THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1832, 31 December 1886, Page 23

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Although the European situation has changed considerably during the last three months, we cannot say that the outlook has become any brighter.: The clouds have shifted their positions somewhat, but they are as hep,vy, if not heavier than ever. Bulgaria still remains the point of attraction. The reverses of Russian intrigue in the person of General Kaulbars have- given general satisfaction ; ' but though she has lost support there, she has. apparently gained ground in her Bulgarian policy through the disinclination of Europe to interfere. The Bulgarians have shown much independence of spirit, but want of European support is telling against them. The idea that Turkey can be peaceably divided is clearly impracticable; it is even, extremely doubtful whether Russia could assume the protec'or at© of Bulgaria without coming into conflict with Austria. Hungary pushes Austria forward in spite of Prince Bismarck's apparent efforts to hold her back, and these have only served to show that where interests clash the statesman can do little.

We note signs of the ' t&nowal of the old flirtation between Russia and France, which perhaps has something to do with the increased aggressiveness of the attitude of the Republic towards England, and even towards Germany, though about the latter the French do not dare say much. At last France seems to have found in her Minister of "War, General Boulanger, a man of commanding qualities,' and that, together with the increasing strength of her army, has brought to the surface the thoughts of revenge for 1870 which form th» most abiding factor of her European politics. It may be doubted whether the demonstrations against England are of any real moment as an index of French views. Our occupation of -Egypt is, and must be, a sore point to the French, but it is scarcely to be supposed that they 'will indulge in the luxury of. a war with England which would cripple them for the supreme contest. On. the other hand, the French would probably be ready to pick a quarrel with Engbnd on this pretext as the price of a Russian alliance against Germany. And this possibility fits in with the understanding between England and Austria of which Lord Salisbury threw out .a hint at the Mansion House, for if Austria is not Germany, she is Germany's very good friend.

To Englishmen naturally this rapprochement to Austria is the principal ' topic of interest, and we may indeed { say of anxiety, in the "general post" that has been going on. It, has been evident that during the -last few years a great change has come over the feeling of our fellow countrymen at Home with regard to the necessity of Constantinople being kept out of the hands of Russia, and the desirability of bolstering up Turkey. • This Lord Salisbury to some extent recognised by saying that England would not support Turkey single-handed. Simultaneously, however, with this diminution in the sense of the importance of British interests in Turkey, there has been sn increase in the sense of the danger to India on the Afghan frontier, and of the inevitableness of a struggle between England and Russia. But whilst one section of the community is desirous of leaving Russia and Austria cw?»-Germany to fight out their own quarrels in Turkey, and of reserving our strength for an Asiatic campaign when the necessity is forced upon us of resisting an aggression, another apparently thinks that it would be better to make common cause with Austria in Turkey instead of waiting to meet Russia single - handed in Afghanistan. Lord Salisbury evidently leans in the latter direotion, and his indication of opinion was! probably meant to test the strength of this feeling. Against it we trust that the i -?,'hole force .of flolo&ial opinion, '

now no longer unimportant, will be arrayed, unless indeed it can be shown that as a military measure an attack upon Russia through Turkey would be more than equivalent in results to defensive measures in India. What the Colonies want is to see England turning her back upon Europe and cease from all interference in European quarrels. "We recognise that this is not easily done, so long as European Powers threaten the integrity of the Empire out of Europe. But we dread a policy of advancing to m«et dangers which may be postponed till the causes which gave rise to them have passed away. If Russia made an attack upon India, the Colonies xrould cordially rally round the Mother Country in an unquestionably righteous war of defence; but we doubt whether there would be the same heartiness displayed over a war the immediate object of which was to help Austria to keep Russia out of Turkey, even though its indirect aim was to forestall an attack of Russia upon India. That Lord Salisbury is right in giving the moral support of the British Government to Bulgaria — and even to Austria — as against Russia will be generally admitted ; but between this and stepping in to fight Austria's battles there is a very long step. The same question of # how far to go in support of Austria, which is now presenting itself to England, must have been decided by the German Chancellor, though no one, unless it be the Austrian Government, knows what that decision is. Germany cannot afford to let Russia become too strong, but the moment she embarks in any war she must expect an attack from France. It would, therefore, be an advantage to her for« France to fall out with England, whether about Egypt or the New Hebrides, or both. Italy is an important factor in any general combination, and would decline to be left out, but has nevertheless no direct incentive to war so far as the acquisition of territory is concerned. Happily both the French and German Legislatures have refused to vote the extraordinary military grants demanded by their War Ministers, but the tone assumed in making these demands is sufficient to cause further anxiety, and Europe will enter upon the new year in a more advanced state of combustibility than ever. Each year for some time past has been tided over without any actual outbreak, but the pressure o£ military expenditure and the increasing recognition that war is close at hand make it every year more difficult to preserve peace.

