THE WAR CLOUD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 241, 27 January 1894, Page 4

THE WAR CLOUD.

"Every schoolboy " in the colonies knows that there is a European war cloud. He has learned to regard ibas normally present in the European sky, and has never been very much distressed when it darkened the horizon, a threatening cumulus on the other side of the world, or correspondingly relieved when it dispersed into the airiest cirrus. Neither he nor even his father very probably have sought to examine into its causes or its composition minutely, just as very few people trouble themselves with researches on the phenomena of dew. The elders no doubt perused every morning the cablegrams which told of the vagaries of the Proteus war cloud, bub ib was somewhat in the spirit of those retired old gentlemen who consult their barometers regularly to display with pride their meteorological knowledge. Ib certainly looked very much as if we would not have been greatly alarmed if the tempost had actually burst over our heads. But the real reason of our indifference waa our sense that many thousands of leagues separated us from the storm belt, and that we had implicit confidence in the power of British ironclads to conduct any stray thunder bolts that urighb threaten our saleby.

The increasing rapidity of communication with the Old Country, the growing sense of our own wealth and importance, and the knowledge that hostile European nations are becoming every day better acquainted with and more impressed by our resources, are teaching us that our isolation is not a guarantee of our safety. The present agitation in Britain for an immediate increase of the navy, and the startling pictures which naval experts have drawn of England's weakness on the seas, have shaken our trust in her protecting arm. Wo feel that in the next great war we too may be involved, and questions of European politics that interested us not ab all or only very slightly, leap into importance in our eyes. Then we begin to ask ourselves in deep earnest, What is this war cloud, and what does it portend ?

Among the cablegrams this week none should have proved so interesting to us in our awakened state than thoae which contained certain public utterances of the Hon. A. J. Balfour and the Marquis of Lansdowne. Speaking at Manchester, the former advocated the establishment of an Imperial Defence Department, declared that the less of the colonies would bo England's ruin, and that the naval preparations now being carried on by Russia and France were directed against England. Lord Lansdowne, just returned from the GovernorGeneralship of India, in a speech during the same week sounded a warning note from another quarter of the Empire. In continued advance of Russia and France on China, he saw the safety of England threatened in her Indian possession. The utterances of both these men demand attention from the position they occupy. But apart from tho warnings of tli6se two statesmen, our ears are assailed by the voices of a host of other authorities who speak in the same strain, and last of all, pubicists in France and Russia display most unmistakeably the hostile wishes and designs of their countrymen towards England.

To understand the attitude of these two countries towards Britain and her colonies, lot us call to memory the relations which have existed for long centuries between England and her Gallic neighbour, and in later limes between our Mother Country atsd Russia. France is actuated by an undying hatred towards us. She cherished it long before Waterloo and Trafalgar, | with the memory of Crecy and Agincourfc, and since the glorious victories of Wellington and Nelson, she has burned with a desire to wipe out the debt. She has been jealous, too, of our Indian and Colonial Empire ever since the days of Clive, and ab present has ambitions in the way of Eastern extension, which she feels—in spite of our forbearance in the case of Siara—may be thwarted by us again as it was in the past. It is unfortunate that there should be this historic feud between England and a chivalrous people like the French, with whom we should have no rivalries othor than of the mo3t fraternal character, buo we havo to deal with facts. Russia, on the other hand, cannot be accused of harbouring; the same rancorous spirit towards us. She has, it) is true, her Crimean disasters as France has her later Napoleonic ones, to make her mindful of " perfidious Albion ;" bub it is rather as the one bar to her progress in the East that she desires to see our power broken in pieces. Probably she has designs on India. Certainly she has on Constantinople. And her object is to divorb our attention from hor schemes for obtaining a footing on the. Golden Horn by advances or attacks on Indin. More than a hundred years aeo an invasion on India with Constantinople as the real object, was planned. In 18C0 the Emperor Paul and Napoleon contemplated another, and since that time various projects have been submitted and startling advances made, the last of which culminated in the Pamir trouble. Thab the design on India is really a design on Constantinople, was most openly confessed by Skoboletf a few year 3 ago, when ho said, " To my mind the whole Central Asian question ia, as clear as daylight. If it does nob enable us in a comparatively shorb time to take seriously in hand the Eastern Question, in other words, to dominate the Bosphorus, the hide is nob worth the tanning." With such a community of interest is ib strange that Franc* and Russia should be found standing side by side, or that we should be somewhat apprehensive of the meaning of their friendship? Bub we shall understand more clearly the extravagance of the French in their demonstrations of affection towards the Russian officers and -sailors ab the Paris fetes Jast year, when we ccc what strong immediate reasons the French people have for desiring a close alliance with Russia. Ever since the close of the Napoleonic era, and especially since the war with Germany, the proud spirit of France has been fretting under the position* she, who was accustomed fco bo the arbiter of Europe, was as a rule forced to occupy. Recently the Triple Alliance, though really a combination for maintaining peace, has awakened her apprehensions. She ha 3 become morbidly suspicions of an attack, and consequently welcomed the friendship of such a power as Russia. How it might fare with England on the sea if these ;wo nations were at present combined against, her, is a question which tho beat naval authorities discuss in a manner that ib nob very encouraging be Englishmen.

