The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-14
TROUBLED PROSPECTS, IN EUROPE.

The European situation grows more conf
plcated. Gold to the amount of S4,4l0,0 900
went out from New York to Bremen last
week and a further sum of Si,0O0,000 is en-
gagged to go, though the exchanges show
loss on every ounce of specie that is shipped,
Ia ordinary times when bankers can cover
their exchange with commercial bills. no
one thinks of shipping coin; 1t is only when
some abnormal occurrence causes the pre-
cious metal 10 rise to premium abroad that
coin is sent out without regard to the supply
of commercial exchange Finaneers infer
from the artificial condition of the market
that the ImFeral Government insists on the
Bank of Germany strengthening IFS bullion
reserve. which would mean preparation for
war. They are confirmed in this view by
the withdrawal of gold from London by st.
Petersburg.
Other straws are afnat in the air. Ten
battalions have just been added to the Rus
sian army on the Galician frontier All the
manufacturers of arms in France are work
ing night and day on rifles of the new pat
tern; it is said they are intended for Russia.
At Rome the Opposition party in the Cham
Der is assailng the Dreibund and proclaim
ing that in the present impoverished
condition of Italy the kingdom is in no
shape to 60 to war with France merely TO
serve Germany. Meantime Prince Bis
marck announces his re-entry into public
life as a member Of the Reichstag. These
incidents may mean nothing. The steadi-
ness of the funds and the rentes indicate
that the financial world has not yet taken
the alarm, but to an outsider the outlook has
menacing aspect.
In the event of war the battle-ground, at
any rate at the beginning of the conflict.
would be on French soil. Germany com
mands both banks Of the Rhine, and she
has sixteen strategic railroads leading to
that river from various points in the empire
and nineteen bridges across the stream.
She could throw an army into France far
more quickly than France could throw an
army into Germany, and it would operate
under cover of the line Of fortresses be-
tween Metz and Strasburg. The French
army would defend the lines of the Mouse,
/ the Marine and the MOseile, and somewhere
on one OF these rivers the decisive battle of
the war would probably be fought If the
Germans were as successful as they were in
1870 they would repeat the march on Paris
and levy another milliard by way of in
demuitv; if they were beaten the French
would flank the fortresses, march to and
across the Rhine and reconquer Alsace and
Lorraine, whatever else they might exact
by way of punishment of a vanauished foe.
Thus the issue would depend on the num-
Der and efficiency of the army which each
cOmbatant could muster at the initial point
Of contact. In our day wars are generally
settled by single battle.
The part which, under the provisions of
the Dreibund, italy would be expected to
-, 10 a.
of the Italian Chamber speak of annexing
Nice and French Piedmont These terri
tories we're voluntarily coded to France in
payment for the help she gave to Italy in
expelling the Austrians and the BOurbOns.
On the other hand, Russia's role in the con-
test would be TO threaten Austria so as to
prevent her detaehing troops to join the
German army; that could easily be done by
a movement on the east flank of Hungary.
Austria's eastern side is very vulnerable
The Hungarians have not forgotten 1913;
between the SIav and the Austrian there is
no love lost. Austria could not send a large
contingent of her army to the Rhine with
out imperiling One-half her domniOns and
all of Ter prestige.
If war does break out it will develop a
lot of generals who are unknown to fame.
The ablest of the French generals is Saus-
sier; under him Galifet, Miribel and De
Negrier would probably obtain high COM
mands, ana some of them might deserve
them. MacMahon, Canrobert. Lamoriciere.
Wimpfen, Paladines are no more. So with
the Germans. Won Moltke still lives. but is
over 90; the King of Slxony, Steinmetz,
Unser Fritz and the Red Prince are all gone.
The only two of the old German soldiers
who would be sure to lead armies are
Schliefen and Waldersee. Among the Rus
SLAMS, Dragomirof, Ignatieff and Gourko
would be heard of. But each war breeds its
own gen erals. If hostilites should break
out new men, of whom the world never
heard, would come to tine front, and write
their names on the page Of history in char
acters of flame.