The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-12

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1t was not our opinion when the late Franco
German war was brought to close that all
irritating questions questions likely to lead
to fresh confict--had been removed out Of the
way. The time which has since elapsed has
not given us much encouragement to change
doubleday been gain to the general cause OF
progress. Germany has so far been made
unit and the forces at work are such that
complete consolidation may now be conf
IDENTIFY looked for at no distant day. France
has been so crippled that for some years at
least it will not be possible for her single
handed to make war on a large scale with
any of her neighbOrs At the same time IL Is
not to be denied that many grave questions
remain unsettled; and he would be bold
man who would say that war on some OF those
questions might not result at almost any
moment
| Our special correspondence from Sazburg
printed in the HERALD Of yesterday shows in
what critical condition is the whole Euro
pean system, An alliance, 1t Is said, has
been formed between France and Russia.
Russia is armed to the teeth and war prepare
tions are being made on the most gigantic
scale. Germany and Austria are said to be
the objects Of attack. 1t Ia not to be denied
that this piece of news has fallen upon us
rather by surprise. We were not quite pre-
pared for such o combination. That there
were good reasons for such an alliance we
were not ignorant but the time for forming
it, so far as we could see, had not yet come.
If it be fact that Rus STA and France have
| come to formal understanding, and if they
really mean war, and immediate war, we may
rest assured that Russia and France know
what they are doing. We have said already
that France, single-handed, Is quite unfit for
| years to come to undertake war on large
scale. But France in alliance with Power
like Russia can, crippled as she is, do
great things. She is burdened with great
sorrow and sorrow, as we all know, some
| times gives strength. She has revenge to
accomplish and revenge is sweet She has
soldiers and munitions Of war in abundance,
and she is most willing to use them, if only she
Could see her way towards The retrlsyement
| Vi lOTIuucs II IL SoSLuS ucSptIatc w oVthC
people for France to rush headlong into
| another war, let it be remembered that France
| is desperate; and desperate people and des-
perate nations, as we know, do desperate
things. With Russia for an ally France might
recover Alsace and Lorraine; she might
also-and this is more important still--recover
somewhat of her lost glory. She might fail,
| and thus aggravate her misfortunes. But in
the state Of mind In which the French people
now are one ray of hope, one shadow Of q
possibility is sufficient to induce them to run
all risks, to brave all danger In the event of
of success she has much to win. The posi-
billy of winning is what makes feasible the
rumored alliance.
How is 1t with Russia? We know th
Russia, in spite of outward appearances to the
contrary, likes not her new and dangerously
powerful neighbor. The continued success of
the ambitious policy OF Prussia is fraught with
| great danger to the Russian empire The
population of her Baltic provinces is already
| impatient of her yoke and the German peo-
pie already clamor for their deliverance The
loss of the Baltic provinces would practically
make the Baltic Sea German lake. This,
however, is not all. Russia, in spite of the
Crimean war, still believes 1t to be her destiny
to sit in pride on the Golden Horn. Tie rapid
development Of the German power disturbs her
traditional dream The conquest and occupa-
ton of Constantinople are made less possible
than ever. Austria and Germany, much to
the surprise of Russia, have come to a good
understanding, and Russia begins to fear that
what Germany has done to France she may
soon do to herself. She feels that new Ger
many Is hurting her interests and crossing her
| path. What hope is there that If she waits she
will gain? There is none. Delay but gives
Germany time to gather strength, to mature
her plans and to proclaim herself the mistress
of Europe. If action must be taken it cannot
be taken too soon. The policy of the Great
Peter and the Great Catherine is in danger
and Russia feels and confesses that delay is
dangerous.
We are not, therefore, prepared to discredit
this latest European rumor. We are the less
. disposed to discredit 1t, that we have not for
| gotten M. THEIRS wild and despairing tour
| through Europe before the surrender Of Paris.
| We know that offers were made to Russia
| then--offers which were fatterIng in the last
degree to Russian vanity and Russian ambi-
ton. Had M. Theirs been possessed then of
the power which now he yields there can be
no doubt that his offers would have been ac-
cepted. NJ. THEIRS is the Chief of the Executive
of the French nation. What he offers now he
can give. What he promises he can fulfil. Is
II impossible that the astute Gortchakof has
reminded him of what he said on the occasion
Of his recent visit to st. Petersburg, and that
Theirs, standing true to his word, this rumored