To-day being the 35th birthday of the Emporor of Germany, the German warship Bussard, at present in ; port, was profusely decorated wirh bunting in celebration of tho occasion. A similar complimenb was paid to His Majesty by the French flagship Duguay Trouin.

Captain Edwin wired ab 12.8 p.m. :-, " Indications glass rising."

The men ab the Onehunga Ironworks finished work to-day. Ib is expected that labour upon a new basis will be resumed shortly.

A rather novel case was heard at the Police Court this morning. Two young fellows, named Pochard Johnson and John Dunn, were charged with having imposed on a private individual by unlawfully obtaining from Alex. Schultze, landlord of the Oriental Hotel, two glasses of beer valued at Bd, by fulse pretences, to wit, by saying " We'll pay for the beer when you servo us," contrary to the provisions of the Police Offences Act. Johnson, pleaded guilty, and Dunn nob guilty. Sergeant) Gamble said thab the oll'ence with which the accused were charged was becoming a common one in Auckland. Some men wore in the habib of asking for a drink, and, after being served with it, clearing out of the hotel without paying. He asked that the case against Dunn should be withdrawn, as Dunn did not ask for ths drinks. The Bench accordingly allowed this to be done. Mr Northcrofb, R.M., who was on the Bench, said thab Johnson had been lately convicted for larceny. Ho sentenced Johnson to 14 days' imprisonment) with hard labour, and said that if any one elae was brought before him charged with tho same offence, he would increase thab sentence. From the statement of Dunn, it appeared thab Johnson meb him in the street and aeked him to go and have a, drink. Both then went into the Oriental Hotel, and Johnson asked for the drinks, saying thab he would pay for them when he waa served. Dunn said he had no intention of defrauding.

A telegram received by the Auckland police from Waiuku states that a eon of Mr Win. Smith, aged four years, was drowned in a creek ab Waiuku yesterday afternoon, Every effort was made to restore animation, but withoub effect.

The s.e. Ngungurn arrived from Ngunguru at four o'clock this morning. She left here on her trial trip on Wednesday evening, left Ngunguru yesterday, and ar-1 rived as above, having steamed down in 14 hours, with a full load of coals. Captain Douglas expresses himself as thoroughly satisfied with the little steamer. She steams well and is exactly suited for the trade, being able to go righb up the river and take the coals from the trucks into hec hold.

