"WOLF!"

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1888, Page 4

"WOLF!"

The foreign correspondents of the London newspapois have this season commenced earlier than usual to circulato items of news wifch a suggestion of gory slaughter iv them. Whether this may _ mean that the long-looked-for war is going to j break out ;or certain next spring, orj whether it merely indicates an access of j activity on the par. of the war prophets, ifc is impossible for us to say; but the cry of "Wolf!'3 has been so often raised, _.nd proved delusive, thafc most people will fre-itato before accepting i-hc war theory. Tho indications aro undoubtedly threatenim-, bufc they have been _o continuously for | several years, and there is no incident in the present situation more aggravating than others which have been occurring from time to time. One reason for graver apprehension may be found iv the fact thafc | tho Carman thrcno is now occupied by an iinpebuouH ruler who may nofc heed to , the cautious counsels of Prince Bismarck ; j but, apart from that, there i? nothing to indicate tho imminence of war, save the conviction i" people's minds that a general conflict is inevitable, and that each recurring spring makes the outbreak more and more probable. Movements of Russian troops and utterances of Russian Generals havo been of iate threatening in their character; France, Germany and Italy are all making extraordinary preparations for warlike contingencies; and in Austria tho feeling of irritation has been increasing in intensity ; but there does nofc seem to bo any justification for the alarmist statement lately attributed to the King of the Belgians, or for the excitement and apprehension of invasion which aro now reported to be prevalent in Russia. Ifc is nofc possible for war to break out before April or May next, and if we are to believe the report about Russia being alarmed, tho Russians must havo developed a degree of nervousness with which they havo nofc hitherto been credited. The hint afc concluding an alliance with France may point to soma intrigue^ in which the restless sons of Caul are taking a part. Doubtless the preparations made for receiving Holland into the Germanic Confederation, on the death of tho present King, has aroused French jealousy, and the demise of tho moribund monarch may be made tho occasion for demanding the rostoraticn of Alsace and Lorraine to France, as a sot off to the extension of the Gorman Empire. It is too early, however, to speculate as to the probabilities of war in ! Europe, and impossible to foresee what 1 shape tiie canus belli will assume.