The German Boguey.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5013, 22 May 1889, Page 3

The German Boguey.

The Auckland Herald is very much afraid of Germany. It says:—ln Germany the children are expressly taught in the school hooks that all the little neighbouring countries are bound to be drawn into the German Empire, and within the last sixteen years overtures have been repeatedly made to several of the kings to voluntarily enter that empire, and stand on the same footing as the German Kings or Grand Dukes of Bavaria, Saxony, Hesse, Mecklenberg, &c. That is, the honour of wearing a crown and the retention of their revenues would be guaranteed to them, while the control of their forces and other real power would pass to the Government of Berlin. The death of the King of Holland, who always obstinately refused such overtures, has been again expected, and it is believed that when ho does die the Begency for his infant daughter will have to yield to the pressure. Annexation of Holland would enable Germany to become a very great naval Power, but though the Hollanders do not wanlto share the profits of their rich neighbours, or to have a German conscription for their Ashmen and sailors and object to lose their independence, yet how can they resist unless they are backed up P And if there bo nothing to prevent Germany annexing Holland what will prevent her taking neighbouring Belgium also—or at any rate its wonderful port of Antwerp ? Antwerp is, from its position, of such strategic and commercial importance that Pitt declared “it would belike a pistol pointed at England if it were in the hands of a great Powerand Bonaparte declared at Bt. Helena that it cost him his empire, because when the allies offered him their last terms, namely, France with her old boundaries, ho refused because he could not bring himself to surrender Antwerp. The ambition of Germany to acquire Antwerp is now as notorious as that of Russia to acquire Constantinople. To-day Germany under Prince Bismarck has become a danger to Europe, and indeed to the world, and it must bo very gratifying to that statesman to find his path smoothed by the readiness of so many Governments to figure in his alliance or at anyrate to fall in with his diplomacy.