The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-05-05 00:00:00

C.de ,-toarbribge OBberVer

SATURDAY, MAY 5, 1888.

THE OUTLOOK ABROAD.

Trrs chief point of interest in foreign affairs
is, of course, the continuous illness of the
German Emperor, While he is lingering in
such a precarious condition it is scarcely
likely that any great or important change
will take place ill the relative position of the
various powers, their dependene,ies, and allies.
But, should the sad sufferings of the new
Kaiser terminate in death, as grave bulletins
rem Berlin so significantly foreshadow from
tints to time, who can toil what Germany's
attitude would be And with the mighty
North European State destitute of a guiding
hand schooled by experience and proved to
be pacific at heart, what man can say the
peace of the Continent would be safe for a
single month? If the Higher Powers who
settle human destiny and decree the span of
life of potentate and pauper should preserve
Kaiser Fritz to his Fatherland, the Teutonic
war party would doubtless be held in check;
but in that respect the outlook is far from
hopeful. The imperial patient's malady is
of such a nature that short intervals of re-
assuring aspect follow upon days and nights
of almost immediate danger, and Germany
has scarcely begun to cherish a grounded
feeling that the life of its Sovereign may yet
be saved before dark reports of high fever
and difficult breathing are sent out from
the Schloss Charlottenburg. All will be
suspense until it is seen whether or , not the
Emperor's reign is to be one of lamentable
brevity. Meanwhile, France seems standing
upon the brink of a volcano, being vastly
troubled with internal upheavals, which may
or may not lead to revolution at home, and
even light the fire of foreign battle, A. wave
of Boulangism has smitten many of the
noisiest of our neighbours, and a movement
to advance the General is being pushed ahead,
though no well-defined object has been de.
,!lared There is grave reason to fear that
Boulanger and his chief supporters are aiming
at the pinnacle of power, and existent in the
outlook are many ominous possibilities.
Franco is all unrest, and when in the past
she has been driven into an n ualagous posi non,
bold spirits have seized the opportunity to
make a tremendous move, and divert public
attention from domestic broil and grievance
to sang•ni nary conflicts with neighbour nations
which have for the time been all-absorbing.
Oa the crest of the tumult of their own
ceeat.on, the ad :en! nrers who have worked
their way to rovit have floated into power,
and in the end France has had to pay heavily
in 1)1; iod and t ri:•LS are for the gratification of
the ambition if its unscrupulens sous. Jr
may be that Boulanger, the new idol of the
Gallic populace, has in him the instincts of a
Napoleon; it may be that he will drive, i
allowed so to do, his country into a tremendous
war with Germany about the possession of
Alsace and Lorraine,, movement which
would play down to the passion of French-
men, and be not anpopular in many quarters.
But if, through the rolvices of Boulanger or
otherwise, France and Germany again appeal
to arms, the 11:ra-tette result cannot but be
dis trous in the extreme to assailant as well
as defender, whoever may gain the crown of
victory, arid th ise who look calmly on from
other lands, and wish for the whole world's
welfare, are fervently hoping that some better
way may bJ found for solving France's
d ili,n4l ties than a gigantic engagement in the
keisly game of war. It has been noted with
relief at the recent elections Boulanger—who
rightly or wrongly, is accounted by many a
Erebrand, with cunning enough to be able to
keep his own eeunsel —hes not maintained
;lie commanding positron whir h he was
raised to at the pulling for the Nord. This
netwithstandine, France's position is sir
ciently insecure, for he, Government d,
not possess the contii;e ace of the tountry
in such a degree es is desirable sh ld ^
11 ~.ny
grave Continental crisis arise. Russia is in-
ternally in about its normal condition,
authority being vigorous ens ugh to keep
anarchy at the smonideri.tg rem el heit
without incessant vigilance. But Russia is
looked on with suspicion fr, tin nieit a foreign
Court, this seeming quietne 1101 wit h
standing; for one is never sui p i,id to heal
of Muscovite intrigue, nor a:triei.lied at the
d;scovery that disturbances in minor East
i ]!.11.9 ?Vali States have been feleeeted and
brought &mut by these wh, th;niz that
t hereby they are best serving the Czar. The
Bulgarian Question is aa far as ever from