The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-12

The war cloud which has been gathering
steadily in Europe since last summer ap-
pears TO be on the point of breaking An
indication OF the acuteness of the situa :
tion is to be seen in the patriotic tour OF
her Kingdoms in which the aged Queen
Victoria is engaged at this time. The
British Government is confident that it has
the struggle of its history to enter upon.
and intends that when it comes the people
of the United Kingdom shall be found
filed with the pride of their race and ma
/ tion and ready TO a man to fight and die
for their flag and sovereign.
/ Danger menaces from both St Peters
| burg and Paris The Russian Government
is making military and naval preparations
on a scale and with degree of haste in
consistent with any meaning but that OF
/ immediate war. The day has come when
the ancient foe OF the northern Colossus
is at a disadvantage-wh the Car is at
last able almost TO realize the ambitions
of his house and people. Very few persons
among the politicians or diplomatists Of
Europe have any doubt that blow is to BE-
struck N Persia. and at once.
There is every reason to believe that
France expects. wants, and will have war
with England or will enter upon it in al
lance with Russia. The apparent break
up OF the Boer power of resistance in South
Africa will no doubt offer the coveted
chance for a proffer OF mediation. which
will be CURLY rejected in London. Then
~ Ia E1,o NIL 10
changes.
AS long as the British were getting the
worst of the war the Continental powers
could afford to hold their designs in re-
serve Now that the tide Of battle seems
to have turned Russia doubtless thinks
that if she is to absorb Persia and secure
control of the Persian Gulf it must be
done before Great Britain can finish the
work in South Africa and have fine vet
eran army at liberty for work in other
parts of the world. Just what France is
after ii is harder to say; but probably
Egypt has a good deal to do with her cal
culations. But there and opposite Gibral-
tar French ambitions are apt to clash
with German interests. II is said that
the Gear has neutralized The Kaiser by
leaving him free to develop the trade of
Asia Minor and to build a railway from
the Dardanelles TO the Persian Gulf, in
exchange for the Kaiser's willingness to
keep hands Off in Persia. There may be
some question about this. Wilhelm II so
far has managed to keep his own counsel.
and his exact attitude in the event Of war
between Great Britain on one side and
Russia and France on the other is not
easy to predict. 1t is reasonable to think,
however. that he will be compelled to
show his hand in some way before long.
In some circumstances Germany could
not keep out of the trouble. Such an
eventualty as the serious defeat of Eng
land by his two neightors would not be
one that the Kaiser could contemplate
with equanmity. With Russia become
the dominant power of Europe on one side |
OF him and his bitter Gallo foe. flushed !
with victory. on the other, his position |
would not be tolerable. Yet this argu-
ment is not necessarily inconsistent with |
the idea that the astute Hohenzollern !
might avoid entanglements for a time and |
observe with complacency the mutual ex-
haustion of his commercial and military |
competitors. Ultimately, however, either |
his good Offices or his big guns would be |
utilized.