The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, September 17, 1891. ARMED EUROPE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 660, 17 September 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, September 17, 1891. ARMED EUROPE.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, Thy God's, and truth’s.;

The cablegrams from day to day indicate that strange things are taking place in the old world. The cry of “’Wolf’’has been raised so often that every item of alarming news is now greatly discounted. All round there is a cry of “ Peace,” but the undercurrents at work are so ominous that a general feeling|of uneasiness is created. Russia’s diplomatists have been playing their cards with great skill. There is evidently a clear understanding between France and Russia, giving mutual support in case of an outbreak involving the Triple Alliance, and the Porte is showing a weakness that is specially favorable to the Muscovite All the vacillating explanations to the other Great Powers cannot alter the fact that the Sultan has made the concessions demanded by Russia in regard to the passage of the Dardanelles. A tardy denial has come from the Sultan that any policy has been changed, or that he has any other desire than for peace. Indeed each Power talks of its desire for peace, but not one abandons any portion of the crushing burdens that have been placed on the people for military purposes. There are very strong indications that the Russian flag will yet be floating over Constantinople. The way has often been barred by other Powers, but the course of events seems all in Russia’s favor. The latter has now the Caucasus, France holds the Atlas, and one of the other two socalled “ props,” the Balkan, is enclosed by the Bulgarian State, in which Russian influence has great sway. Reports to which more or less credence may be given are in circulation to the effect that the Sultan has entered into a secret treaty to compel Austria to evacuate Bosnia, and to bring pressure to bear to force the withdrawal of the British forces from Egypt. The Turkish Empire has for years been undergoing a process of decay, The throne is only kept up with the aid of foreign help, and there are foes within as well as without. Russia, on the other hand, has been steadily increasing her grasp, and the domestic difficulties and restlessness of her people only make it the more necessary that there should be aggressive movements to distract the attention of the people from the social condition at home. In case of a war now Russia would probably have four of the Great Powers against her, though France would be with her. Should a war occur it will undoubtedly be a war of surprises. The secrets of the various War Offices would then be tested with terrible effect, The Struggle might not last long, but the contest

would be such a sharp one as the world has never seen. Among the many new inventions that of the noiseless and smokeless powder will probably be a terrible death-dealer. Its penetrating force was illustrated during a riot in a Continental city. It is said that a ball from a soldier’s rifle went through the bodies of three men, and then buried itself deeply in the front of a wooden house that was behind where the men had stood. Many of the new appliances of destruction that will be brought into use are of course kept secret. A short time ago Mr Archibald Forbes expressed the opinion that the rapid-firing guns would be all in favor of those who were on the defensive, and that attacking armies would soon be annihilated. A repetition of the Crimean affair would probably be impossible in these days. In a late Home paper (one of those that wrote very strongly against the delay in strengthening the condition of the British navy) we read that the delay was not such a bad thing after al), as it would allow many improvements to be made in the vessels, improvements that had not been conceived at the time of the great agitation. Our own belief is that the destructive inventions will in themselves be a preventative of war, and the “ diplomatic battle” now being waged seems to favor the more aggressive Powers, for the reason that the others would put up with a good deal rather than go to war over what would be mere trifles in comparison to the dreadful results of a hideous war. It is annoying to a Britisher to see the concession made to Russia over the passage of the Dardanelles, and it is also annoying to see that every month seems to hasten the time when Russia will seize Constantinople, though that aim has so often been averted. But many sacrifices can be made to avoid a great European war. In a recent speech Lord Salisbury said that statesmen were now realising the awful responsibility that was cast on them in this matter, the science of war being so different to what it was only a few years ago that all men dreaded to do anything that would cause an outbreak. He also made it understood that his belief was that the longer the threatened European war could be averted, the more reason there was to hope that universal peace would be established. The position appears more grave to day than it was when Lord Salisbury made the speech referred to, but we believe that the cloud will soon clear off and leave a brighter prospect than ever.