Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-07-25 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

RUSSIAN WAR PREPARATIONS.  Every day, telegraphs the Vienna correspondent of the Standard, brings fresh intelligence of warlike preparations on the part of Russia. The latest measure of this kind is the transformation of a number of cadre Battalions of the Reserve Infantry, garrisoned near the Austrian frontier, into as many regiments, by the simple process of doubling their. number. Up to 1888 this step was only intended to be taken after the order had been given to mobilise, and as it is being steadily carried on in all the Western districts, a military writer in the Pester Lloyd considers it the beginning of a mobilisation. He summarises the preparations made since 1888 as follows: Two new Army Corps have been formed; the Rifle Battalions have been organised; new Cavalry Divisions and Cossack Regiments of the Second_ Levy, one Finnish Dragoon Regiment, and Cossack Infantry Battalions and Fortress Artillery Companies have been created. Batteries stationed near the Western frontier have been raised to a war footing, the Frontier Guards have become Regulars, and the Reserve Infantry has been increased to war strength. There remains hardly anything to be done to complete the mobilisation except the transference of the troops from the interior to the frontier, and for that purpose a network of strategic lines has been constructed, and double lines laid down along the whole Western frontier from North to South. Another writer, in the military paper Did Rei-chsicehr, points out that the Armies now collected in Volhynia and Podolia can no longer be considered merely defensive, but are so disposed as to be capable of a vigorous offensive movement, most probably the invasion of Eastern Galicia and Bukowina. These two articles shew that military experts in Austria are fully aware of the danger of the situation, and are not deceived by the present peaceful appearance of things, and the diplomatic inactivity of Russia. The intelligence Department of the Vienna War Office reports regularly to headquarters, the authorities hold frequent Councils, occasionally under the presidency ot the Emperor, and counter precautions, generally inadequate, are from time to time proposed; but so great is the anxiety not to disturb public confidence in the maintenance of peace, and not to brine disorder into the finances of both halves of the P.Monarchy, That even measures that are absolutely necessary are neglected or delayed. Military experts in this country are convinced that Russia will not attack Austria directly—at least for some years to come— and that the real danger consists in Russia having fully mobilised before Austria is equally ready, with the result that a sudden advance on, say, Constantinople, would tind the latter Power unable to offer any serious opposition.  Tlie Shanghai- Mercury gives particulars of tile murder of Mr. A. W. Green, the English customhouse officer, and M. Argent, the member of the French mission, who were killed by Chinese rioters at Woos ich, at the same time as a number of the Europeans' houses were burnt. The ladies of the mission sought refuge on board the steamer Tepsing, while the bodies of the murdered men were taken on board the United States steamer Palos. It appears that M. Argent was knocked down in the street by a stone thrown by a boy, and that he was brutally attacked by the mob, who shattered his head. Mr. Green's throat was cut by the rioters. It is stated that a Canton woman who was one of Mr. Green's household was also murdered after she had killed three of her assailants with a sword. The threatened outbreak at Kiu Kiang had not assumed great proportions owing to the presence of three gunboats, which had landed forces and Thus held the rioters in check. Reports from other quarters shew that destruction to property continued. - •  ----A drummer boy named Richardson was on Saturday charged at Dorchester with killing a bandsman of the North Stafford Regiment named Barranlaws, Portland, by shooting him with a rifle. The magistrates were of opinion that the deceased was acci• dentalay killed, and they discharged the prisoner. A shocking ac cident, resulting in the suffocation of two men by sewer gas, occurred at Cardiff early on Saturday morning. Three men, named Lucker, Bailey, and Sutton, were working in an old sewer, when Sutton became overpowered and fell. Lucker went to his rescue, and was himself over. come. Bailey at once sought assistance, but by thi time the men could be got out of the sewei both were dead. A similar accident, but without fatal consequences, occurred in the same place I day or two ago.