast Russian naval depot, threatening Austrian commerce by commanding the mouths of the Danube and the English highway via Sviez to India and the Australian colonies 1 It has been asked what are the “British interests” which are or may bo imperilled, but there can bo little difficulty in replying to one portion of that query, that is, that whenever the Russian bear plants his standard at Constantinople, and obtains the right to bar the Dardanelles, the British Lion will be placed at a disadvantage. England is apparently too much inclined to look at the aspect of the case from a pounds, shillings, and pence point of view, and the popular opinion inclines to the idea that it is better to avert a war “for the present, for pecuniary reasons, even though we should lose prestige and become voiceless in the councils of Europe hereafter.” It, however, seems there are some men in England who have not forgotten the deeds of their forefathers at Cressy, Poictiers, Aginceurt, Blenheim, Assays, and Waterloo, and who say “ do not adopt a milk-and-water policy wo do not desire war, if we can avert it by honorable means, but wo prefer death before dishonor, and before ignoring the provisions of a treaty entered into by the leading Powers of Europe on the termination of the Crimean war, wo would fight to the last' (which treaty by the way was not in any way infringed by the Turks, but was deliberately trampled on by the Russians, while the great European Powers stood paralysed with fear lest what is termed the “ colossal bear ” should turn on them and rend them in pieces.) It appears after all that “ the grisly bar ain’t so tarnation strong nether,” and it has taken him some time to oat up Turkey; and his digestive organs are considerably disturbed yet with the gristle of his Turkish foe. We therefore hope there is yet a chance of mediation being accepted by both parties. It has been frequently stated that the Mahometans in Persia and India sympathise with Turkey ; but those who are acquainted with that creed say there is as deadly a religious feud between the Persians and Turks as that which prevails between Orangemen and Ribbonmon. .With regard to India, we ' had recently the pleasure of seeing a letter from an officer of rank in that country, in which ho said, with reference to this war, that “ the upper class Mussulman alone knew anything about it or took any interest in it ; that the lower ranks would have known nothing respecting either- Turks or Russians but for the Crimean war, and their opinion was that Russia must be a very powerful nation, as it took England, Franca, Sardinia, and Turkey to beat it.” The Austrians no doubt have great difficulty in determining what course to pursue. Austria Proper and Hungary, if following their natural instincts, would declare war against Russia; but' Austria is aware that the Slav portion of her subjects sympathise with their race in Rouraania and Bulgaria, and

hence her undecided position. Germany is afraid to act decisively, and coquets with Russia and England alternately, the astute Bismarck comprehending that the moment war becomes general France will not lose the opportunity of commencing hostilities against Germany: a war which would gratify the French people, and would open a safety-valve to prevent the “ bursting up ” of the MacMahon Presidency, retrieve if possible their disasters in the FrancoPrussian war, and regain the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.