THE FUTURE OF RUSSIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 407, 2 July 1881, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF RUSSIA.

The future Of Berlin and probably of Paris, is that a great war between Russia and Germany was only kept off by the influence of the late Emperor. The military party in Russia, supported by the officials and by a certain bins in the people is, it is believed, extremely hostile to Germany. Its leaders are convinced that Prince Bismarck is an enemy j that he fears a junction between Russia and France; and that he will ultimately try to rend the German provinces from Russia, if not to re-establish Poland as a neutral kingdom between the two empires. They know that the German people are jealous of Slav ascendancy, and they believe that to terminate it Berlin has resolved to take advantage of the Austrian position, and unite all the South Slavs in Bohemia, Hungary, Croatia, and the Ba'kau Peninsula, under the Hapsburg sceptre. They think that to avoid the result, which would be ..atal to Panslavism and to the Russian hope of possessing Constantinople, Russia should attack Germany whenever France is ready and that this period has very nearly arrived. So widely diffused and influenced is this opinion in Russia that some months since large forces were accumulated in Poland, and a great effort was made to induce the Emperor Alexander to risk a German war by demanding the withdrawal of Austria from the Balkan Peninsula. The attempt failed, partly, it is believed, because France was not ready, but chiefly b?cause the Emperoi Alexander in his attachment to peace, and to the person of his uncle, the Emperor of Germany, definitely refused to sanction the enterprise, which therefore ended in a rather foolish explanation about “ necessary manoevres.” The new Emperor, Alexander the third, differs, it is imagined upon this point from his father. He is known not to be Gorman in sentiment, but Russian ; not to be attached to his Hohenzollern relatives, and to be gretelvunder the influence of his wife, a sisfir to the Princess of Wales, and naturallyirritated at tha injustice which, as he conceives,the Germans have done to Denmark. At the same time France has recovered her strength, and M. Gambetta, whose mission it is to recover the lost provinces, is drifting rapidly towards

with France aud that, as the Eastern Question in its present position affords many opportunities, he may clO - s Bummer for a declaration of war which,a ß a secondary result, would turn the thought of his subjects away from internal affairs. It is also secretly thought though this is less boldly said, that Prince Bismarck, who has long perceived the danger likely to arise from a Franco-Rus-sian alliance, may anticipate it ; that he j4nay force on a war which may enable considering the German rapidity of movement, to paralyse Russia by a great defeat before France could break through the chain of fortresses which now encircles her ; and that he may see, in the almost passionate desire which the French nation now has for peace an unexpectedly favorable opportunity for carrying outh is policy.