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

The war cloud which has been gathering
steadily in Europe since last summer APP
pears TO be on the point Of breaking An
indication OF the acuteness Of the situa-
ton is 30 De 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 il comes the people
Of the United Kingdom shall BE- found
6lled with the pride OF their race and ma
tion and ready TO a man to fight and die
for their flag and sovereign.
Danger mensces from both St Peters
burg and Paris The Russian Government
is making military and naval preparations
on q scale and with a degree Of haste in
consistent with any meaning but that OF
immediate war. The day has come when
is at a disadvantage when 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 a blow is to b.
struck N Persia and at once.
There is every reason to believe that
France expects. wants. and will have war
with England. OF viii enter upon it in al
lance with Russia The apparent break
up Of the Boer power OF resistance in South
Africa viii no doubt offer the coveted
chance for O prefer Of mediation. which
will be CURLY rejected in London. Then
there viii be some sharp diplomatic ex-
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
10 have turned. Russia doubtless thinks
that il she is 10 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 a fine vet
eran army al liberty for work in other
parts Of the world Just what France is
after il is harder to say; but probably
Egypt has a good deal to do with her cali
culations. But there and opposite Gibral-
tar French ambitions are apt to clash
with German interests. II is said that
the Car has neutralized The Kaiser bv
leaving him free to develop the trade Of
Asia Minor and 90 build railway from
the pardaaclles 10 the Persian Gulf, in
exchang. for the Kaiser's willingness to
keep hands or i'm 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 20 predict It is reasonable 20 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
eventually as the serious defeat Of Eng
land By his TWO neighbors would not be
one that the Kaiser could contemplate
with euuanlmIty. With Russia become
the dominant power Of Europe on one side
Of him and his bitter Gallic 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 entanslements for time and
observe with complacency the mutual ex-
haustlon Of his commercial and military
competitors. Ultimately. however. either
his good offices or his big guns would be
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