The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-01

/
Moltke's Mission 10 Copenhagen.
| Germany has been watched by England
for many months with the minutest atten-
ton. There could be few points OF more
Importance TO tho British government and
people than to know for certainty whether
there was such concert OF purpose be-
tween Germany and Russia that the latter
would, if pushed, be actively supported by
the former, and the care given to the study
Of every act and utterance of the Berlin
government was devoted to the solution of
this doubt; but no.dscovery was made that
indicated q closer relation than that of the
courts aud Of mutual good will, and as it was
declared that Germany would only fight for
German interests, and rs this could be in
terpreted as Englishmen chose, the alarm in
regard to coalition against England's pur-
poses in the East had well nigh passed
away. 1t appears likely, however, to turn
out that England has comforted herself pre-
maturely In all diplomatic intercourse the
German Chancellor has failed to disclose
any relation of alliance with Russia not,
perhaps, because such relation did not
exist, but because its disclosure was neces-
sarily aside from whatever was then in
hand, and because it is the part Of good
diplomacy not to disclose the intention to
make an important move until the need for
making it has arisen, and the moment in
which it can best be made has been reached
Count Won Moltxe's journey to Copen-
hagen is accepted in London as significant
of the possible direction in which Germany's
good will toward Russia may coincide with
the defence Of what is regarded in Berlin as
German interest; and in this respect it
comes as revelation Of the hidden meaning
of the apparently innocent declaration that
Germany would use her military power only
in her own defence. The fact that all inter-
course with England has on the part of the
Berlin Cabinet been SO entirely free from
any demonstrative support OF Russia's case
must necessarily indicate that this
movement is not demonstrative in
its character and must consequently
give it more serious aspect One Of the
necessary incidents Of war where great
rivers or close seas are included in the
theatre Of operations is an enormous dis
tur6ance and injury of the interests Of Pow
ers not formally engaged in the war-though
they IRE virtually parties to it, in so tar as
all victims are practically included in the
ruinous results. BY the operations be-
tween Russia and Turkey on the Danube
the commerce Of that river was destroyed,
and that involved the ruin of an enormous
Austrian interest. Austria was not conf
IDENTIFY possessed Of the force that would
have enabled her government to say, eff you
cannot fight one another on this stream with
out hurting me you must fight elsewhere =
but undoubtedly her government must
have felt the desire to make such declara-
ton. and if she had possessed the power to
maintain it against all corners she would
have made it, and she would have had the
right under as good principle of the law
Of nature, so-called, as that in virtue Of
which the others fought. The defence of
the interests of her commerce was as much
her right as was Turkeys defence of her
territory or Russia's defence OF her pro-
t6ges-the oppressed Christians.
Now we see nearly the same relation Of
belligerents to neutrals likely to be repeated
in the Baltic, and we shall probably see
how different will be the conduct of the first
military Power in Europe from the conduct
of feeble and practically helpless Austria.
England will naturally aim to strike at Rus
STA in the Baltic if war breaks out, and the
great activity we have hitherto reported as
to get the Russian iron-clad fleet out early
has reference of course, to the efforts that
will be made by England to establish
blockade. But blockade cannot be estab-
lished there, nor can any operations ofwar be
conducted without great and injurious in
reference with Baltic commerce that is not
Russian, and that should not, consequently,
be involved in such ruin as is moro or less
Legitimate in the case of belligerent Power
It is the intention of Germany, we believe,
to protect this commerce, to guarantee it
against the disturbances incident to q state
Of war in the Baltic. The method proposed
for this purpose is the naturalization OF tho
Baltic, step to which it is very certain
England will not consent save under the
pressure of necessity. An issue with Cor
many on this point may result in showing
that tho German forces, while arrayed in
defence of what must be admitted to be an
important German interest, will fight with
Russia by resisting her enemy.
| The Boot and shoe Manu- lures
| of Massach usctts.
The correspondent whom We sent to New
England to inquire into the present condi-
ton of its industries supplies to-day an in
teresting account of the marvels which ma