The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-28
THE NEWS.

Basing our conclusions upon the news
to hand up to the present, it cannot
Justly be said that war is inevitable.
The probabilities of such a contingency
fuctuate from day to day, the latest adj
vices, of serious import as they I'M
doubtedly are, affording stronger
grounds for peaceful settlement Of the
ately preceding them. simultaneously
with the rumors of a triple alliance be-
tween England Austria and Turkey,
comes a Russian guarantee to respect
the independence of Bulgaria. Bearing in
mind the military preparations in
Turkey, and the fact that England has
established coaling station at an inn
portant point in the Egian Sea, together
with the absence of any military demon
stration on the part of the Russian Gov
eminent, the more pacific attitude of
the latter is significant. There are, it ID
true, factors in the case which point to
the present as being the time chosen by
that Power to enter upon another strug-
gle for Mediterranean outlet. The alb
! dication of Prince Alexander has fur
nished the pretext for closer interior
ence with Bulgarian affairs, and if it be
true that that Prince is to be supplanted
| by pronounced favorite of the Gar, the
| deeply laid schemes of Russian ag-
grandizement will have an effective
abettor in the new ruler. Threatening
as the aspect of affairs is, it is impossi-
! BILE to ignore the fact that Europe has
! been nearer to the brink of war than
now. 1t is not long since the world was
in a state of ferment over an anticipated
appeal to arms as being the only means
of arriving at a settlement of the differ
anna existing between England and
| Russia respecting the Afghan frontier.
1t is a hopeful sign that among Saturday IS
budget of news it was stated that an ami
cable solution had been arrived at regard
ing this matter. As long as this remains
| intact, any blow which may be struck by
fermenting rebellion in India would be
robbed of the force it would otherwise
possess. The scene now exhibited is
another phase of the Eastern question.
We use this expression advisedly, for the
ostensible bone of contention, respecting
the government of certain provinces to
the south of Russia, forms but a small
proportion of the real question at issue,
viz, whether Russia shall be permitted
to carry out her traditional policy OF
aggrandizement From the time when
| the document purporting to be the will
! of Peter the Great was published in the
columns of a London newspaper, and
even before it, the frontiers of the
Russian Empire have steadily advanced
southwards and eastwards, and the in
! herent poverty of many of the Khanates
and minor kingdoms which have gone to
swell its huge proportions is fact which
naturally points to some Interior object.
That that object is the possession OF
India is a conclusion which has been
irresistibly forced upon the public mind
that this is the essence of the Eastern
question, few will now be found to deny
and an important step towards this end
will be to secure free access to the Med
iterranean. Viewed in this light, the
gravity of the events now transporting in
Europe cannot be overestimated.
! Whether Russia is merely preparing for
this step at some future time, or whether
we are now upon the eve of one of the
greatest wars of the century, it is impos-
sible to say, but that it will come sooner
or later is the prevailing opinion in the
! best informed circles.