Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-04-12
European War Prospec 10.

The dispatches from Europe relative to the
probabilities of war between Russia and
England, as they come, day after day, are lit
tie more than maze of perplexing and con-
Trajectory assertions and denials. From each
of the five capitals directly interested-St.
Petersburg, London, Vienna, Berlin and Con
stantinople-there continually flashes through
Europe such series of sensations that it is
more than probable that even upon the spot
there is no man who possesses or can gain a
clear perception of coming events which cast
their shadows so eonfusedly before them.
That England is making great show of Wig
orous preparations for war there is no doubt
but whether it is anything more than show on
her part-whether she means to fight under
any circumstances-is quite another question.
Russia, evidently, would not hesitate to meet
England in single combat, but before begin
ming the game she would rather know whose
side Austria will take. Germany stands grim
ly by, 'complimenting every one and trust
ing no one, and the poor Turks, thoroughly
vanquished and subdued, can meantime do no
more than quietly wait to see how it will all
come out So often has the outside world
stood by waiting with bated breath for the
first note of the conflict, only to see the farce
begun anew by some slight concession or pa
cifc utterance from one or other of the dis
putants, that there is Enthusiastically growing
feeling that war will be averted, and that,
somehow or other compromise will be af
/ fected which will secure to Russia the essen
tial fruits of her victorious Turkish campaign,
and, at the same time soOthe and satisfy the
wounded dignity of the British lion. But.
for all this, the preparations for war go for
ward with uninterrupted vigor. Servia is
gathering troops along the southern bank of
the Danube the Prince of Montenegro, eager
as ever ut the slightest prospect of a fight, has
answered Russia's call to arms by increasing
his disposable force to $1,000 men, armed ."
as the dispatch significantly adds, with Mar
TIM rifles captured from the Turks" Russia
herself is straining every nerve to replenish
the inroads made in her exchequer and her
muster-roll by the past twelvemonth four
divisions of new troops are being poured
across the Bessarabian border a new bridge
is being built over the Pruth, torpedoes to
the number of l,5OO have been ordered in
Germany, and the military contracts broken
off by the conclusion of peace are being re-
newed. The British iron-clad feet is ready
for immediate service, and significant move
ments of portion of it are reported; the
Queens proclamation calling out the reserves
was issued ten days ago and ON Monday, af-
ter spirited debate, Parliament adopted an
! address to Her Majesty thanking her for tax
ing this measure of precaution. If all the
powers directly interested We're, for once, to
drop their reserve and come forward with an
explicit statement of the points which each
desires to see established, an important step
would undoubtedly have been taken toward a
solution of the present complications. But
such thing is hardly among the possibilities
known to modern diplomacy.