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New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9318, 12 June 1891, Page 2

It would seem almost farcical, to be seriously told, as tho cable message we publish this morning tells, that according to a prediction of the “ World” the coming European autumn will witness a war between Great Britain and Portugal over the South African territory in dispute between the two Powers What is Portugal ? What is the extent and population of the great Iberian Peninsula? She has, exclusive of her colonies, which can afford but little aid in a war, an area of under 35,000 square miles, peopled by about four and a half millions of inhabitants. Her army is 32,120 men, as a peace establishment, which her reserves could bring up to 125,000, with 260 guns. Her navy comprises 39 steamers and 16 sailing vessels, not a few of which are considered hardly fit to go to sea, and her naval force in men numbers some 3,400 sailors. Compare this with tho British forces. We have an army on a peace footing of ‘153,000 men, which, with Reserves, 64.000, Militia, 142,000, Yeomanry, 14.000, Volunteers, 260,000 these, with the regular forces on the Indian establishment, make a total of effectives of roundly 620,000. Our Navy, without counting the war vessels in India and tho Colonies, comprises over 260 ships, the latest, the Royal Sovereign battleship, exceeding 14,000 tons and 13,000 horse-power, besides 44 others in process of building, including nine battleships. What then could such a puny power do or attempt to do against such overwhelming odds ? It is a pet pug dog against a great St Bernard. Yet we find that the Marquis of Salisbury’s Government is strengthening the British forces at tho Capo, and that others are ordered to be in readinesss. Surely it cannot bo because of such a puny antagonist as Portugal. There must be some other occult cause for this rumour of war and these wav preparations. Conjectures on this bead may be made probabilities when some recent circumstances are considered. Notwithstanding the frequent assertion that Britain is often weak in her diplomacy, we have seen from the purchase of tho Suez Can 1 1 shares, onward to the present time, that a far-sighted policy generally dominates the advisers of the Crown. It was a marked stroke of policy for England, whoso insular position, to say nothing of her freedom from conscription, makes her not a military power as compared with the Continental Powers who watch each other at tho point of many millions cf bayonets. She is par excellence the naval power of the planet. Her alliance with Italy, the third naval kingdom, was a grand movement. The chagrin shown by France at this conjunction of forces would seem to indicate a disaffection which may explain the riddle of a rumoured war between England and Portugal. Fx-ance may bo disposed to stir up strife, and may bo urging the Peninsular Power to oppose the advance of Britain in South Africa. But even France with her legions and her great navy, which is considerably below that of Britain, will no doubt think twice before she would undertake such a course as would lead her to assist Portugal in actual war. With Germany on one side and Russian coldness now apparent on tho other, the French Republic cannot well afford to contend with the combined fleets of England and Italy.

Periodically the Chinese at Home, in the thickly populated centres, display their apparently undying hostility to the “ white devils,” the outer barbarians, as stimulated by the implacable literati, they term Europeans. Now, we have had dvices of another series of these outbreaks —attacks on Mission settlements, burning of Consulates,' and general rioting in several European localities, all directed against Europeans, Yesterday morning’s cable news indicates the spread of these riotous proceedings, A Chinese mob has destroyed the French Church and an orphanage at “Wusuch,” murdered a missionary and a Customs officer, and burned their dwellings. This may possibly be Woosung, which is the capital city of the province of Hoopeh, on the Yang-tze-Kiang, and contains a population of about two millions, among whom the literary class is very numerous. It lies about 350 miles southwest of Nankin. This is rendered more likely (though Chinese nomenclature is difficult to trace) by the fact that the French Admiral has threatened to bombard Nankin, which lies on the Yangtze, not far from the broad estuaries of that river, and therefore easily accessible to the warships. The Chinese have always had severe lessons when outrages of this nature have occurred. The destruction of the Peiko forts and other places of strength in 1841, the seizure of the Canton forts in 1856, and the capture by the allies of the Imperial city of Pekin in 1860, when the Summer Palace was sacked and burned by the French, and the heavy indemnity which the Celestials bad to pay should not be forgotten. The British, American, and French can teach them another lesson ; even though the Chinese are now possessed of a fleet of war steamers, including four belted cruisers added last year. But these are principally under the command of Europeans, the Chinese Admiral being, in fact, Captain Lang of the British Navy. Besides, the combined forces of the three powers would speedily and effectually cope with any Naval Chinese force the£ are likely to meet. These outrages, in the face of the threatened punishments, will have to be pub down ; and a proper fine will be inflicted on the Empire, whose internal control of its subjects must be exercised to stop those attacks by force of arms. In the presence of a combined the proud Chinese will be compelled to yield.