Tue Economist of the 15th of August, received by the Oxus, has a reassuring article on The European Situation." It notices that for those who like. to look for them There isthe understanding between Rossa there are plenty of disquieting symptoms.
and France, which is supposed to mean that, "France has got Russia to agree to play the part of the anvil on which the former istostrike Germany." There are the visits by the young King of Servia to St.
and Vienna, which seem to show that Russia and Austria are each trying to cereused influgnos in the Balkan Peninsula, There are the measures taken by Russia, in consequence of the failure of crops, to stop the export of rye, which will in all probability inflict a considerable amount of injury on many parts of Germany and Austri: here is the sudden decision of the Sultan of Turkey to raise the ¥gyptinn question in " manner which may be represented as directly intended to embarrass the position of England and bring into conflict with France." And there the diplomatic incident connected with the passage of the Dardanelles by a Russian vessel with troops on board." The French are supposed to be backing up the Russians (though this, as was to be expected, has been since semi-officially contradicted), an Russians have got an opportunity for raising the Eastern Question in its most ravaged form. By denying the right of the Sultan to control the gates of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, they can bring every Power in Europe into the contro-very." Then the Economist continues 'The catalogue of "danger spots" which can thus be set forth is, we admit, in appearance a formidable one.' Yet, for all that, we do not believe that there is any real ground for alarmist predictions, or that the condition of Europe is at this moment any more unsatisfactory than it wassixmonthsago. And for this reason—-nations do not make war upon each other merely because they have got good opportunities to do so, or because of "unpleasant" or "unfortunate" incidents. That may have been the case in the last century. At present the risk and responsibil lity are too great, and no nation plunges into war without definitely meaning and desiring todoso, It therefore becomes necessary to oak, not are there hostile phenomena, but, is Tfnot, then in some way or other all the there any nation anxious and ready to Sight? apparently insurmountable difficulties will be surmounted and got rid of. If we ask this question at the present moment we shall find in the answer no inconsiderable ground for an optimistic view of the situation. To begin with, it is evident that Germany, Austria, and Italy do not want to go to war. Their alliance was expressly made to secure peace and the status quo, and they will not, therefore, do anything to bring on hostilities. England, again, has no other desire but peace. France, of course, maintains her refusal to sequiedce in the cession of the two provinces, back. "Between this attitude and that of and longs for an opportunity to get them eagerness for war there is, however, a very great difference. Neither the Government, the people, nor the army—which is, after all, only the people with guns in their want war. France will fight if attacked, but unless and until she comes to believe that she is certain to be victorious from which belief she is now very far removed—she will not be aggressor. There remains then only Russia. With the wishes of the mass of the Russian people we need not concern ourselves, No doubt they are for peace, but these wishes are not material. On the other hand, the opinion of the dominant classes is doubtless more or less favourable to war. The Slavophil party and the army would, we admit, in all probability like to see the status quo upset, Germany humbled, Austria driven back out of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and either Russia, or a Power amenable to Russian influence, established at Constantinople, But thowzh Russia must on this ground be admitted to bea source of danger, there are fortunately other considerations which neutralise her tendency towards military activity, Russia cannot possibly engage at this moment in a campaign, because she is rearming her forces, which will take a long time to complete, and the famine in her western provinces will give her enough to dost home. She cannot move for a year at least, and no one knows what may happen in' that time. In fact, the better opinion seems to be that though there is plenty of cause for disquiet, if we look merely at the superficial aspect ut affairs, there are forces and influences behind which willing all probability forbid any outbreak for the present."
There is not much foreign news in the papers. The Emperor of Germany was al] right, ind had been on horseback, there having been, of course, no trath whatever in the sensational stories in some of the Papers as to, the cause of the accident to his knee. The armies of East and West France, which were to be reviewed th mouth by President Carnot, formed a total of 126,000 men. The Grand-Duke Alexis had been received with the greatest enthusiasm at Vichy Republican as France is, observes the Times correspondent, its attractions, and those of Paris in particular, re happily so great that there is no danger of its being boycotted by royal personages:—" There slept last (Satur day) ight on French soil one emperor (Dom Pedro), three kings (one of Greece and two of Servia), one queen (Isabella of Spain), two haire apparent (the Prince of Wales and afb Bey of Tunis), one emperor's brother (the Grand Duke Alexis), and one heir presumpwife (the Countess of Flanders). Five out of the nine were in Pa The cartoon, in Punch represents somewhat tamely the visit of the French fleet to Portsmouth, which was the chief topic of the week in England. The verses which accompany the cartoon are equally tame, but there is a better poem on the great American who died last month, and we forgive the annexation from Bret Harte in the last two lines
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.