THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2290, 15 March 1887, Page 2

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

A French View of It. Oua Paris correspondent writes as follows on the 15th January : —

As had been generally anticipated, Prince Bismarck has been defeated in the Reichstag, notwithstanding all his speeches and those of the General Moltke. According to the promise of the Man of Blood and Iron that Assembly has at once been dismissed, and the Imperial Chancellor will undoubtedly carry his measures on the basis of a so-called patriotic campaign. As to the electors, the intelligent, peace-loving and patriotic citizens of the Empire is pretty .sure not to resent interference which a citizen of a free country would find intolerable. He may deplore the hard military law which invariably takes himself or his son from industry, but the "cry of revenge," which he fancies that he sometimes hears come across the Vosges, deters him from advocating the reduction of the Military Budget. No one can travel through Europe at present without being stricken with a feeling of shame at the sight of the .countless thousands, or rather millions, of stalwart young men who are being maintained in what can only be described as positive idleness, in order to be ready for the emergency of a great war. France arms herself against Germany, Germany arms herself against France; Austria matches Russia, and Russia matches England. Everywhere the detestable " high chess game, whereof the pawns are men," is being kept up, and everywhere the population at large has to suiter from the policy which is thus carried out by leading Statesmen. In some of these countries, the whole of the civil iustitutions of the State have to give way to the needs of the military system. Thus the traveller in Germany or Austria is nevevallowed to forget atany railway station that the locomotives of the country are absolutely at the call of the military authorities. Nor is any deficiency in the national revenues permitted to affect the "enterprising" policy of the heads of the army. Germany and Russia may be

suffering terribly from the depression of trade; but strategical railways, of no earthly good except for military purposes, must still be constructed ; and enormous fortifications must still be raised in every possible or impossible locality. It is painful and humiliating to think that at this moment the reliance of all the nations of Europe upon mere brute force, is more marked and prominent than it has been at any other period since the Napoleonic era. The improvement in the relations between Austria, Hungary, and Russia is certain, says the Vienna correspondent of the Times to-day. Within the last few days the Russian Governinent'has once more notified that it has no intention of attempting a military occupation of Bulgaria. At the same time Russia has abated none of her demands in respect of Bulgaria, The belief that the Prince of Mingrelia's candidature will be withdrawn if Russia obtains satisfaction on other points, and notably as to the resignation of the Regency, is based only on probabilities ; for no intention on the subject has been made from St. Petersburg. There is no longer any concealment of the fact that Austria-Hungary is arming so as to be ready, like her neighbours, for all emergencies. The same correspondent of the great city journal says : —The Hungarian journals suppress their fears that the Chancellor will obtain his 'nay in the constitutional conflict by the old expedient of hastening on a war.