Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-09-08
4 rsrplexea oatloon.

A war between France and China
soems to bo almost inevitable. Chinese
troops are being heavily massed on the
Anamese frontier, and there is talk
abous the French feet getting itself in
readiness to lombard Canton. After her
late oriental successes, France cannot
well recedo from positions to which she
has held in the face of disaster.
Yet TO tho dispassionate observer Of
French affairs it looks as IL France, in
her Tunisian, Malagassy, Anamese and
Tonqnin imbroglios, to employ vulgar
word Of great significance, is "bting of
n bigger pieco than she can chaw," in
view Of the weakening Of the entente
eor9lale with England and the tnpartite
alliance between Germany Austria and
Italy. Ever since the brilliant Franco
1t Ian contest against Austria the
French wars have been singularly un.
fortunate. The war with Mexico,
though for whilo il was nominally
successful, wau the beginning Of unnum-
bered disasters. II was fitting leading
up to the calamities which eliminated
at Sedan. With the necessity OF keep.
ing her hold on Algeria, of maintaining
her recently established supremacy at
Tupis, Of still having close grip on
Coshia-Chine, Madagascar and Anam,
70 say nothing of the imperative duty Of
keeping an obliquo eye on Germany, il
would really seem that Franco has too
many irons in the fire. That country,
however, has emerged from still
moro serious dangors in the past,
and In n style of dazzling bril-
llancy, at that. Until the last Franco.
German war she always deveioped tho
men for the hour. Whether new war
OF absolutism against Democracy which
Is again likely to occur in Europe
would develop in France such men as
Duinouriez, Moreau, Hoche and Napo.
leon Bonaparte, could only be told by
the event. The disquieting features in
the present situation to the friends of
France is the alienation of the Latin
races, even Spain showing some signs Of
irritation at her neighbor. The es'
arrangement between France and Italy,
at least in its origin, is referable to the
peisoaal hatred to France of King Hum
bert. who, in this regard, shows a
marked contrast to his father, who was
a devoted ally of the Emperor of the
French. Victor Emmanuel proiited
greatly by the friendship of the French
people. and always acknowledged the
Obligation of himself and nation. Ii is
eui probable that Europe has reached
stage of development in which dynas
tic attack upon the French Repubic
would lead to the proclamation of the
Republic in both Italy aud Spain, and
in the end to socialist outbreaks which
nigh. threaten the ascendaney Of Prus
sia in Germany and the disintegration Of
the h5dge.podge Austrian Empire. II
France were wise she would restore
Nice and Savoy to the Italians, and
place herself at the head of the Republi.
can propaganda in Europe.
10 still further complicate the situa
tior for tho nation which, for hundreds
OF vears, dictated the law for Europe
the death of the Count de Chambord
hai again set the royalists to conspiring,
and formidable movement in favor of
the Coant de Paris as King of France
would not be whit surprising.
Without question there has never
b.en time in the hist Dry of the world
when Europe stood on the brink of
greater changes than now. The ''Sick
Man" is almost moribund, and his ef
fects will have to be administered upon
and distribu ted. The Austrian Empire
will soon have to be reconstructed, the
Slav and German elements both revolt
ing from the hated rule of the Magyar.
Bismarck looks longingly upon Holland
aud Belgium, just as the Russian does
upon the Golden Horn, On the surface
the dynasties have it just now all their
own way, but the clements of agitation
and eruption are great and will make
themselves felt should great war break
out. The armies and peoples OF Europe
are no longer mere machines; and, not
wthstandlng the insolent parades of
kingly and imperial power, which are
being Witnessed all over Europe to-day,
the ninesseath century will not have
run its course without witnessing the
hashisfipg Of many a King aud EN-
psror- perhaps the retirement of them
all.