The Zealandia, with the London mails of the 2nd December, left San Francisco for Auckland on the 18th inst., contract date. The Alameda, with the New Zealand mails of the 7th inst., arrived at San Francisco on Friday last, three days in advance of her due date.

The Orient s.«. Austral, which arrived in Melbourne last week, made a phenomenal passage from England, landing her mails in Adelaide in 30 days 5 hours, or a week under contract time.

Sir Charles Mitchell, the new Governor of Fiji, arrived in Melbourne by the R.M.S. Clyde.

We learn that the four prize Lincoln sheep referred to in a local in the Southland Times, republished by us elsewhere, were bred at Awamoa by the Hon. M. Holmes. They were sold to the owner of the Merivale estate a few days after the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's November show.

So far, 10 entries from New Zealand brigades and two from Sydney have been received for the fire brigades' demonstration to be held in Dunedin on the 22nd and 25th February. Entries will be received up till January 17 ; so that a large number of additional entries are expected. The following are the brigades which have signified their intention of sending teams: — Balmain (Sydney), Standard Brewery (Sydney), New Plymouth, Wanganui, Marton, Rangiora, Ashbnrton, Naseby, Invercargill, Dunedin Railway, Dunedin, and South Dunedin.

A large number of people still continue to attend the " faith-healing " addresses delivered at the Garrison Hall by the Rev. Mr Dowie and Mrs Dowie, On Tuesday afternoon Mr Dowie, in referring to the fact that some minister in this city had stated that he would make men atheists, said he had never been accused of doing that before. He had heard a good many things said about himself, but that hurt him more than anything, because he loved his Lord. He would die for Him, and he loved those for whom He died. He had never told men to look to himself to be healed, but had continually exhorted them to look to Jesus ; and how that was going to make, infidels he did not know. He referred to his own immunity from ailments of all kinds, and said if he had any he would go home, go to bed, and nurse himself. If there were any stronger man in this city he would be glad to hear of it, but he thought in proportion to his size and weight he was as strong as anyone. Mr Dowie will, in the course of his lecture this evening, deal with the subject of alleged spiritualistic and mesmeric healings and medical quackeries, showing the differences between these and healing through faith.

It was reported to the police (says the Melboutne Age) that the Rev. Father Riordan, who recently arrived from New Zealand, and was lodging with 6ome friends at- Prahran, had disappeared mysteriously, and fears were entertained for his safety. Nothing appeared to bo known of his whereabouts till it was discovered that he was looked up at Coburg on a charge of vajmt# mi remanded tto th* gaol batpWal for

medical treatment, being somewhat peculiar in tcfanner. It appears the unfortunate man's mind has given way.

. The Southland Times states that the residence of Mr S. J. Deck at Thule, Stewart Island, with all its contents, was destroyed by fire on Christmas morning. Mr Deck was in Invercargill at the time.

