The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-04
Euro:san war Prospects for 1875.

Thou year dawns upon the Old World
like hot July day. The sky is apparently
quito bright, tn air l. calm, and not
dark cloud il visible on the horizon. Yet
one feels in every nerve that the atmos-
phrrc il Gllod with electricity, aud that a
storm is close nj hand.
For more than siy months past diplo-
m lists AMI statesmen have been hard az
work throughout Europe Toward the
close OF the summer GoRrcuAKorF aud
TutIRs iutcryi' wei each other. During
m" autumn NtDroR EMANUEL and the
German Emperor passod compliments
at Milan. Later on, PisMARCK and Con
TcuiKoFF talked over some business at
Berlin and quite recently the Cabinet
Of 81. James, getting fcvcIish over the gen
eral State Of European, or rather of ORR
entail affairs, bought portion of the Sucz
Canal and launched scheme for the mo-
bilntion Of the Briii-h army.
All this Is significant. although il does
not necessarily imply an impending war.
Hostilities may OF may not arise; but sure
it is that the European Chancollors are not
wont to converse with cnch other to no
purpose, and that the English are not in
the habit Of spending money ana busyiug
themsclves with war preparations unless
there IL reason for so dong.
The origin of the trouble is in the Fast,
of course. BY tearing to pieces the treaty
Of Paris, and becoming master of the
Black sea again, rs well rs by conquer ing
Central Asia, Russia has openly threatened
not only the Ottoman Empire but the
Brit Empire too, while the troubles i'll
Herzegovina open u door to Interference
in Turkish affairs by any of the great Euro
Dean powers that may like IL. To all this
was added the GOODNESS OF relations be-
tween the English royal and the Russian
imperial courts, arising from the marriage
of the Duke of EDINnURGH with the Grand
Duchess MARIA strong-mnded people
| contend that royal marriages are of no
political consequence nowadays, but this
belief is only partially correct. There
can be no doubt that the English
expected by the marriage of the
| Duke of EDNnURGH to secure oour-
tesy and consideration in diplomatic
dealings on the part of Russia while the
Russians thought that, by giving England
the only daughter.of the Car, they would
secure TO themselves the connivance OF
| Great Britain in any scheme that their
Government might entertain. Those
hopes were never expressed, but they were
nevertheless entertained; and when both
sides had to undeceive themselves, they
became worse enemies than they ever had
been A glance nj a file of the London
Times will indicate that the change In the
tone Of that organ with reference TO Rus
sian diplomacy, comedies exactly with the
| time when the first quarrel arose concern
ing the presidency OF the Queens daug h.
tiers and Of the Duchess OF EDINBURGH al
Court oeremonials. Two years ago the
Times invariably spoke of Russia as of a
country which was he best friend OF Eng
land, and the advance Of which in Central
Asia was blessing for the cause OF OWL
ization; while to-day the leading organ OF
the city OF London speaks OF the Russian
diplomacy almost with more bitterness
than the Saturday Reltel0 or the Pau NAL
Gazette ever did. And the cheers will
which the purchase Of the Suez Canal and
the declaration that the occupation OF
Egypt by the English was "mere 1uep.
ton OF time" were met in England, shov,