The New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1896.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10278, 2 November 1896, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1896.

■» The revelations of Prince Bismarck add another to the many causes of distrust and foar that seem to haunt the atmosphere of European politic. The period at which he dates the inception of the plot against England on the part of Germany and Rubs'* was when the Emperor William was on the throne, and when the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria, and Italy was in full force, having been formed four or five years before. That alliance had been formed, among its other objects, for the purpose of mutual protection against Russia, and as there seems to be no official contradiction of Prince Bismarok'a statement, and the present Emperor of Germany is stated to be "furious" at the disclosure of the plot, there seems to be little doubt that the Kaiser Wilhelra and his great Minister had been aoting with duplicity towards the two Powers allied with Germany, and bartering their safety for the friendship of Russia. As the understanding appears to have been kept secret till Count Caprivi came into power in 1890, on the virtual deposition of the " Man of Blood and Iron," the present Emperor must have been privy to the plot, and maintaining its existence for a few years before it was abrogated by the action of Count Caprivi. It is easy, therefore, to understand the sensation which the disclosure has caused to the two members of the Triple Alliance, Austria and Italy, though what purpose Prince Bismarck may have had in revealing the secret at this particular date, remains for ,the present among the bewildering puzzles that have from time to time characterised the policy of that wily statesman. It would not be straining too much the estimate which has been latterly formed of his character if it were supposed to be a mere act of chagrin and spitefulness to circumvent the Kaiser; for though peace has been established between the Emperor and his discarded Chancellor, the old plotter of European complications is not above the production of a piece of gratuitous political mischief. It could hardly be to mar the ban accord that has been recently formed between the Czar and Kaiser,—though it might be, for the Prince is good enough for anything,— because a rapprochement between Germany and the great Northern Power seemed to have been among the many machinations of the Prince to spite England. It could hardly be, on the other hand, with the intention of helping on that mutual friendly understanding because a premature disclosure would have the effect of weakening the position of Germany in respect to its international relations, and as such would have made that Power a less desirable party for wooing the friendship of the new ally. Whatever may have been the object, it has succeeded apparently in weakening the confidence of both Austria and Italy, and the Kaiser seems to be endeavouring by letters and explanations to Austria to patch up the breach of good understanding that had resulted. But our concern is chiefly with the bearing which the incident has on the relations and the position of England. Those relations are not very good .at the best at the present time in respect of Germany, and ever sinee the ill-advised and unwarrantable intrusion of the Kaiser into the affairs of the South African Republic, the people of England have had but little desire to cultivate the friendship of Germany, and very little assurance of 'reliability in any profession of friendly; feeling in that quarter. It is quite possible that Prince Bismarck's purpose may have been to accentuate the reasons of distrust, and having all his life done what he could to embarrass the foreign relations of England, and to neutralise the Court and family influences that were drawing the two people together, he may have desired to put an end, once and, forever, to the possibility of any restoration of good feeling between Germany and England. If so his little coup has probably not been ineffective, and it will take a good deal more than the fraternal communication , made to the Emperor of Austria to restore confidence on the English side of the North Sea. In the case of Engand the purpose of the intrigue appears to have been worse than in the case of Austria and Italy, They would only have been left out in the cold to take their chances in, the European embroglio. As to England the object is. believed in Vienna to have been to form a Russo-Franco-German coalition against England,. What may have been the intention or., reason for such a coalition it perplexes our imagination to oonceive. •'? England does not seem to have deserved this by any act of ; hers, and more especially as regards Germany. Russia might'' wish to have England paralysed in the East as well I as .'on''the,' Bosphorus, to facilitate

i Russia's ambitions "and onablo hep- to fulfil: what she is understood to regard as her deatiny. prance is embittered over Egypt, and ready, as is candidly told us, to join in any ; possible combination against England. "But to Germany-Wliat" have we done to \ provoke this animosity ? 'Andithis.qiiesi tion is more pertinent still to the data at which the plot appears to have been conceived. , : . At that data the fussy "Colonial party" had not taken form in.Germany, and that Power was not supposed -'to' be burning with the envy 'which' litis since been shown against the colonial J expansion of the British Empire, ■ But indeed the whole of this hostile t feeling in Europe towards England is a'puzrle to Englishmen.'' The other day i wi read in our cables that the Marquis of Rufferio, than whom no man is better in a position :to know the pulse o? Europe, said that the people of England had no ; conception of the haunting anxiety experienced by those in' high positions on the, Continent, and that Continental statesmen were "terrified" lest England's polioy sbould hasten a, conflict. Truly peaking, what intentions can. England have that should so disturb the continental peace of <mind? Eng- 5 land does not want.'new territory iri Europe. It would b\no profit to her,' and would be only a Source of trouble. Continental nations, ought, we should think, to know this;\and the only source of anxiety to them must be that England may be regarded as a disturber of any little arrangement they may have made for the distribution among themselves of the goods and chattels of the • " sick man." In such case the remedy seems to be in their own hands, by their leaving Turkish territory alone. But in any oase whatever theAcause of it may be, to a sensitive high-m\nded i nation like England, conscious k its integrity, it is very galling to sed all the other nations of Europe standing towards it in the attitude of "Stop thief!"