The Wilmingtonian., 1885-10-24
PRICE TWO CENTS.
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTS.

EUROPEAN EMBROILMENTS.
Europe is boil ng over with rumors of
war. Little Servias gallant King Milan
says, in reply to New York Herald war
correspondent Isl gous suiUez mon armee pour
Uotre journal, Uous Uerrez que les Serbes sont
des 6raUesn' So that we shall see not only
that the Servians are gallant soldiers, but
there will be no hindrance to war cores
pondents accompanying King Milan's army
in the front. Austria and Russia are at dag
gers drawn. These are the two empires
whose territorial lines will be mostly infu.
enoed by future developments. Their in
terests are similar, and whichever is to be
the future suzerain of the Danubian penin-
sula will be the gamer of immense territori-
al and political advantages over her neigh
Dor.
The probabilities are that notw ithstand-
ing Bismarck S declaration in favor of re-
turn to the position in Eastern affairs that
existed previous to the recent Balkan eme-
ut,, and the evident desire on the part of the
majority of the great powers for the vind-
cation of the Berlin Treaty, Russia and Aus
tria will be driven by the course OF events
into open warfare, while Turkey, which is
the power whose territory is being de poiled
will be withheld by England, Germany, and
France from doing more than reasserting
her territorial rights as recognized by the
Treaty Of Berlin. For this purpt Sc the
Tsrkish army is thoroughly equipped and in
readiness 10 make an overwhelming i'm
preston upon the kings and prince!ets of
Of Greece, Servia, Montenegro and Bulga-
ria. Her navy alone is sufficient to reduce
Greece to order, and the internal quarrel
ings of these minor Kingdoms of the Balkan
peninsula would afford her successful op-
portunity, while Austria and Russia are at
war, to bring her European dependencies
to order again.
Prince Bsmarck's sympathies, underly-
ing all this turmoil, are naturally with Aus.
tria and opposed to Russia. The German
people of the north, though differing in re-
ltgion with their racial brethren of Austria
are at one in a deep-seated opposition to
Russian aggrandizement. Bismarck and
all Germany plainly see that Austria is and
must always be maintained as the bulwark
against Russian domination on tue Medter-
ranean. On the European chess.board,
Bulgaria, Roumela, Seryia, Albania, Mon.
tenegro and Greece are only the pawns, to
be moved about or thrown aside as the ac.
!. cidental policy of The g!easer powers
z.s ns, n, . pou1s 4fsis 70 siuaI
ent to their political needs. There is no
sentiment whatever existing in the minds of
Alexander, or Bismarck, or De Giers as to
the national rights of these little king
doms.
The opinions and wishes Of the people ale
not taken into consideration except as they
may accidently aid the opposed policies of
those statesmen. In the present embroglio
they may be chopped and changed around
quite irrespective of their own little nation
al aspirations. At one moment it would
appear that Russia and Austria were to
make a partition between themselves of the
whole northern section of the peninsula, at
the next, the probabilities seem that the
II
the Berlin Treaty, aud constitute conger.
les Of protected" states, each with powers
of a |.onomy of its own and 18th joint in
dependence of Turkish rule.
Meanwhile England and France are qui-
etly standing aside. This in itself is most
remarkable fact when We remember that
just thirty years ago these very countries
were the ones who occupied the leading po-
sition, with large armies aud fleets in the
Black Sea, the avowed champions of West
ern Europe against Russian aggrandizement
But the political map of Europe has changed
since then. Germany has taken the place
Of France as the military autocrat of cont-
mental Europe, aud England through her
subtitle diplomacy and the accident of Dame
Foitune's political wheel finds her ancient
foe, the Russ bear, opposed by the whole
German people, both Germany proper and
Austria, in its attempts upon Turkish terri
tory, and consequently England can devote
her whole attention to Egyptian and Indian
aifaiIs.
In this m .dley, recent facts, namely,
frances peculiar acquiesence to British
claims 10 Burmah have been the cause Of
the greatest surprise in European politics.