The annual report of the Auckland Survey Club states than there had nob been so largo an attendance as usual lately, owing to improved survey work. The Club has taken into consideration the sub* jects of mining leases and native liens, and has been in communication with the Government on the subjects. The Club are of opinion thufc an improvement in tha present law regarding native liens, which the Surveyor-General acknowledges to be unsatisfactory, should be made. Tho Club has addressed the Auckland City Council, urging that city eurveys should be entrusted to authorised surveyors only. Tha Treasurer of the Club has a small balance on hand.

The quarterly meeting of tho Auckland District Ancienfa Order of Foresters took place in the Foresters' Hall, Newton, yesterday afternoon, D.C.R. Bro. Meider presiding. The balance-sheeb showed tha Order to be in a sound financial condition. Bro. Webb presented the Order with an oil painting of Bro. H. T. Garratt, District Secretary. The annual reporb was submitted by the district officers and was adopted. The following officers were elected:— D.C.R., Bro. E. Chisman; D.5.0.R., Brother J. Robinson ; D.8., Bro. H. B. Mclntyre. The officers were duly installed, Bro. Moss Keesing, P.D.C.R., acting as installing officer. It was resolved to present the outgoing D.C.R. with a testimonial in recognition of his serricea to the Order.

An information against W. A. Coate^ solicitor, charging him with the misappropriation of £88, was called ab the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, yesterday. Tha informant did nob appear, and the information was dismissed, bub the Magistrate instructed Inspector Pender thab if further investigation were necessary he must do his duty and lay another information.

At a meeting of the Committee of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday, Mr Adam Porter presiding, ib waa pointed out thab the finances of bhe Chamber were in a very bad posibion. Circulars asking for subscriptions had been responded bo only to bhe exbenb of five guineas. Ib was 6tabed that unless tha members showed a more liberal spirit the expenditure would have to be materially reduced, and in all probability the periodicals in the reading-room dispensed with, besides obtaining cheaper rooms than those at present in use.

The annual meeting of the Auckland district of the National Independent Order of Oddfellows, took place in the District Chambers, Ea3b-streeb, yesterday evening, when a large atnounb of ordinary business was transacted. The balance-sheet was read and adopted, which shows the district to be in a good position, and the following officers were installed for the year 1894 :— P.G., Bro. J. T. B. Dines, Provincial Grand Master; P.G., Bro. T. Armstrong, Provincial Deputy Grand Master ; P.G., Bro. 11. Phillips, Provincial Corresponding Secretary; Bro. McDowell, Guardian: P.G., Bro. Harkins, Rolieving and Examining Officer.

Mr J. Selby, the well-known cyclist, i*3 still perambulating tho Waikato district, and continues to make good bimes during his journeys on the wheels. Yesterday morning, at 5 o'clock, Selby started from Hautapu, near Cambridge, on his " Safety, and rode to To Aroha and back to Cambridge, arriving at the latter place afi twelve minutes pasb noon. He left Cambridge again at one o'clock, and rode to Tamahere, where ho waa delayed for thirty minutes by heavy rains. He eventually reached Hamilton East ab 2.30 p.m. His actual time over this distance was thirtyfive minutes.

Messrs Martin and Hernold, two Wellington pork butchers, were fined £2 and £5 respectively, with costs, for not giving their assistants the statutory half-holiday in the week beginning January Bth. Tha latter's cae9 was aggravated by bis telling tho Inspector that he did nob intend to comply with the Act. The Resident Magistrate observed that the defendant would find it a costly game.

An inquest was held ab Nelson yesterday re tho late fire ab bhe Central School. One witness said she saw a young man coming from the fire. She epoke to him, op" he Eaid, "la ib nob a shameful thing." He walked on away from the fire, She _ described the man, and ultimately identified Wm. Baker, one of the contractors tor the building. She had never seen bhe man before or since. When she saw him ib was a quarter of an hour before the firebells rang. The verdicb was that there was no evidence as to tho origin of bhe fire; and that the jury aro of opinion thab there ia sufficienb evidence to warrant the police in making a further investigation. A later telegram states : The evidence of Mrs Do seems to be a case of mistaken identiby. Bftker says ib was he who epoke to Mrs Do on tne morning of the fire ab the school.

