4th February.
Ir is sometimes interesting as well as profitable te examine into the causes and probable results of current rumours. There is on the moment which be without foundation, but which, dealing as it does with matters of the first importance, is certain ere long to be either officially set at rest, to become a subject of world-wide discussion and perhaps of alarm. We refer to the rumour of a proposed Latin Alliance, composed of France, Spain, and Italy with, presumably, Russia as a benevolent adherent.
For some year or twa the relations between France and Italy, hitherto so strained, have grown' more and more friendly, and matters have gone at least so far that an understanding has been come to respecting various parts of the African Coast in which Pawers are interested, and members of the German Press have asked their Ita allies whether the Mediterranean friendship of France is a sufficient offset for a possible estrangement from England. The rumour in question has therefore some solid foun tation, What does it foreshadow? Does it mean the break up of present understandings? As things are, there is a practical balance of power which has kept. the peace for nearly thirty years. Is the solidity of that structure to be overthrown, and if so, what guarantee have we that anything approaching it in strength will take its plice? Alliances do not last for ever. New men and new conditions arise, and as the old does not understand the n so the new refuses dictation from the old. Pharaoh dies, and another King arises who knows not Joseph, Such general causes are always at work, but in the present instance it would appear that, the proposed new German tariff is at least an additional means of estrangement between Germany and the third member of the Triple Alliance. In common with Russia and Austria, and even Great Britain, Italy does not look with favour on the new departure in proposed pro-Russia openly threatens reprisals, Austria almost as o, only does the like. Italy connects her polities with her commerce, and Great Britain lodges a mild protest. Whatever the immediate cause, however, it is believed that at the moment there is a feeling of uncertainty in the Foreign Offices of Europe.
quite possible to exaggerate the imporiauce of such crises as these, But no wise man ignores. them. When a new ferment is at work i's danger is all the greater from is being hidden, The formation of new alliances means the breaking oid ties with all the heartburning and risk attendant upon such rupt tures. It nece-sitares a new series of sometimes doubtful changes and risky juxtapositions, It means intrigue and complications in place of settled arrangement; it opens the door for indescribable complexities from which there may be no escape save through the outlets of war.
We have in history an interesting parallel to tie present. position, so far as that may be guessed, A coufidential memorandum was writ to Prince Metternich, then the leading diplomat of Europe, immediatey alter the close of the Congress of Aix la Chapelle in November 1818. It dealt with the results of tha: ce: brated assem!. ud contained the following passaig We must remember that during the year 1817 and up to the summer of 1818, some of these terrible dangers occupied, not only the idle conjectures of the public, but the thoughts of statesmen, filling them with great uaeasi the sinister prose that time a change of pol Russia was partiontry dre different symptoms, perhapsmisunderstood at the time, had given rise to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.