Quite a number of books dealing with the causes that led up to. the War are now being published, but little fresh light is thrown upon the matter, the works of German authors, the statements issued by the British Government and the speeches of the Ministers of the belligerent nations having provided abundant information. But there is one aspect of the position to which reference has not been made, so far_as we can remember in the Far East. The "Globe" hears from a good authority in Germany that the opinion was held that a settlement with Russia could no longer be delayed. For some years it has been obvious that the death of the Austrian Emperor might not improbably lead to the breakup of the Dual Empire and the transference of a large number of its Slav population to Russia. Instead of being able to put a million and a-half soldiers at Germany's disposal Austria might then have none to dispose of, while the Russian army would be increased by several hundred thousand at least. Germany dared not delay her attack upon Russia until this event and the completion of Russian military reorganization,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.