In another column will be found an advertisement convening a meeting in the Foresters'" Hall next Tuesday^ to arranga aboub the saddlers' annual picnift

-~_ nrocrramme for fcbo annual Scottish driven by the Auckland Caledonian COD- v Kch are to be held in Abbott's r.°Soußo this evening and on Monday Op n rare exceptionally attractive. Fifty eJ 1.1 nHflra in costume will take part in K h and march to-night, so that there \ i, h*a fine "gathering of the clans" B^t Opera House stage. Mr FotherinßI"1 eho woll-known piper, will oolige with lltt™blavr o1 the pipes," and Mr Eady'e or* 8. " w j|] also contribute to the musical c concerts. Amongst the """^.n to-ni<'ht will be Misses L. Warren, Xt Fenton. Fltepatriok, Messrs D. « le' B J Fuller, and Mr and Mra Scaats. S?.?Gri'nd'rod will give recitations, and a wnf Highland dances will fill up a "Gramma which should bo very attractive jjlowrs of old Scotch songs and national dances. At a meeting of Indies yesterday afterat the 35.M.C.A. Rooms, it was IloOn' c j t0 f orm a Women's Political League. The obiecb of the League is to tret a good i«np of candidate for public offices, Parliumentary or municipal, lhe iollowin^ Eer" were elected : - President, Mra tvHv Vice-presidents, Mesdames MeSan and Collings ; Mrs Giles. Secretary; Mra SarraduF, Treasurer. A Committee of twenty 'is to be appointed, of whom only part wore elected at yesterday's meeting. The Blind Musical Students gave their fintertaioinenfc last niebt in the Public fl a i| Onehonsa. There was a fa!r attendance and Mrs Yates, Mayor, occupied the chair, introducing the performers in a naftt'peech, To-night and to-morrow they oorforni at Otahu.hu, the Sunday concert being of a sacred character. The Naval and Military Association Auckland branch meet in Mr Hitchen's Vooms, Shortlnnd-stroet, on IMonday evening next) at 7 p.m. An important programme as to the beat mean 3to adopt with the view of obtaiaing an amendment of ~tho nresanb statutes relating to military land claims, will be submitted to members, and if approved, this programme will be forwarded to each member of the General Assembly

Thefirat term of St>. Andrews College' day school for boys and girls, begins on Tuesday next the 30th inst. The Principals, MrT. Harlo (Jiles and Mr C. F. Baxter M. A., will attend afc the College, Lower Symon'ds-sfcreet, on and after Tuesday next at 9.15 a.m., to enrol and classify nsw pupils* To-night and Monday nighb next, the City Hall will be occupied by Worth Bros. Variety Company. Sixpence admission will be charged to all pares of the house except the dress circle, which is reserved at ]s, Thetnanagomenb promise several items new to Auckland. There will bo a complete change of programme on Monday night.

To-morrow afternoon the ferry stenraer? trill fun at short intervals to the French flagship, at a return fare of threepence, The Eagla will leave at 2.30 for an excursion to St. Holier's Bay and round the islands of the Gulf.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Smday School Union will bo held in the Newton Congregational Church on Friday 08xt, February 2nd. Tea at 6.15 and chair 667.30:

Health is impossible when the blood is impure, thick, and sluggish, or when it i* thin and impoverished. Such conditions giw rise to boils, pimples, and other disorders. Ayer's Sarsaparilla purifies aud vitalises tho blood.—(Advt.) Nofchwithstandine chenp palea, etc., we continue to please our customers and give them as good value a? can be got In the city. Note the addre33— New Zealand ClotKmg Factory, 158 and 160, Queenitfeofc.—[Advt.) Mr B. Atkinson, Slater and Slate Merchant, wishes to draw the attontion of his customers and the general public to the fact that he is nob giving up the hmm, but ha 9 only removed to Customsitteet, opposite Railway Station.—(Advt.)