The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-12

Curious stories might be told of the way
IN which the English government has aC-
CURED knowledge Of the ornaments and
construction of Russian batteries on the
coass of the Black sea and Baltic. But
al these things are known and under
$1,000 by every government, and are very
dllhcult to prevent without interfering Sc
rloasly with commerce. So they are toll
Grated, trust being placed, In the last re-
sort, IN the hghung qualities and techni-
cal knowledge OF the troops and officers
charged with the defenses. Undoubtedly
IhCse uefenses are in the end more el-
iStlVe Tor resistance than We're those of
ffleVna or Sebastopol, improvised in the
lace OF the enemy, as he can only have a
general idea of their construction and
strength, 1t is very probable that In eV-
cry european stan department there are
pans IN existence for The lines of re-
DOUBTS and entertainments that win be
throWn up at the last moment on the sites
selected for entreuched camps, and where
battles will be awaited or offered by the
defending armies
All the intelligence departments of the
various European armies have very care
luuy executed typographical surveys of
tnose countries in which their troops may
De called on to carry out warlike opera
lions, and these maps are corrected at
regular intervals by examination OF the
country by officers sent for the purpose
Az TINS moment there are in Berlin most
mIlutely prepared maps Of the north and
east of England that are revised at in
terVals of two years by military tourists
WIN notebook and pencil and kodak. The
hedges, fences, gates, stiles and paths
are carefully and accurately delineated,
ana a German army maneuVering over
those parts of England would astonish the
featuresA
The south of England has had special at
tentnion paid to IL In the same way by
the FRENCH and the English Intelligence
department has returned the compliment
Dy making the same kind of studies of the
northern and western warts of France
Nyc.e touring and sightseeing now enable
the military spies to become thoroughly
acquainted with each others countries
without attracting attention, and thus
nave become subsidiary but important fac
tors in their conquest or defense
Inc political spy and political agent are
parts of the same system, but in a differ
ent category They are of all kinds and
decrlpuons, from the humble watcher of
the movements of a monarch or minister
In some mental capacity, such as butler
and sometimes titled ladies who grace the
receptions and dinner tables of embassies
and legations, who fit from one diplomat
lc circle TO another, encouraging the at
tehuonS OF the younger diplomats and
making scarcely perceptible but well-un-
derstood advances TO the older and more
susceptible, the reward for Information
OF value being in diamonds or in golden
that IS as canker worm on the rose of
existence. Many a treaty. convention
or diplomatic arrangement has been fur
thered in the quietude of an embassy
smoking room or helped by tete-a-tete
conversation amid the noise of music and
the desultory talk of the card tables that
might never hage been concluded by the
method of popularity understood as me
EQUATION The world in genera, mas lit
tie knowledge of the ways in which its
affairs are conducted, and II is PERHAPS
just as we'll 1t might become Disagree
able Tor those conducting them.