THE SITUATION OF EUROPE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 351, 8 February 1881, Page 3

THE SITUATION OF EUROPE.

The situation of Europe at the present time,” The Times .remarks, “ is almost Without parallel in history. The soil of the Continent is loaded with armies ; the minds of men have been surcharged with#" passionate animosities ; during a quarter of a. century war after war has poured its waves over the civilised world, each deluge leaving behind it a confused mass of controversies. Yet, for the time at least, these elements of disturbance appear to be working together for peace. There is something like a deadlock in'European politics. It resembles in no wise the reign of universal heaven-descended good-will which was fondly supposed to have begun advant was welcomed in the Palace of Glass at Knightshride.. Then there was a real, an earnest, if a childlike, faith in the permanence of peace. Nations were turning away from ‘ war—-or so the preachers of peace believed-—not in mere weariness, hut with a deep moral repulsion . Nevertheless, thegreat powers within a few months were engaged in the diplomatic"strife 'Which'"led ' directly to the disturbance of the time-honoured balance of power, and to a long succession of wars. No such idea schemes of pacification are now entertained. It would be difficult' to ;tnaintain that the Powers are devoted to peace when so. much of their energies is spent upon preparations for war ; but it is manifest that in spite of those preparations, or, perhaps, partly by reason of them, .there is a widespread repugnance in almost all the capitals of Europe?to the adoption of any., measures which may by any possibility tend to a collision. We have every reason to rejoice that this is the case, though we cannot hut feel that the restraints thus placed upon the powers sometimes use! for evil may also paralyse to some extent the legitimate disciplinary forces of civilisation. Be this as it may, the present state of Europe is one in which conflicting energies, material and moral, are so equally balanced that we are in doubt where to look for the next impelling movement.”