WAR ITEMS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 764, 10 May 1877, Page 2

WAR ITEMS.

&4 AND THE WABi ."%, 'W-- -,*■=• ■ '^ : ->'v A correspondent -sends "the follow ingjßxtracfc from Colonel Oooley's report, to show what help Egypt is -able— to Jn her war against Russia : — "Egypt is nowpledged to furnish an army of 30,000 men .complete with cavalry and guns. v "InP'tne"' "Crimean "war 'she furnished 21,000. ; The Egyptian army is almost the creation of the present ruler, Ismail Pashaj who on his accession found only . twq infantry regiments and a few detachments of irregulars;- It now numbers on a war strength 52,000 infantry,2s,ooo cavalry, ( and,l 44 guris.. .These troops are all organized and drilled on European .principles, mainly after French models. Many of the highest officials are actually old French officers. In addition to these, Egypt maintains a force of 8,000 sands^. chaks , or irregular troops, who re^ ceive a higher rate of pay, but are required to arm, clothe, and feed themselves, aud are permanently stationed on her 1 frontier. In case of war Egypt can raise 10,000 irregular cavalry among the tribes tfiat 1 are 'subject ■ to ' her ." :

THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE RUSSIA, r H AUSTRIA, GERMANY. We learn from the "Times," of 'Feburaiy 5,: that the German semiofficial Press is urging Austria to come. t to an understanding with Russia ; ; but 'it -is asserted that French intrigue -is at work inimical ■tfc<s Germany, and. paying foe its objgcb the. destruction .of the present .suppose^ I triple alliance. 'A ' remarkable letter appears iri the "Politischs Correspondent," from Berlin, .which states that the intrigues referred to "nave been attempted" both m Constantinople and St Peters burg. • Franice^ it is 'said there, has recognised that .Russia is too much iengaged; \ to : withdraw altogether, and that Prince Gortschakoff cannot well end his official- career m 01---mutz above all m face of Turkey. , Jut .Russia wants a friend less for active co-operation than to protect her flank and rear, and Prance, knowing the difficulties of the position of Austria, offered to be such a frietid, and hoped- thus to break up the ; triple alliance of the Emperors. The German Press, by repelling such an attempt, has stood up likewise for the interests of Austria. If the three Imperial Powers go together, Austria has serious guarantees for the protection of her interests on the Danube. This is the meaning of the advice of the "Golos," that Servia should withdraw her stake m tho game. It may be gathered from this how things will stand' if the triple alliance was broken up, and a Russo-French entente was brought m, while probably a third would not be wanted either. Austria will thus be kept m check, and Germany, against her will and her interest, might find herself driven into warlike complications. Refrence is then made to a Vienna letter m the " Augsbei'ger Algemeine Zeitung," which says that it is not clear what Germany would do m case Russia and Austria cotld not come to an understanding.

THE POSITION OE FOREIGNERS IN RUSSIA. The Russian paper " Grashdanin" prints/an article on the position of foreigners m Russia. "It has long been known," says the writer, "that m all stages of Jife Russians are held m the lowest estimation among us, and foreigners m the highest. The privileges granted to foreigners are, indeed, so great that they sometimes place the interests of the Russian .Empire m a very critical, not to say dangerous position. We have for instance a sientific committee whose duty it is to examine and test all inventions relating to naval warfare. Every such invention should of course be kept strictly secret. but among the members of the committee there are Englishmen ; so that suppose a Russian were to make an invention which would, m case of war, secure the victory to Russia and cause the defeat of the enemy's fleet, the secret migkt be communicated by those Englishmen to England, and thereby rendered valueless to us. England would certainly not employ Russians as the officials of an Admiralty for the examination of inventions. But here m Russia the greate 3 t obstacle to the adoption of an invention is the fact of its author being a Russian. To foreigners all doors are open ; they are given every privilege, and are even allowed money for experiments."