The New York herald., 1870-11-17

| Uai0ersa-the organ Of the French provisional
government-t such Is the fact. This
being the case, the imposing inference
at once confronts us that Russia has moi
ventured upon her present step, however just
and reasonable il may appear, without feeling
that the mighty and victorious arm Of her
Prussian neighbor would be outstretched with
hers TO make II good. Yet another despatch
reports the denial of Count Bismarck that his
government has any connivance or solidarity
with that of the Gear in any part of this mat
ter, and even claims that he has been taken by
surprise. But the innocent righteousness Of
Count Bismarck is not an every day character
istic of that statesman, and we doubt whether
| it will be the death of him iD the present case.
He has recovered marvsllously from his aston
ishment at the French on the Rhine frontier,
and this news from the Neva will hardly prove
fatal to him. Be that as it may, another
thunder cloud of gigantic dimensions over
hangs the North of Europe. The mutterings
of the storm grow louder and nearer
while we write, and before this week shall
have faded into the past the tempest which
means fresh holocausts of human life and the
devastation of vast regions still wrapped in
peace may have burst upon Christendom.
In other columns we have carefully COM
piled the active military and naval estimates
of Great Britain, Austria, Italy and Turkey
the probable leading allies, should this trouble
change to war--and of Russia and Prussia,
should they coalesce. 1t will be seen that the
Western Powers, If we include France, num-
Der for immediate action the greater force Of
men, ships and guns. But, on the other hand,
the Russo -Prussian might would battle on
interior lines, with every advantage of present
and the vast interior of the North German
realm and the Russian mainland Moreover,
the hidden sources Of discord, now merely
suspected might burst upon England and her
allies, and ''chaos come again" in their courts
and camps, as we have seen it come upon the
late Napoleonic empire. general war is
an abyss of fathomless uncertainty and gloom.
To sketch the most probable results of its
1:ckn ia.
upon the politics, industry and trade of the
minor Powers, such as Sweden and Denmark,
Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece and
perhaps even Spain and Portugal, which
would, almost inevitably, be involved,
would require another article. One conse-
luence however, can be uttered in a
lew words. This complication brightens
the prospect for France immeasurably
War would at once set immense armies and
fleets in motion to her rescue; a congress
would spare her capital and yield her respite
that might end in early peace. AS we close
Europe is thoroughly alarmed, from London
to Censtantinople All the leading exchanges
are agitated; stocks and securities have
heavily declned opinions conflict; the popu-
lar masses trembe and murmur; the press,
especially OF England, warns and threatens
dockyards and arsenals are thronged with
heated workmen and the implements Of death.
We pause for moment and point away from
our peaceful shores to this tremendous lesson
which the people Of Christian Europe learn,
we trust, for the last time--that there is no
safety where camps and courts alone decide
the fate Of the millions who toll and suffer.