a (The Economist.
The German and Austrian papers and one or two German statesmen are never tired of affirming that the Austro-German alliance ix in no way a menace to Europe, because other Powers will be glailly admitted into the ce-partnership, and of suggesting that other Powers should avail themselves, without delay, of the present exe opportunity.
is certainly not intended to invite Russia as France is not expected Powers" must of necessity be Great Britain and Italy, and it is not impossible that invitations to join the ce-partnership have been addressed to both. This is strongly believed as regards Italy, where, however, popular feeling may be tov hostile to Austria to allow of such an invitation being accepted, and it must be thus far true of England, that her adhesion to the Teague would be welcomed with grent pi ed, one "inspired" Ger ity to adhere to it; aut that the on ly way the length of enyiug that it is England's of preventing an European war is for Great Britain to guarantee Belgium, Luxemburg, and Switzerland, thus preventing avy viola. tion of their neutrality. As Germany would certainly enter Franco by way of Metz, and hax thus no temptation to cross Belgium orSwitzerland, this would be virtually a gua against France only, and the whole this country would be thrown on the German completely as if we had entered the alliance. As English statesmen are not fond of such alliances, and the h public has not considered any such combi possible, such an invitation would d Bo attention, but' for the well-known facts that the Ministry is essentially and even Russia, and that Lord th husinem as "glad tidings eat joy." Ho would, there is little doubt, seo Russin and Germany at war with a certain pleasure, and be very much inch An event to prevent Hrauce from moment to recover her lost provi 48, the Foreign Office might not to enter into the alliance which is, of course, most improbable, at least to ouquot with it until Frouch susceptibilities nously wounded. We wish, therefore, how very grave x mischief any ce with France would at this moment inflict upon this country and the world, There can be no doubt that the good understanding between France and England, which has now reigned for so many years, li enabled us to carry out our own part of the world, unhindered aby y for watching the only Power which without warning could address to us a i No other possessing the necessary strength at son is near enough to agsnil us without auffciont preparation. ~The friendship of France has thus been of the highest value both to Government and peopl by setting all their energies free for oth work than. defence, and by producing of permanent 10 invaluable to 4 commerce like ours, which, covering the globe as it dove, needs, above all things, exemption from' sudden and unexpected alarms. We do not ti of any' politics wi not see that the good understanding i at least, equally valuable to Europe, For on or disturb France as a power in a state thing, ib prevents any temptation to then isolation, If England and Francs were at variance, Germany would only to make certain concessions to Russia, euch as were mad, before 1870, to be able to deal with France alone, Austria being neutralised by her large German population. That isnot atemptation which should be held out to the Court of Berlin, and that it would be held out evident from the eagerness with which Prince Bismarck pressed Egypt upon this country, his motive evidently being to create a severance between Paris and London which it would take along time to heal. A new war between Germany and France would be greatly to the Advantage of the world, more especially at a time when another French defeat mi followed by the political effacement of for a generation, It is equally inexpedient to isolate France so completely as to compel her statesmen, they- wish to retain country, which might then indeed have reason for its otherwise exaggerated of Russian power and designs, With in Central Asia, France and Russia in and Fiauce in great force in Inlo-China—whenee every port in India might be thres ed—the situation of the Britixs Enmpi would indeed be serious, and the condition of Indian finance more hopeless than ever. It is indeed difficult to adequately describe the embarrassments which such an alliance would involve for us in Turkey, where we should be instantly powerless; in Egypt, where the joint protectorate would impossible; in India, where we should:
reed to maintain a powerful fleet and in China, where England and France habitually act together to uinintain endurable order.
Above all, a quarrel between England and France would be injurious to the world by dissolving the only solid mass of power which remains on the side of freedom, of the rights of the smaller States, and of the general ho of ideas accepted as distinctively " Western The very moment such a quarrel had occurred, the three Emperors, with their military would be the potential masters of the Continent and could, if they only came to a i ratanding, make almost any of territory and population that they pleased. Sweden, Holland, Dei mark, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, and the small States of the Balkans would lie absolutely at their meroy—a wercy which might not in all cases be extended. We say nothing of Turkey, of which the three El could certainly dispose, or of Asia, in which Russia might obtain large concessions, but confine ourselves to the regions bordering upon Central Wurope, and within reach by the armies of the three Powers by land. That is not a position which Europe could be considered safe. Yet it is one which might easily arise if France were unfortunately. inspir rust of England that it would be impossible heir statesmen on an emergency. to act cartily together. We regret to believe that symptoms of such distrust have manifested: themselves among certain French statesmen ince Lord Salisbury's indiscreet utterance Any project of joining or app j the Austro-German alliance woul for serious alarm, as entente cordiale which hus been and is the best guarantee that Europe shall not go suddenly and violently wrong, and that no project of ide or general distribution of territory shall be seriously entertained.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.