Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-25
1T MIGHT CAUSE WAR
How Europe is Interested in the
Asiatic Troubles.
MUCH DEPENDS ON THE RUSSIAN CZAH
Possibilities of General HostiIities
Among European Nations.
WHAT SUCH A WAR MEANS

WHAT SUCH A WAR MEANS
1t is rather a bold assertion that II is the
personal will and wish of the Car of Rus
STA alone that stands between Europe and
the catastrt phe of general European war
at this time, but that is the opinion of
many who have studied the situation. So
many changes have been made in the Rus
sian army and SO much hard work has been
done tfat the officers are really anxious for
| a war in order to test the value Of their
work, and II II was put to a vote whether
or not to interfere in the Japan-China war
the decision rendered by Russian military
people would be in favor of doing So
Such an act would, of course not be
countenanced by the other powers, and
hence there would be a general European
| war. The possibilities of Russia taking such
| stand are many. Russia has long desired
Corea or Japan as its own possession. and
her Efforts to obtain a footing in the latter
| country were watched with considerable in
terest as far back as the last century. Her
possessions in Asia, her seizure and occu-
patton Of some of the Kurile Islands. which
belonged to Japan. and her colony at Sitka.
on American territory. have placed her at
times on every side of the japanese en-
| pire but the south. The acquisition of
Pacific, and would enable her to control its
| growing commerce Then there comes the
announcement Of recent date by Russian
officials at Shanghai that If Russian trade
suffers too severely by the present trouble
Russia will intervene. and such an interven-
ton will not be in the way Of an amicabIe
settlement, but In efforts for conquest. Fol-
lowing this come the differences between
England and Russia on the same question
and II Is naturally expected that England
Will protect her intel ests against any act
OF the great car.
England and France.
The extraordinary policy of the French
government toward Siam is still ranking
In the hearts Of the subjects Of Great Britain
ana has attracted the attention of the
world Lord Rcsebery at the time said
that at the monlen: when the Siamese gov
eminent acceded to the tremendous de-
mands Of the French war was more inn
minent between England ana France than
II had been for seventy-five wears Ii is
also generally conceded that If the Siamese
had held out against France, and the
French had shelled Bangkok whose COM
inercial interests are almost wholly En-
giish, British guns would have answered
the Preach assault. This Siamese question
aHected the interests also of China, so
mat an alliance between England and
emma, and Russia and France, is to be
expected. The reasons of this are that
from commercial point of view Great
I'LL.
The supremacy Of her counscls at the Siam
csc court is threatened her trade with the
provinces east Of the Mekong will be ex-
pose1 to French differcntial duties while
west OF that river her merchants who
have heretofore almost monopolized the ex-
ternal commerce of the country, will meet
with serious interference 1t thus adds to
the difficulties of British administration In
India, which include the necessity of ever
keeping a watchful eye upon the advances
of Russia from the west and the further
incumbrance of guarding also on the east
against the encroachments Of a power at
present allied with Russia. OF course this
was all settled by England giving ND a
strip Of territory belonging to British Bur-
NAH and Fran ce foregoing her claims TO a
portion OF the northern Siamese territory.
Notwithstanding this settlement the eyes
of the English have been opened to the real
state of feeling of the French toward them,
which, for a time seemed to have SUBJ
sided. and whatever good feeling there was
in England toward France is now gone
For years the English, while lending some
support to the Italians in certain emergen-
cies. have carefully held aloof from the
triple alliance. and an important element
in this policy was the desire of Mr. Glad
stone and the liberal leaders to preserve
amiable relations with France 1t is APP
parent that the revelation of the bitterness
of the French toward them has produced
something of q shock and the English I'M
derstand that war with France is a possi-
bility, as the French are beginning TO GER
tafnly assume a very aggressive attitude
toward the British kingdom.
The English know that the French are
argry because England has obtained con-
troll OF the Suez canal, because England is
alone in control of Egypt. because England
is dominant in the Mediterranean, because
the French are jealous of English power in
Africa and in the orient. and because En-
elish and French civilization are still in
conflict in Newfoundland and in Canada
On the other hand the English believe
that the great French navy is intended 10
~ =
land. Last year the French expended over
$5300.Oo on their navy. This is large
sum for France TO outlay for naval inn
provement, and is certainly a sign of the
times, showing possible war.
France and Italy.
Italy is the next country which will bear
watching in event Of warlike preparations.
France and Italy are at odds. and both
countries have certainly reason for griey-
ances. Has not France lost her president
and popular executive at the hands of an
Italian? And did not France previously
Rave the stain upon her name of a nassa-
ere of fifty peaceable Italians? Terrible. in
deed, must have been the feeling that could
lead French mob of thousand men at
Aigues-Mortes to kill n peaceable body of
Italians, and ii Is even more a significant
fact that the French troops were not far
away. This massacre occurred on the eve
of a general election and the event shows
that the desire is too strong in France TO
kill an Italian for the government to un-
dertake to suppress 1t.
The question arises: Why such fierceness
tov ara the Italians, who certainly seem to
be avoiding war as much as possible? Well
are not the Italians the allies of the Ger
mans. and has not this alliance preserved
the peace Of western Europe for more than
twenty years. and is 1t not against Germany
that all French hatred is directed?
But one thing has prevented this Euro
pean conflict. and that has been the action
of Russia in not vet formulating an alli-
ance 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 a time when such an
allierce could possibly be more profitably
consImmated. And now is TIE time Now
is the time when such an alliance will aid
the car to secure control of the Pacific by