The Osceola times., 1885-05-30
FOREIGN NEWS.
The Problem of Peace or War
Must Soon Find Solution.
Russia's Strained Financial Condition
Outspoken English Tories-A Surprise
Promised by Giadstone-England
Will Hold On to Egypt.

LONDON, May 24-Although the Cabi-
net have separated for the Whitsuntlde
recess. Lord Granville remains In town,
only running down to walmer Castle for
few hours, and being within easy call
at any moment. Special messengers can
reach Walmer Castle with dispatches
from Downing street in three hours, and
there are private wires from his lord
ships room at the Foreign Office and his
private apartments at the castle. Only
those ministers whose departments are
not actively connected with the army,
navy and foreign offices are beyond i'm
mediate reach. A Cabinet council could
be summoned and attended by all the
Ministers directly interested in six to
eight hours and in the event of sudden
emergency arising Lord Granville and
Mr.. Gladstone could be placed in instant
communication with each other with ex-
elusive control OF the wires.
RUssIA's FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
| The end OF the present state of sus.
pense is at hand. A decision for war or
/ peace is confidently believed at all the
embassies to be a question OF hours and
minutes. A continuance Of the strained
financial situation in Russia is not mere.
! ly intolerable; 1t is simply impossible.
At the Treasury Office it is stated that the
| daily expenditure of the Russian Govern
ment under the existing war pressure
! actually exceeds the total daily cost of
the Turkish campaign, and it is estimated
that the war credit OF 20, 900, 900 roubles,
recently opened, will be exhausted early
| in June. A large proportion OF the pay
ments for the enormous Russian con-
tracts for war materials now out, must
/ be made in paper, or fresh loans pro-
cured from native capitalists and bankers,
| it being impractcable In the present
state of the market 10 float Rus
sian loan in Germany, Austria, France or
England. Trading credit has already
been severely shaken and business bad
! ly demoralized In all the leading shipping
and commercial centers of the empire by
the prospect of active hostilities and the
| bombardment of the seaports by British
| fleets. The imposition of fresh taxes Is
imminent, and the financial situation so
strained that state of actual war would
be more toerabie than long continu-
ance of the feverish restlcssness and
uncertainty prevailing from one end of
the Cars dominions to the other.
These facts are thoroughly discussed
and understood here, and are regarded
at the embassies as insuring decisive ac-
tion on the part of the Russian Govern
ment at an earlier date than is generally
looked for.
RUPTURE THREATENED.
Apart from the financial question the
political issues involved are stated on un-
| questionable authority to have re ached q
most serious stage, threatening a rup-
ture OF friendly relations at any moment,
Unfettered by official responsibility,
| the chiefs of the opposition are spreading
the startling information that negotia-
tions have practically collapsed and that
| Russia has thrown aside the mask and
declined every pledge required by the
British Government. II these grave
statements have no foundation in fact the
| Marquis OF Salisbury, who would be
Prime Minister in case of a change OF
| government, and who was Foreign Secre-
tary when Beaconsfeld was PREMIER Is
responsible. His words at the Tory din
ncr, and subsequently, have set the ex-
ample of outspoken utteranccs, and in
the unofficial world II is declared in the
plainest and most unmistakablc language
that the pretence of negotiations is
sham and hollow mockery, and is only
kept up pending the final preparations
preceding the formal declaration of war.
The sudden plain speaking Of the Tory
leaders Is the more significant by contrast
with their recent re,ccnce.
AsURPRIsE IN STORE.
The contrast is heightened by the re-
ports put about by supporters of the ad-
| minstration that Mr.. Gladstone will
startle the House with "surprise" on
| reassembling after the recess, the "sur-
prise" as understood here, being the an
nouncement of an alliance between Rus
sia and Great Britain, the premonitory
| rumors respecting which began TO find
their way into print early in the week. 1t
remains to be seen whether there Is any
! truth in the report. What is certainly
| known, is that negotiations, apart from
those carried on at the Foreign Office,
have been set on foot by the Premier
| himself for complete understanding
as basis for united action in
Asia. 1t has been the dream of
the past twenty years of Mr. Gladstone's
| life to 90 down 10 history as the man who
settled the Observation-Disclosures of the two
empires, healed their differences and
united them in the bonds of peace and
brotherhood for future devoted to civ.
| ilization and benefcent works In Asia.
So great is his ascendancy that he per-
suaded his colleagues to indorse his doc
| trine so far as TO open negotiations frank
| ly Intended to accomplish the ends in
| view. But from the very first 1t was ap-
| parent to every one except the Prime
Minister that while the questions under
! discussion were being dallied with on the
basis of sentiment, the problems at issue
were being solved by the sword aud by
battalions outside the sphere OF diplo-
macy.
OPPOSITION on THE ALERT.
The opposition leaders are invariably
among the first TO know what has trans
! pired. Under the civil-service system
! the diplomatic and administrative Offices
| OF State, both at home and abroad, are
| flled by adherents of both parties. ANY
act materially affecting the question of
| peace and war, whether committed in
London or st. Petersburg, is known to
the Marquis OF Salisbury almost as soon
as TO The Queen herself. The Marquis,
| since the war excitement began, has kept
almost open house. Dinners, receptions
and parties, bringing the representatives
of diplomacy OF Europe together under
| his roof, have followed each other in
rapid succession, and at this moment the
best informed man on foreign affairs
In Great Britain, after Lord Granville,
is he who would instantly step into
| Gladstone's shoes in the event of a
change of parties. Count Munster, the
ha