The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-09-17

in Africa and IN the Orient, and be-
cause English and French civilization
are still in conflict in Newfoundland
and Canada.
On the other hand the English be-
lieve thet the great French navy is in
tended to cope with and break down
the navy OF England. Last year the
French expended over SIS, 100000 on
their navy. This is n large sum for
France to outlay for naval improve
ment, and is certainly q sign of the
| times, showing possible war.
FRANCE AND ITALY.
Italy is the next country which will
bear watching in event of war-like
preparations. France and Italy are at
odds, and both countries have GER
tainly reason for grievances. Has not
France lost her president and popular
executive at the hands of an italian?
And did not France previously have
the stain upon her name of massacre
| of fifty peaceable Italians? Terrible,
| indeed must have been the feeling
| that could lead a French mob Of a
| thousand men at Aigues-Mortes to
| kill a peaceable body of Italians, and
| it is even more a significant fact that
French troops were not far away. The
massacre occurred on the eve of gen.
eral election and the event shows that
| the desire is too strong in France to
kill an Italian for the Government to
undertake to suppress il.
The question arises Why such
fierceness toward the Italians, who
certainly seem to be avoiding war as
much as possible? Well, are not the
Italians the allies of the Germans,
and has not this alliance preserved the
peace of western Europe for more than
twenty years, and is it not against
Germany that all French hatred is
directed?
But one thing has prevented this
European conflict, and that has been
the action of Russia in not yet formu-
lating an alliance with France. With
Russia as an ally France is ready to
meet all the rest OF Europe in arms.
The Car has been biding his time,
waiting for time when such an alli-
ance could possibly be more profitably
consummated. And now is the time.
Now is the time when such an alli-
ance will aid the Car to secure con-
troll of the Pacific by the conquest OF
Korea or Japan, and the recent course
of events makes it more than ever
probable that when war comes, as it
must come-for nothing else will sat-
isfy either France or Russia-all the
great nations of Europe will be
brought into it, and that Russia will
and Austria and England at the same
time that France is trying to settle
her scores with Germany, Italy and
England. Denmark will likely fall
in line with Russia and France, while
Belgium, Roumania and Bulgaria will
doubtless be found fighting with the
other great combination.
THE ToULoN FEsTIvITIES
To further add to the evidence of
certain European alliances attention
is called to the Toulon festivities. In
July, 1891, q fleet of French vessels
visited Russia at Cronstadt and were
received with a great deal of display,
and following this was the visit OF the
Russian fleet to Toulon, when asser-
tions of amity were declared with con-
siderable demonstration. 1t is useless
to describe at length the details of the
actions Of the occasion. From the ar
rival Of the Russian squadron to its
departure, the time was taken up
with an almost ceaseless round of fes-
tivities. But perhaps the most sig
nificant feature of the meeting was the
depth to which the popular sentiment
was stirred, as manifested in the spon-
taneous and uncomfortable oulbursts
OF popular welcome.
Then at the time of departure there
are the kilograms exchanged by Pres
ident Carnot and the Gar. The latter
said: 1.-THE testimonies of warm SYM
pathy which have once more been
manifested with so much eloquence
will add fresh link to those already
uniting the two countries, and will
continue, 1 hope, to the strengthening
of the general peace the object of
their efforts aud their most constant
wishes" In concluding his reply,
Frances Executive said: 1T marks
at the same time a profound faith in
the beneficial influence which can be
exerted together by two great nations
devoted to the cause OF peace"
Now, as even more significant, was
the entertaining of the British squad
ron at the Italian ports of laramie and
Spezzia. 1t is thought that the visit
of the British feet was designed to
the many rumors of alarm
which the Toulon gathering had
as well as to serve as gentle
reminder that in matters affecting the
status quo in the Mediterranean, Eng
land was still alive to her interest
and prepared to act. In addition to
this act of alliance between Italy and
England is the attention given by
Germany to the commercial conven-
tions inaugurated two years ago with
Hungary, Italy, Belgium and
5 Switzerland.
WHAT A WAR WOULD MEAN.
After considering the possibility OF
q general European war, IL il interest
ing to look at the probable result, and
TO The relative strength of the differ
ent nations.
There have been frequent discus
sions as to the value of the Italian
but when the Italians get
chance to square accounts with the
French there will be no need for dis
cussion. Italy will put S5o, 900 splen-
didly armed soldiers into the field,
and it will only take two weeks to get
them together; and it will require at
least man for man for France to take
care of them.
In the event of a European war it