The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
1t Is Materially Increased by
Identification With the
Central Allies.
FRANCE CANNOT INTERFERE.
Great Britain Will Now Attempt to
Cut Wide Swath Through the
Dark Continent.
copyright. 1895, by the New York Times.l

LONDON, Eng, March 21.-At all events
Europe finally knows where it is. After
fifteen months of diplamatic chaos there
is certain relief in touching the firm
ground again and in having light enough
to see where things are, even if the spec
tacle revealed is not what one desired.
For the first time since the death of Alex
ander III it is possible to speak of the
| international relations of the six great
powers without all sorts of reservations
and doubts. Where such momentous in
| terests are involved this in itself is good
deal.
Briefly, Europe is where it was at the
close of the late Cars life, only that Eng
land is considerably more committed to
the Triple Alliance than it was then. There
are once more two rival hostile camps
with France and Russia in one and the
rest in the other. Russia has strengthened
herself by gathering into her train Turkey,
Bulgaria and Servia, but on the other
hand this is offset by England's closer
Identification with central allies and by
drawing Belgium under her wing, which
does not stand for much, but may prove
of considerable Importance during the
year.
This is the curious outcome of this long
period of uncertainty of underground plots
and overtures to treachery, and OF visible
tendencies to break old ties and form new
combinations, and, sentimentally, it is
rather unpleasant. From the ethical point
| of view, one would rather see Germany
and Russia yoked up together, where they
belong, at least SO long as the Germans
| tolerate the autocracy that William i'm
poses on them, and see France shake her.
| self free from her abominable association
with oriental despotism and take her
proper place again in the band of civilized,
progressive peoples. But, practically, the
Triple Alliance is England's best hold,
and she has it on reasonable terms, and
has found some way to compel William to
pull straight.
That some such guarantee is believed to
exist may, l understand, be taken for
granted. Both Austria and Italy have
made bitter representations at Berlin for
the past fortnight, reproaching William
| with perfdy in his Franco-Russian side
alliances and with gross disregard for their
| interests in his silly estrangement of Eng
| land. His answer was that only by these
| courses could he make the English COM
prehend that they must either join the
Triple Alliance or be isolated and
squeezed.
| On this line of reasoning he may save
| his pride by arguing that his policy tri-
| um mphed, but in effect his allies have said
| to him, "Well. don't do it any more"
aud he was pushed forward to shake
| hands with England and agree to the
terms of the new quadruple partnership.
What these terms are we have yet to learn,
but of the fact of the bargain there is no
doubt.
The first visible token of this new deal
is England decision to reconquer at once
the Soudan. 1t has taken a whole week
to wiring little by little from the reluctant
Ministry the confession of this design. 1t
was not till last night that its inspirer
and author. Cham berlain, deemed the
moment opportune for complete dis
closure. England will continue to de-
scribe her stay in Egypt as temporary if
her neighbors think it important that she
should do so, but she is not coming out,
all the same, and she is to cut her way in
force through the Soudan and equatorial
Africa, building roads and permanent
British posts as she progresses, until she
comes out in the Nyanza country, and the
map is all red from Alexandria to Uganda.
Here Belgium will come in, though this
was not said, and the Congo Free State
will once more cede that strip along the
German East African frontier which Rose