Omaha daily bee., 1890-06-07

up. But in the early part of September Ger
many will undertake combined naval and
military exercises on the Schleswig- Holstein
coast. The fleet will include eight armorclad
cruisers, several coast defense vessels, a tor
pcdo fotilla, and sundry other war ships,
| while the land forces will consist Of the Ninth
army corp about 30 900 strong, with 100 guns
or more Besides the German vessels en-
gagged in an attack upon the island Of Alsen,
there will be a fne array of visiting war
ships, including half dozen British armor-
clads and Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and
Austrian vessels. Admiral Walkers squad
ron Of evolution will have left European
waters long before that time, and our sue
ceeding squadron will probably not have
been formed in time TO witness these German
performances. Possibly single little craft
of the old wooden fleet, like the Enterprise,
may be there to represent us. At all events
this is likely to be one of the most important
naval displays of the year
~.
The persistent course of persecution adopted
| by Russia toward Bulgaria was designed to
! show the people that their independent exist
! ence was impossible; but she has so FAR failed
! in her object, partly owing TO the attitude OF
Austria and the other powers, but mainly be-
| cause of the admirable spirit shown by the
! Bulgarians themselves. And whatever may
| be said of the evil deeds of the HapsDurgs 1t
| would be impossible to contend successfully
| that reactiOnary Russia, with her increasing
tendency to Capitalization and absolutism, IS
! q less dangerous enemy to freedom in the
| Balkans than is constitutional Austr1a-Ilun-
| gary, in which the principles of nationality,
! self-government and popular representation
are daily obtaining wider reGogm-
tion and more general application. While
the aims of Russia in southeastern Eu-
rope are offensive those of Austria are defen
! s1ve. The struggle of Austria is struggle
for existence. She has closed her ears to
! Russian suggestions for u partition OF the
peninsula, for she perccivcs the insidious
| character of these proposals. She has been
| invited to occupy Servia and to advance into
5alonica if she would permit Russia to oc-
| cupy Roumania and Bulgaria and TO advance
| into ConstantinOple But she knows that her
| position would become untenable with
| gigantic and aggressive neighbor on her left
and a presumably hostile Montenegro on her
| right. She cannot advance herself, but she
is determined to prevent Russia's advance
also; for reasons of every kind-strategic,
economical and poltical-impel her to resist
| the formation of huge Slav empire which
| would hold her as in wise, control her great
waterway and eventually absorb her Slav
| population.
~
1t is said that the emperor of China is cou-
sidering, and will probably consent to, a great
railroad scheme for connecting Pekin with
| the capitals of all the provinces. Should this
| be decided upon great changes would ensue
| in the celestial realm. The railroad has never
| yet won much favor in China. 1t has had but
| a partial and grudging trial and has been held
| responsible by the supersttious and unreal
! soning, for many ills wholly unconnected with
| its coming. Building railroad is regarded
as tempting Providence quite as much as
! carrying umbrella was in London at one
| time In the interior of the kingdom it is
| quite likely that the attempt to build roads
would be met with fierce assaults and rioting
| Even in Mexico, 1t is remembered, country
| far less SuperStitouS and welded to old ideas
| than China it was a common occurrence for
| engineers and worlSmen engaged upon the
| first railroads to be maltreated, and train
| wreclxing out of pure cussedness is not yet
| wholly stopped by the vigorous chaStiSement
| of the troops. When once fairly running the
| Chinese railroads will undoubtedly pay well,
| since there is, in such a populous Kingdom,
| an enormous amount of freight to be moved.
| An immediate increase in the tourist paSSen-
| ger business is certain also to follow the
| opening of regular railroad communication,
| as was the case in Mexico and as will happen
! in every case where new regions of the world
| are opened to travel, so long curiosity and
the love of novelty are strong in human
! nature On the whole, the emperor would do
well not to seek to delay the inevitable
Mr. Collar who has lived some years in
New Guinea, pays a tribute to the maidens of
| that verdant land, who, it appears, have been
| his chief aids in .he collection of vocabularies
among many tribes. The older folks are
/ greatly devoted to the betol nut, to the ruin
| of their teeth and the serious impairment of
| their vocal organs. Their cnunciation is SO
provOkingly distinct that they are of little
| service to the careful philOlogist But the
| VOung women, whose lovely white teeth show
| that they are not yet slaves of the insidous
| betel nut, have a clear and distinct enuncia.
ton, and nothing impars their eff
iciency as assistants to the phil
illogical student, except their ir-
| SGib their
weakness for cOquetry. With due patience,
| however, these obstacles are overcome, and
| the net results of conversation with these gay
creatures is found to enrich the collections of
| the student of languages. 1t is unfortunate,
| however, that the New Guinea native is the
most jealous of men. He is very apt to hustle
all the maidens, with their mothers, into the
woods upon the advent of a white stranger,
and linguistic research therefore, makes
| slow progress until confidence is developed
| and the student is introduced to the fairer
portion of New Guinea society.
The latest comparison between the armies
| of France and Germany places the former
| ahead numerically, while the latter is prepar-
| ing to close the gap with the aid OF the recent
| law. France on peace footing has 52O,54S
men and the law of five years service re-
| Gently enacted permits her to add 100000 men
| to her territorial army Other reforms in
crease the annual contingent by 10000 men,
and this brings it up. to 100000.
| gents under the law with their
| total losses, which are estimated at one
quarter, the effective force for mobilization
| amounts to 4, l25, 900. In Germany the an
nual contingent is $4,000 recruits, 5000
| yearly volunteers and II, $50 reserves, giving
a total for this contingent of 100, $50. For
the twenty-four contingencies, and taking
| ing into account the losses, we arrive at
| grand total on war footing of 3,5DOO00 men.
Consequently, France could mobilize at the
present time 7750OO trained soldiers more
! than Germany.
Civilization, the Eandal.
BuTuLO CDHmercidl