MONEY AND WAR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7189, 15 June 1885, Page 3

MONEY AND WAR.

M. Samuel Sohidrowitz is a journalist holding in 'London a position almost akin to that of M. Blowitz at Paris. A Moravian by birth, a Jew by race, an Austrian subject who has been naturalised as an American citizen, and now resident in the English metropolis as correspondent of a great German paper, M. Schidrowitz is emphatically an international man, and what he has to say on queations of the day is worth listening to. He has great friendsnip for, and belief in, everything English, but from a communication lately sent by him to one of the London papers, it appears that Mr S. is very fearful of the chances of his allies in a struggle with Russia. -After detailing various reasons for the conclusion to which he has come, he makes some remarks which are worth the attention of those who think that Russia has no money for war. He says :— "But it is also said Russia's Gnances do not permit her to go to war, or at k-ast not to wage war tinder such favorable circumstances as England. Never in the history of the world have bad finances prevented a war; besides, Russia has over a hundred million subjects, and ever so many hnndred thousand square miles of territory. The paper manufactories will turn out as much money as the Government wants ; the hundred million subjects will pay taxes, will consume foreign goods, for which Custom duties in gold must be paid. The few things from abroad absolutely necessary for war can be bought by the gold received for Customs duties. Further, Russia product's gold, and what matters it to the Rasßian Government if the rouble is worth Is, 2a, or 3s. as long as it buys abroad at any price? A nation of more than a hundred million takes long to get into bankruptcy ; and, suppose bankruptcy must be, the Russian, people would be the least sufferers by it. The Russian bonds are held abroad more than in Russia, whereas English Consols are almost exclusively in English hands. No, whatever other reasons may prevent a war, the fear of the bad financial state of the country, of a • krach ' in Russia, will not stay the hand of the Russian leader of the future destinies of its people, if he considers war necessary, or even only at the present moment 'zeitgmass' to be commenced ; and yet I hope that the English nation will come victorious out of the struggle, as they in former times overcame difficulties which certainly were not less, if not greater."