The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-19 00:00:00

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tourbribge Ober*

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1887.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

THE aspect- of certain phases of foreign
affairs continues anything but quieting.
There has been a lull in the excitement
concerning the " situation" as between
Germany and France; but he would be A
bold man who dared declare that Europe is
out of all danger of a war in which those
countries should play the principal part.
Too many ill-considered words have been
said on either side for such :an optimistical
view to be feasible, unfortunately; the
military element is too eager to show a
reason for its existence; the financial
gamblers on the Bourses too ready to
manipulate matters so that they may make
nulioly gain; news suppliers too unscrupulous
in their sensation bunting, for the con-
tingeney of gigantic hostilities arisine, from
some injudicious word or act, official or
otherwise, to be ranked as an impossibility.
All peace desirers will fervently wish that
the doings of the mischief-makers may be
providentially rendered harmless, whether
they arise from malice prepense, or are the
outcome of mere wanton disregard of con-
sequences. Arming is going on at an unpre-
cedented pace throughout the German
Empire, as every day's dispatches shew with
greater circumstantiality. Austria and
Hungary are voting unheard of sums for
military purposes; the subjects of Kaiser
Wilhelm are having their pockets drained
nearly beyond bearing, so that I3ismark may
feel ready at any moment to face the French
foe Sons of the Fatherland here in England
are flocking back Rhinewards with a'most as
mach enthusiasm and to ma llnigh as com-
plete an extent as when the war was break-
in.!' which saw the downfall of the Third
Napoleon. soon there will scarcely be a
German left in London capable of carrying
arms. Alsace and Lorraine are all astir ia
anticipation of a mighty struggle of which
they will be the centre, and in which
Boulanger and Von Moltke will set their
aggregate forces on to fight until the last
drop of blood has been shed, and one great
power lies prone at the other's feet----till one
sorely-wounded eagle, with broken wings,
hes been conquered and humiliated.
Throughout the French Republic the
German call to arms is being answered by a
beating up of the sons of France to the
colours. The two countries stand, with or
without reason, on the brink of such a war
as the Contir.ent has not seen since Welling-
ton and Blucher eclipsed the meteor light of
Bonaparte. With or without reason, we
say; but truth to tell, the matter need not
be questioned, for calm consideration will
lead to the conviction that such a terrible
straggle is altogether needless, and not in
any way desired by the people in either
Germany or France. who have only been
goaded info a fever heat of bellicose feeling
by such holders of high places as are not so
scrupulous as they ought to be. May the
machinations of those who threaten the
world's peace for personal ends and to min-
ister to an ingloriously selfish, ambition be
frustrated, and overruled to their own un-
doing. Thus far as to the ,question of war
between the old enemies, Germany and
France. Then there is the alarm-bell still
ringing over the Balkan penirsula' with
Russia ready for launching myriads of armed
men on to any battleground which may seem
promising as regards the possibility of add-
ing to the power or dominion of the Czar.
The Bulgarian crisis can by no means be
considered safe to remain a question -whose
solution will not engage the soldiers as well
as the statesmen of most of the European
Powers. Afghanistan, on Russia's east, too,
is unquiet, and one often wonders 'whether
the dangerous Anglo-India r. Russia problem
ia not about ta enter an acute stage again.
The war note comes from Abyssinia also, it
.weeps Portugal-wards from Zanzibar. and
in the far East a cloud arises over the
Chinese-Barman frontier. All these out-
breaks and threatenings of hostility are
sufficiently disturbing to set the thoughtful
on the alert to find a way to avert an actual
engagement in any war movement which
would be at all likely to become world-wide
Our legislators, as well as those of foreign
countries, will require all the wisdom and
caution tie y can command to prevent a
general outbreak, that is certain. Looking
particularly at this momentous matter front
British standpoint, the diseerning will see
in Egypt and the Soudan a great element of
'tenger to England. There is undoubtedly
at work in the Nile count:), much of that
mischievous diplomacy which so often ends
in international conflict ; Itatt Si Htnry
Drummond Wolff and those who are werk-
ing in concert with him at Cairo, at Con-
stantinople, and elsewhere, will hive all
their work set to keep Queen Victoria's
soldiers from having to commence an argu-
ment of force with the troops of France
respecting this jealously-eyed territory of
the Khedive. There are all sorts of uglv
rumours about General Boulangtr's inten-
tions in this direction, and those who have
fondly dreamed that with the reduction of
14 ngland's occupying army in Egypt our
trouble theme is almost brought to an end,
are very likely to meet with bitter disap-
pointment. Nobody knows—at least the
knowledge is not public property—precisely
what the difficult mission of the English
Ambassador Extraordinary to Constantinople
aims at securing; but it is to be hoped that
Sir Henry Drummond Wolff—who, if he i
a party man of pronounced opinions, an
consequently not too popular personally wit
thole who differ from him on general clues
pow 3.5. an undeniably astute diplomat—wilt
,
so camps, somet iutagabional sr-

rangement whereby the evertronbleseme
Egyptian question shall be settled for many
a year to come. The establishment of a
rigidly neutral Government at Cairo, to be
re :ognised and respected by France, England
and all the other European Powers, woula
form a firm foundation for such a desirable
Agreement. And, approached in an ami-
cable spirit, all the other complex interna-
tional problems which now seem dark and
ominous should be equally capableof a peace-
able unravelling. In order to bring this
about there must be no policy of brag and
bluster encouraged at any court ; but every-
where prevalent the calm influence and pre-
dominatingcounsel of thatamity and wisdom
which no geographical boundary line ought
in this age of thought and catholicity of
interest to be permitted to interrupt'.