Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-21
RUssIA's PREPARAr. oss

A dispatch from st. Petersburg yester
day is significant. According to it the
success of Boulanger in the election last
Sunday has inspired ap~prehensions that
the political complication in France
which will ensue will distract that coun-
try with her internal affairs so that
there will be no room left for her partici-
patton In European international COM
piicatiOns. In so many words, that
B~Oulanger's election is looked upon as
certain to bring On a political revolu-
ton in France which will consume time
before the new order is established with
which Russia can arrange an entente. 1t
is natural that this should be a matter Of
concern in Russian official circles only
in the event that Russia intends to as
sumo the offensive towards Austria at no
very distant date.
A correspondent Of the st. James
Gazette at Kieff. a town of Southern
Russia, recently stated that preparations
Tor war were going on there with more
secrecy, perhaps, but as much activity as
during last winter, when this aroused
he apprehensiOns Of all Europe, and
called forth protests from Germany and
Austria. He quotes the utterances of
two Russian generals, "fresh from the
council chamber at st. Petersburg, who /
have mentioned May as the date for hos
tiiities to commence" and the time and
place Of their utterances were such as to
leave no doubt as to their sincerity.
Troops are being brought from the
Asiatic provinces Of the Empire. which
are being forwarded in the way to least
arouse observation Of the few foreigners
in the towns on the Black Sea, at which
they arrive by steamer-some into Bessa-
rabia and others to the Austrian frontier.
Horses are being bought by the cavalry
authorities in that section on a large
scale. Cavalry accoutrements, arms,
etc, are being wrought, repaired, fur
bished up; blacksniths are working liter
night and day." The defences Of
Odessa are receiving attention in the
way OF sinking torpedoes and a new plan
OF defense is being worked out. The cor
respondent concludes: "The feeling in
the country is universal that the Govern
ment is only temporizing until the frost
md snow disappear. As soon as the :
weather clears up a little Russia's inten- : :
tons will become more apparent" l
From this, it can be readily seen that, .
spite Of the absence of news of the !
TACT, Russia has kept steadily at work. Q
preparing for the conflict which the
Gar and official Russian papers main- +
aimed had no place in the Governments :
Intentions. The concern felt at Frances =
POLITICAL df, order in this light is easily !,
1t has been asserted by >,
hose who have at least an inkling OF 4
Fhat Is going on behind the scenes that I
russia could not enter on that conflict
in~gie-handed and that the first prelimi-
lary necessary to her was an alliance "a
Nth France. The constitutional reyolu- h
lon which Boulanger's success implies p,
nay extend to the retirement of Carnot r,
the possible change in the first n,
magistrate of the Republic from presi- co
emit to the military dictatorship OF a II
rst consul. 1t is among the possibili- or
les. But it will not come until after
,ore or less time is consumed i'm prelim-
political warfare, il az all. 1t may q
happen. But meanwhile France ii,
an give no exclusive attention to tn M
fairs of her European neighbors. She til
In no position for Russia to make any ca
7ertures to her present Government Il
ith the certainty that, when the time m
lme for fsifilling any agreement made, N,
would be carried out. Boulangism an
cans the supremacy Of the reyanehe til
ement In France, but its head Is not in 10