The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1892

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3070, 19 March 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1892

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious 01 political.

Tnii cablegrams fro:ii Europe from time to time divert our thoughts from the consideration of our own immediate altaii's, more particularly when they refer t.o the relations between the different European nations, as on these depend the all important question of peace 01 war. The latest announces that the Emperor of Russia desires peace, and has intimated the fact to the Press of the Empire, which means that public writers are to cease foi the time being to excite the animosity of the people against othei n ations ; Germany in particular,

The Emperor- o' Russia in common with other rulers and statesmen always desire peaco when thov annot. ]irepari'il for war. Russia is in this position at the prcsont time, lnr"-e triicts of her country are devastated with famino, licr finances are in a terribly disorganised state and, what is of more immediate importance, her army is not, vet armed with the n9W weapon, by means of which her rulers no doubt hope, as they have for many yoars, to oxtend theEmpiretothe Bosphorous in one direction and to the fertilo plains of India in another. Dreadful as are the details of the famine which reach us, it is almost impossible not to feel, great and heartrending as aro the sufferings of t,he unfortunate peasants, that the cause of their position is calculated to delay the inevitable European war, which cannot fail to spread misery and desolation over every country that becomes involved in the vortex of slaughter. To be victor will be only one degree less disastrous than to sustain defeat. So long as Russia is unprepared for war the peace of Europe is tolerably secure. France, the other disturbing element, cannot in the face of the Triple Alliance take the field by herself and there can be no question that there is a large and rapidly increasing order of Frenchmen who are inclined to consider the material prosperity of their country, rather than be led away by inflammatory writing and speeches to precipitate a war, the results of which it is impossible to predict. Boulanger has committed suicide, he was dangerous until the smallness of the man be.-, came apparent. As a writer very tritely puts it, his suicide was the only service he had rendered or was oapable of rendering to his country. The groat safeguatd of Europe from war is unquestionably the renewal of the Triple Alliance. Neither of the parries to it are likely to support a joint aggressive policy, and its existence is calculated, allowing that Russia were ready for war, to have the effect of making the rulers of France and Russia circumspect in their conduct of international relations. As regards England, aside from her chronic and justifiable suspicion of Russia, there is only the Egyptian question which is calculated to involve her in any trouble with other powers. It is a wellknown fact that the diplomatists of France and Russia are endeavouring to draw Turkey into alliance by this means. They have pointed out to the Sultan that his sovereign rights have been curtailed, and only by their assistance can he recover the position which be has lost or receded from. The Sultan, however, has not taken the bait, and is prepared rather to trust to the honour of England to retire from the position so soon_ as she has accomplished her mission of putting Egypt, in a position to assure order within and repel any attack that may be made from without. He is perfectly alive to the fact that if circumstances ever permit Russia to get the rope round the neck of his country short will be the thrift which will be accorded. It is unlikely that France will take any action in the matter; her statesmen quite recognise that the present position is the result of their withdrawal from active partition in the substitution of good government in the stead of the effete administrators, whose incapacity was bringing the country into" greater depths of misery and degradation, and in consequence placing what has become the greal highway of nations in danger ol destruction. There is another point that will stay the hand of France. England stands, thanks to the masterly policy of Lord Salisbury, in an independent position; France therefore is not likely for the sake of Egyptian affairs to take any action calculated to throw hei power into the scale with that ol the allied nations in the coming war. England's invitation to, and acceptance of, the French fleet al Spithead emphasised this fact, happening as it did so soon after the hysterical vapourings of the French and Russian people over the understanding which the two Governments were supposed to have arrived at. The season for the commencement of the Europoan campaign is upon us, and we must expect the usual crop of sonsational rumours to bo flashed along tht wires. For our part we shal accept them with more than tht usual discount. There is ever] hope that peace will be maintained for this year, at any rate, for th< reasons we have given.