EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 13923, 6 March 1913, Page 5

EUROPEAN SITUATION.

GERMANY’S ARMY. Press Association.—Telegraph.—Copyright BERLIN, Marcli 5. The Cologne Gazette, in justifying the army increases, says the bloody day of Kirk Killisse shifted the balance of power in favour of Slavdom. The national military rise of the Balkan States and the temporary extinction of Turkey „ foreshadowed the possibility of a distant conflict which demanded from Germany greater military strength. FRENCH PRECAUTIONS. PARIS, March 5! The Council has decided that three years’ service for all classes is absolutely necessary. All exemptions have been abolished. Tho effect of the Bill will be to increase the present army by 60 per cent. . The measure was expected, and it appears to lie in accord with the wave of patriotismnow passing over the country. Despite the enormous sacrifices that will be entailed on the young manhood of tho country the French people arc heartily supportin')’ the revival' of the three years' conscription system. - ■ : GERMANY BORROWING. LONDON, March 5. Germany is borrowing ATS,OOO.OOO in addition to a largo issue of Treasury bonds. A CONFIDENT NOTE. LONDON, March 5. Count Slurgkh, the Austrian Premier, has officially informed a deputation that there is a well-founded hope that there will be a general slackening of the European tension in the near future, i SECRET NAVAL DEVELOPMENTS. NEW TYPE OF SUBMARINE. Craft of Great Offensive Power. LONDON, March 5. i The Daily Express announces that | naval developments of a remarkable nature are taking placo under the cloak of ( secrecy, and that in the course of the next twelve months some astonishing details will become known. Regarding the changes in tho types of warships,’ none are said to bo more noteworthy than tho development of the submarine. An entirely new type of submarine of considerable offensive power, and capable of crossing tho At!antic at a high rate of speed is being built for tho British navy. These will carry guns, and will bo able to lire eight torpedoes. Plans are now before tho Admiralty for a flotilla of these vessels, which will carry several heavy quick-firing guns specially mounted, for use against air craft. , i OUTPUT OF WARSHIPS. Britain’s Record for 1012. (Wore than Any Two Other Nations. LONDON, .March 5. ’ The output of armoured British ' warships in 1912 constituted a world’s rpcord. • ■/ - --- ;• ■ ,• : ■ Neither the two next-strongest naval.' Powers, Germany and the United States, nor the Triple Alliance, Germany, Austria, and Italy, added so many tons to their eiiective material strength as did Great Britain. A The aggregate displacement of the vessels sent, to sea was'’l6s,7oo , tons, and there was an . increase in 'tonnage , and power in every class of vessel. It is a notable feature of warship designing that the latest craft planned are heavier still. Apart from the submarines there were 50 ships on the stocks or authorised at the beginning of the year. Two Australian submarines will shortly be ready for launching, and orders ‘havo been given for a .submarine parent vessel, also for an oil supply ship. i : j FRENCH JINGOISM. i A disquieting revival. Europe’s Most Ominous Symptom. How Events are Interpreted. ! Men Who Benefit by War Scares. (Sydney Sun March l.j LONDON, Friday. “The most ominous symptom.of. Europe is tho revival of Jingoism in France.” In this phrase one of the foremost leaders of Liberal opinion in England summed up the view taken by a considerable part of tho press and public in England of tho recent developments across the Channel. With tho Entente Cordialo binding this country to active co-operation with France under certain contingencies, British interest is obviously keener than that of a mere spectator. It is no secret that there exists in England a school of publicists and politicians who aro convinced that Groat Britain will some dav have to fight Germany, and believe the longer that day delayed the smaller will be England’s chance of coining victorious out of tho death grapple. With tho improver, relations of Great Britain and Germany of late it is significant that this school is looking to the recent clo- \ elopmeut of what is termed the now ' spirit in Franco as the mediaeval Chris- j tian looked at tho coming of a now * Crusade. " j FRANCE .EXPOSED TO HUMILIA- I TION. | By part of the London press President ' Poincare’s message, tho appointment of ; M. Delcassc to St. Petersburg, and tho announcement of tho projected increase in military expenditure are extolled as signs of tho highest patriotism, in other quarters a different interpretation . is put upon tho events. “Why all this eloquence about a Franco exposed to ; humiliation?” it is asked. “Why all tho utterances of bellicose passions? Docs it moan that the Franco-Russian adventure may load to war with Germany?” All true friends of Franco, j those persons say, have reason for | anxiety at this outbreak of Chauvinism, ' which coincides with the movement indicated by M. Poincare’s declaration that ho intends to play a inore masterly part than his predecessor in tho Prcsi- • deucy, | Th„ situation in Paris, according to i some observers, is a grave one. The 1* rencli press, they say, is in the hards of financiers, many of them interested

in expenditures for war materials, and in tho-diversion of public attention from social and ‘ economic questions. The French War, Office, according to this view., is In the hands of men who'hate : the democracy, and whose aim is a militarised France. ’ Whether they succeed in the aisns to re-establish tire three years’ service depends on the opinion of the masses. of the French people—the smalt burgeoise, peasants, and workmen, who bear the chief burden of taxation:, It remains to be seen whether they will "view with ..approval 'the addition, of. £20,000,000. to the large a'niount France , already spends on her army. • 1 | OUTLAY ON ARMAMENTS'. ' j Quite recently, say the same observ- ' ers, the men who demand an increase in militia, expenditures were telling the public of France that the army had never been so ready for war as at the i present moment. They 'describe the |. situation as being as it was before the ! Dreyfus case, and add that if the reac- ' hjhn continues the army will again rule France. . Id connection with this some interesting figures arc published by. M; Edi mnnd Ihery, in Le Matin, on the onormons rise in expenditure on armaments ci' the six Great Powers of Europe— France, Britain, Germany/ Russia, Italy, and Austria. Since 1883 Franco has' Imonf the Power that has moved most slowly and reluctantly in tho path 'of increased expenditure. " From 1883 to 1893 th« total increase in the expenditure for armaments for tho six countries was £20,560,000; from 1893 to 1907. £81.440,000; and from 1907 to 1912 £77,200,000. , - In the,.first period the greatest increase was made by Germany, in tho last period Austria’s yearly increase was larger -than in tho first period, while Russia made tho largest average increase ever registered in tho history of the world., ,