The times., 1899-10-27
England and the Powers.

While the British authorities, as well as
leading officials of continental governments,
discIaim any expectation of international
difficulties in connection with the war il
South Africa, enough appears on the sur
face Of things in Europe to indicate that
Great Britain has not been uuwise in pre-
pairing for possible eyentualites much more
important and serious than a mere cam
paign against two small African states. At
the time Of our war with Spain, it was OBJ
sarvable that the tone of the Russian press
was an accurate index Of the views and
the reserved intentions OF the three anti
English. antI-American powers. We are,
therefore, inclined to attach value to ut
terances such as are appearing in the ST,
Petersburg papers, and which could not
be printed except with the advice and con
sent Of the imperial censor. IN a recent
issue. the "Russkija," of that city, has
urged that Great Britain ought TO be
brought 10 her senses by naval demon
stration in South Africa. in which France
should take the lead"
While the remark of the "Russkija' need
not suggest any sane idea that al the Eu-
ropean governments combined would care
to risk an aggressive naval movement
against England off the African coast,
it does tend to illustrate the feeling of the
unfriendly states, and this feeling is fur
ther exempIifed in the sea movements of
France and Italy in the Mediterranean and
Of Russia in the Black Sea. A Paris de
M
contemplate any marked offensive action,
apprehension is felt both by that country
and Russia that England may intend some
movement detrimental to the interests of
both, and the French Mediterranean sIuad-
ron has been ordered to keep a sharp look
out on the British feet. In the meantime
the Italian navy is concentrating at Spezia
As a eounterpoise to these manifestations
the British Channel Squadron is going to
Gibraltar, the naval reserves have been
called out. and there is talk of sending a
powerful flying squadron TO the neighbor-
hood Of Port Said.
There IS an increasing opinion in diplo-
matte circles that the international danger
point lies in the direction of the Suez Ca
nal and the Persian Gulf. This view
is testified by the preparations TO despatch
a force to South Africa which, with the
troops already there, viii give Sir Relvers
Butler eighty-eight thousand effective
troops, two-thirds of which, after four or
Eve weeks campaigning against the Beers,
could be spared for service against any
other enemy. From the Cape they could
be readily and quickly transported to the
Persian Gulf country, to Egypt or TO In
dia, wherever a hostile movement might
be in contemplation.
While all these phenomena Of European
enmity and threatened trouble possibly may
portend the outbreak Of that great war be
tween the Anglo-Saxon and the SIay and
Latin peoples, for which the world has
been waiting in fearful anticipation for
years, the better opinion at present appears
TO be that the excellent understanding be-
tween Great Britain and Germany VIII
operate to prevent any such cataclysm.
Unless Russia. France, and Austria should
secure the adhesion Of the Kaiser TO a
programme of war against England. none
of them would be likely to venture upon
such movement. The indications are that
far from feeling any inclination
to JOIN in such a scheme, En-
peror Wilhelm is distinctly friend
ly to the English, and is ready to
help them to the limit of German safety
Immediately, this attitude may result from
an understanding by which his empire is
TO be compensated for its support Of Great
Britain; but. in the last analysis Of the
world situation, the evidence cannot be
lost upon the Kaiser, that the growing ten
dency Of the Slavs and Launs to conceH-
trate their power and forces against the
rest Of mankind. can only be successfully
met by counter-coaliuon Of the TeutoHic
family OF which Great Britain and the
United States are members by blood inner
itance.