A special London cablegram dated December 16 to the Melbourne Telegraph says :— " In pursuance of tactics devised by Mr Dillon to compel the Marquis of Clanricarde to grant reductions of rent, a grand anti-rent demonstration was held at Loughrea, County Gal way, to-day. The attendance was large, and there was immense enthusiasm manifested. Father Cunningham presided, and there were a number of priests on the platform. The meeting was addressed by Mr Dillon and William O'Brien, of the United Ireland party. They advocated united resistance, the appointment of a committee representing tenants, and to establish a fund under which their rents should be paid until their terms were acceded to. On the conclusion of their speeches a National Rent Office was opened, and hundreds of tenants paid in their rents. Suddenly the police made a raid on tho office, and Inspector Davis seized and impounded the money, documents, and books. Dillon was arrested and assaulted by the police. Afterwards O'Brien was arrested, and subsequently Harris and Sheehy. All four are charged with conspiracy to induce tenants not to pay rents. They were brought before the magistrate and remanded for a week."

Mr Griffin, the United States Consul nt Sydney, has returned from his holiday trip. He states in reference to the intelligence that the House of Representatives had refused to consider a reduction in the tariff, that the matter can only be temporarily shelved. Mr Griffin is at present engaged in preparing an elaborate report for the information of his Government upon the probable effect of the recently imposed specific and ad valorem duties in New South Wales upon American importations. The United States Government are considering the desirability of elevating the position of consul in Sydney to that of Consul-general. Mr Griffin states that the colonies are attracting increased attention throughout the States, and he strongly impressed upon those in authority the desirability of establishing reciprocal relations between the States and the colonies.

A shocking discovery was made recently at Rutherglen, Victoria, by Mr F. Donoghue wbilst on his way to chapel. When near the Estcourt bridge he discovered the remains of a man named William Lane lying beside the road in a terrible state of decomposition. The body was swarming with ants, and when discovered' a large iguana was eating the flesh. The post-mortem examination showed that deceased had been struck by lightning.

Since the beginning of the century the budgets of the various Governments in France have been continually augmenting, until to-day the Government costs the country 463,000f per hour. During the century France has in fact disposed of 186 milliards of francs. If this enormous sum were made up in pieces of five francs it would form a ribbon which, according to a Paris journalist, would go 30 times round the world, and would weigh 800,000 tons of 1000 kilogrammes each. Given a second to lift every piece, it would take 1000 years' constant work to turnover this colossal sum. Outside the loans, the Consulate and the Empire did away with 14 milliards, the Restoration IG£ milliards, the Government of Louis Philippe 22 milliards, the second Republic six, the second Empire 41, and the third Republic, until 1882, 38 milliards. Under these different regimes the Governments cost the country per hour — 115,000f for the Consulate and first Empire, 119,000f for the Restoration, 150,000f for Louis Philippe, 173,000f for the second Republic, 249,000f for the second Empire, and 40,500f for the present economic Government up to 1882. Since then the rate of consumption has reached 463,000f — over £18,500 per hour.

Intending settlers and persons desirous of acquiring freehold farms should visit the Glenham estate and inspect for thems lyes the subdivisions for sale at Wyndham on the Uth January. 3 his property has special advantages calculated to meet the requirements of farmers, and which make it particularly eligible for close settlement. It is within an easy distance of a market and railway, accessible by good roads and with (he near completion of a branch line with a station in close proximity to the firms offered for sale. Many would-be settlers, tempted by low price, travel far h -field for land and leirn to their torrow that they are penalised for years by bad roads, and the cost of the convoyauce of produce long distance* to market. Experiensed farmers never make such a mistake, and therefore it is we counsel those In quest of land to pay'Glenham a timely visit.

A handsome little volume of poems by Mr F. Felix M'Carth'y. a Dunedin author, has been issued by Messrs J.Wilkie and Co. We shall take an early opportunity of noticing the work ; in the meantime we shall content ourselves with complimenting, the publishers on the taste they havedisplayed in the get-up of the volumn.

The Mines department of New Zca'and forward us a seasonable emblematical card, and the lettercarriers and telegraph operators have alsoissued their uwa' Christmas eardß. On the. back of the former is a useful moiV time table. a