, 1892-11-23
Daily Telegraph, Oct. l2th.

A(NF9 AN'NS'EI1
Yesterday. at noon, the German Emperor
reached Vienna. on a brief visit to his august
friend and ally the Emperor Of Austria Hun
gary. Time was when such q conjunction OF
Royalties would have filled all the European air
with ominous whisperings. Dark rumours
would have been vouchsafed. The stock mar
kets. the nervous systems Of which are ever
in a state Of tension, would have vibrated to
the intelligence, and the faintest echo upon
the back stairs would have been caught up
and eagerly priced. Nay, it was not only
when Monarchs came together that the pulses
Of politicians and spectators beat thus: the
rencoutres and procedures Of eminent states
men were almost as enthralling and perturb-
ing. To a great extent those days OF the
..G1niduuncs'' are over. Continental politics
have grown very much simpler than they
used to be and, although the will OF q few
conspicuous Rulers and Ministers still counts
for a great deal in the destinles OF Europe. 1t
is no longer either the habit, or the interest,
or the privilege Of Kings and Emperors to
arrange history over o friendly cup Of wine.
History is controlled now more by popular
movements and demands than by diplomatic
combinations and the share which powerful
Princes and politicians have in directing or
ADAPTING these national impulses ~ better
discharged in private and at home than by
foreign outings. Consequently there Is no
necessity to speculate profoundly upon the
sirnifcarce Of this visit of the Emperor
William to the Emperor Francis Joseph. 1t
has its meanings and purposes, no doubt, like
everything which ia publicly done by Crowned
Heads; but these lie mainly on the surface, and
NAV be almost as we'll understood by .any
intelligent observer oft h actual condition of
the Continent az by its astute statesmen.
1t testihes, for example-and IN a very open
and hearty way-tO the cordial friendship
existing between the two great European
States. as well as between the youthful
Kaiser Of the one and the now almost "vener-
able" Sovereign of the other. But that, at
least. is nothing new. The terrible clearing
house of the field of Sadowa left OF Outstand-
Ing accounts between Berlin and Vienna few
or none and sub equent years have identified,
with an ever and ever increasing closeness,
the interests Of the two nations. Austro-
Hungary herself, in this respect, may look
back with resignation, If not with Satlsiac-
ton. upon the short and stern conflict which
cleared the path Of the manifest destiny OF
the Hohenzollerns, and made a real union OF
Teutonic policy possible. Enough no doubt,
If Imperial meetings between the two
h0lStTb nave dll0AON A"hSiI kAoNO ~ 49, W.
harmony between their foreign policies. If
that be so, the short %Sojourn of the Emperor
William serves to accentuate the firm person
al friendship which exists between the
two rulers, who are indeed we'll known
to cherish a reciprocal regard Of the warmest
kind.
Yet it is not to be denied that there exists
a diplomatic significance in the present visit,
albeit one of a very obvious sort. The
Veiner A~bendpost, the Austrian official
Gazette. put it very plainly while welcoming
the German Emperor in the most cordial
terms. The official organ writes "The
capital, and with it the entire population of
Austro- Hungary, greet the august friend anil
ally of our Sovereign with sincere homage
and the warmest sympathy. The meetings
between the two SovereigRs, which have
already become traditional, are, every time
htey occur, regarded as aft ording fresh con-