WAR CLOUDS GATHER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 34, 17 March 1914, Page 7 (Supplement)

WAR CLOUDS GATHER.

RUSSIA AND GERMANY. INCEEASB OF ABMAMENTC. I "Times" and "Sydney Sun". Services. \ ST. PETERSBURG, March 10. The .*' Retch'' likens the anti-Rus-sjan outburst in Germany to the campaign against France which preceded the opening of the Morocco question. M. Sazanoff, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in an interview, insists that the movement for .the increase /of armaments was initiated by Germany. An inspired article in the "Rossiya" rebukes the mischievous attempts of foreign journalists to sow discord between Russia and Germany. It reminds them of Germany's refusal to accept limitation of armaments, and recommends them to abstain from unfriendly attacks and unjust aspersions. • TO BAISH THE WIND. ST. PETERSBURG, Marc* 16. Witlh a view to raising revenue to meet the impending increase in the peace effectiveness by 460,000 men, the Government is studying a proposed State monopoly of oil wells and naphtha works. \ ' ..'"•-."■ ' It is understood that all parties in the Duma,'except -the Socialists, are agreed as to the necessity of an army and uavy commensurate with Russia's population and territory. «' RELATIONS ABE EXCELLENT." VIENNA, March 16, The <*Neue Freie Presse" says the Austro-Hungarian Embassy at St. Petersburg ■ has been assured that authoritative quarters entirely dissociate themselves from the bellicose utterances of the Russian Press, and deny that these are justified. Prince Gagarin, in an interview in the * ■' Ta'geblatt," declared that. RussoGerman and Russo-Austrian relations were excellent. - .

Correspondents agree that the antiRussian excitement in Austria-Hungary is subsiding, one writer remarking that possibly this it has been found that it has already gone far enough. ENGLAND ON THB CBOUCH, ~ • BERLIN Mareh'l6,'} Colonel. Frobenius, in/a pamplilqt, alleges that is for an attack on Germany, and meanwhile Russia and Franee are preparing. He predicts war, at the latest, in the spring of 1916.