The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-07-29
From the New York Herald.l
The War Situation In EurOpe-Tht
Latest DEVELOPMENTS.


1t speaks of skirmishes and surprises,
but it leaves us in darkness as to the
purposes and plans of either antagonist,
That there is a powerful concentration
of troops on both sides in the immedl,
ate neighborhood Of the border lines II
is no longer possible to doubt. 1t does
seem as if each Power was afraid OF
the other. At all events it is no longer
possible TO doubt that on both sides
there is a strong desire to husband re-
sources for some terrific tug of war.
The real novelty in the situation has
been created by the publication Of a
treaty whose history must at least be as
old as 1866, if not older. Weare some
what surprised by the excitement which
the publication of this old story has
created. New to the public and to the
newspapers, we cannot regard it as at
all new to the world of diplomacy. We
have not yet forgotten the famous
Biarritz meeting of Napoleon and Bis
marck. We have not forgotten the
excitement which that meeting begot
in certain circles. We have distinct
recollection of the Prusso-Austrain
campaign OF 1866, and of the impnr-
lance which was attached, at that par
ticu,ar time to the meeting OF the two
great chess PLAYERS at Biarritz. 1t was
a prevailing belief that Napoleon was
holding off because France was, in
some way unknown TO the general
public, to win with Prussia. The cam
paign of 1866 was brief and decisive
beyond the expectations of either Bis
marck or Napoleon. But it was so de-
cisive as to make Bismarck the master
of the situation, and to give him the
happy opportunity which politicians
and diplomatists love-an opportunity
to forget private conversations and trea-
ties talked OF but not ratified. The
year following gave us the LuXemburg
trouble, which for Il time threatened
war, but which was happily settled by
the London conference. After Sadowa
France was surprised and amazed, but
she was not prepared to fight. Ma
poleon was all the more helpless that
he had 10 face two failures-that of
Mexico as well as that Of Sadowa.
Napoleon, not yet caring much for war,
is better prepared than he was in 1866
and in 1867, and French feeling, as he
himself has told us, being so emphati-
cally pronounced, he has had no choice
but to say, Here | throw my gage.
1t is possible that too much has been
made of this treaty. To our minds it
is no more, no less, than fair and
somewhat full revelation of what took
place at Biarritz in the spring of 1860.
At the same time it is possible that
this revelation will very much compli-
cate the present war situation. If the
facts have not already been made known
to the different governments-and 1t is
very possible that they have not officially
been made known-every government
in Europe must feel indignant, and the
Indignation must be equally directed
against France and Prussia That
there is ground to criminate is not to be
denied, nor is it possible to doubt that
the parties eliminated are equally
guilty. 1t there be any truth at all in
the statement of the Times it shows
very clearly that the vultures are not
vet extinct and that where the carcass
is they will be found. If the report I've
true, then Napoleon and Bismarck did
sit down day after day and make ar
rangements which implied partition
more iniquitous than even that of Poland
So far as Napoleon and Bismarck are
concerned that "bloodiest picture in
the book of time" was about to be re-
produced, and the intending spectators
are not to be held the less guilty that
the wicked compact was failure. We
know what history has said Of the par
tition Of Poland. We know what we
thought of the French occupation OF
Mexico. If we have not had fresh
partition to the detriment of Holland
and Belgium, if we have not had an
other occupation as wicked as that OF
Mexico. we have, at least, had n reveIa-
ton of the spirit which accomplished
the one and the other This secret
treaty, if it he found to be true, will
rebound to the disgrace OF both Ma
poleon and Bismarck, but particularly
Napoleon.
The excitement in the British isles,
and particularly in the British Parlia-
ment, reveals a sentiment which Is
European in its range. Great Britain
feels insulted So must Russia. SO
certainly must Austria, who is the only
sufferer in the premises If this ru
mored treaty be founded in fact, what
can the nations think OF the intending
comhatants? Are they not scoundrels
both? Bismarck got the better of Ma
poleon, but is he the less to he blamed
that he was the more successful? Can
Europe trust either of these men? Can
Great Britain and Russia any longer
look on rs mere spectators? Can the
smaller Powers of Europe regard either
of the vultures as friend? If ii be
rs is said is it not time for Europe to
regard both France and Prussia, at
least Napoleon and Bismark, as com
mon enemies? The hurried visit of
the Prince of Wales to Denmark is an
alarming sign of the times. A general
European war or no war begins TO
seem as much probability as a war
between France and Prussia. The
London Times, we fear, has burst the
wind bags, and oth.France and Prussia
will suffer. The sweet words OF a
villain caught in the act do not avail
much In all this we discover but one
more powerful reason for the govern
mcnt of the people by the people.