Oct, 17.
THE position of the few states of Europe that still stand round the ring has become one of great delicacy and interest, and it is a serious question how many days: will pass before they, too, are drawn into the strife in which the insane ambitions of Prussianism have plunged the nations. Two of them have already committed themselves, or allowed themselves to be committed. The fiery attitude of Portugal is only what might have been expected from Britain's ancient Ally, who to this day regards the obelisk on the heights of Bussaco as one of its most cherished national monuments. From the beginning, it will be remembered, Portugal refused to bind herself by any declaration of neutrality, so that her: ports might be open to Great Britain's ships, and a few days ago H. M. 8. Argonaut found time to pay a flying visit to Lisbon in order to express Great Britain's cordial thanks. For the present there appears no absolute necessity for Portugal to embroil herself further than she has already done. But it is pleasant to feel how wait a friend we have at an important strategic naval position, and Great Britain and Portugal will be bound by new link of common interest and esteem.
The wretched plight in which Turkey finds herself might earn more commiseration if it were not 80 entirely her own fault. it is. she affords an excellent object lesson to other nations of the dan-Rers of coquetting with the Prnssian militarist. Without any interest in the quarrel or advantage to he reaped from participation, she has been pushed into hostilities so far that it seems impossible for her to draw hack. Even if she goes no farther than she has done, she will have hard Work to justify her conduct after the war. Tt would be interesting to know how much she has paid for the Goeben and Breslau. The transaction reminds one a little of when Huckleberry Finn made over his fortune to Judge Thatcher "for a consideration"—except that Huckleberry really believed he was parting with his dollars, and Germany never had the slightest intention of really parting with her ships. At Germany's dicta tion the capitulations have been
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.