The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1889.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 40, 16 February 1889, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1889.

lor the cause that lacks assistance, Jcr the wrong that needs resistance, S"or tho future in the dlstanoe, And the good that we con do.

It maybe true, as some theorists assert, that one chief reason for Russian restlessness is to be found in the natural desire of the large and rapidly increasing population of the Muscovite dominions to find a free outlet for their trade, and room for territorial expansion in latitudes where the awful asperities

of a Russian winter are not encoun. tered. This hypothesis at any rate finds colouring from the fact that the extreme depth of the winter season invariably marks the maximum of Russian restlessness and consequent disturbance of the world's peace. At the present moment, when the Muscovite Empire through its whole vast extent is wrapt in semi-Arctic torpidity, and the frost king is claiming hundreds of victims, j the Russian people—pr more properly the military section of them—appear bursting with impatience ti> find some pretext for going to war and extending the Czar's dominions.

Most significant of the various digquieting items of cable news is the frequently - repeated statement that "Russia is pressing Turkey for paynientofthe war indemnity/ Under

the same date as this intimation, we leurn from St. Petersburg that M. Zankoff, a Philo-Russian statesman from Bulgaria, has just had a lengthened interview with the Czar, and that Russia is confronting the Ameer of Afghanistan with sixteen battalions. From Belgrade come the tidings that a plot is on foot to depose King Milan of Servia, who is a thorough scamp, but so far loyal as to offer a determined opposition to Russian aims and intrigues. At the same moment we are told that French politics have reached an acute crisis in the resignation of the Premier, and an appeal to the electors on the question of revising the Constitution. A\l the circumstances thus seem to be pointing to an early ebuliition, which may involve large portions of Europe and Asia in the throes of war.

There can be no doubt that Russia's object in continually pressing for payment of the war indemnity due her by Turkey is to have on hand a sufficient casus belli whenever she finds it convenient to declare war ; and the conjunction of this most recent demand with the presence of Zankoff at St. Petersburg points to a concerted plan for assuming the offensive in the Balkan States. The finger of Russia may also be traced in the intrigues now going on in Servia — the intention being to raise dissaffection and revolution both there and in Bulgaria, in order that Russia may step io as the friend of the Slavs, and restore order—in other words obtain a better base for an advance on Constantinople. The Russians are similarly seeking a pretext for war in Afghanistan. They are trying to entice the Ameer across the frontier in pursuit of rebels, end have an army on the spot, ready to invade Afghanistan, should the Ameer in igorance or blind rage violate Russian territory, A " rectification of frontier " in that direction is very much desired by Russia, and in the event of general embroilment in Europe she will assuredly be found making an attempt to appropriate portions of Afghanistan and Persia.

Events are rapidly drifting towards the great European conflict which nearly everyone regards as inevitable. If confirmation were required of _ the nearness of this seemingly predestined war of races, it is to be found in the attitude of His Holiness the Pope. An allocution has just been addressed to the European Powers by Leo XIII. urging them to settle their conflicting claims on the principles of justice and brotherly love. Talk to Russia of right, peace and justice! The situation closely resembles that which is said once to have prevailed on shipboard during a storm at sea, when a clerical passenger asked the captain if there v»as any danger, and was assured that all would be well if they would only trust in Providence. The parson's pious exclamation, "Good Lord ! Is it as bad as that ?" may very well be used with regard to the Pope's appeal to the sentiment of justice as a means of preserving the peace of the world. Things are indeed at a desperate pass if the last hops of peace rests upon high moral considerations, and a resolve on the part of, say Russia, to let Right rule rather than Might.