A GERMAN PROGNOSTIC OF THE COMING EUROPEAN WAR.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 21 May 1880, Page 2

A GERMAN PROGNOSTIC OF THE COMING EUROPEAN WAR.

An oUcer of the Imperial army, who spent some months in Adelaide last year, and ia at present living in Hew Zealand, ;irrite«/ut, (Apst^i|c|e Deutscbe Zeitung) is folfoWit'ewicVrniig the prospects of a European war :*■• More and more threateningly does tbe shadow of a Europe-in vrar cloud tbe horizon, nearer draws tbe misty dark*nesr|liatrpprtetfd3 the' tem ) |rttjai«l i^veri| Jnofylhe |r^'ph%iof^il, wES|evej^lince ) 1871. have been incessantly declaring that there would be no vest for Europe without another grand war, are triumph* ing in the expected early, accomplishment .PMJjei?! J?ff dif liopf . f JThe, ; Jelegr aph an^ nonnees tbe concentration of' large vodies of Uussian troops in Poland, tbe new** papers report warlike preparations on the part of Fraace, the gatrisomng of Ger« man fortresses, the ieinforoi«g of German jattiiteryj |ad iß^ntry-pthere is talk of boatile eoeouatera between Russian and German officers— ia .short war, with. its accompaniments of sorrow and misery, appears to timidly » constituted minds qatte inevitable. Our counsel, however, would be 'to rcceira tbew alaroimg itM , ings with caution, or at any rate not to 'draw the worat conclusions therefrom, since there is realty no reason, for doing so as yet. We shall endeavor ia the fol* lowing remarks to reduce the warlike 1 rumors to their true value, leaving it to our readers to accept or reject oar conoJusions as they may see fit. If peace should be disturbed, the disturbflaee will be on the part of Russia, for tbe latter finds her »on^uest3 in Turkey menaced by the claims of England and Austria, and is alarmed for her prestige in tbe East. She may also hope, by engaging in wa*» to supply a safety valve for the revolutionary movements within her owngdp|ia;jto, |&i such (jaßf ' KusSia woMdl«|in Bfpi#4^#^f with Austria. On the sfek of tkafc power it will find ranged Germany, and pos« sibly England also { whilst France, oo the other hand, will readily support the j power that takes the field against us. Hence we have f the allied forces of ! Russia and france>, pitted against those of Germany, Austria, and (perhaps) England * , Let us compare their relative strength : i The German army contains according to tbe lists for 1879 :— 620,000 men of the active force , 551,000 men reserve forced militia, Ifn all 1,2a3,080-m'en, J of whom 114,000 ;'e#w%i together with 2560 cannon. The frontiers of the Empire are defended by thirty -three fortresses, the fleet numbers thirtyssix li«e*of- battle ships, of which twelve are ironclads of the best cohslf uctioa. I Austria ,4iußg»r# #att' ,«e»d Mfo. the j 800,000 men of the aetiye foirce 1 405,000 men reserves In all 1,205,300, of whom 84,000 are i , cavalry, and 2280 cannon. r-~> Hie^&ustro Hungarian fleet numbers j fortysooe line«of«battle skips, of which fourteen a,re ironclads., v JFrvm^ «fta rcisß.-r- ,r*i r.» i >Jf*¥mM& m<«h'*f>4fee»aSti*« force 600,000 reserve 732,0C0« dis§odtion} in all, 1,982,000. ot whom 122,000 are cavalry, and 3100 cannon. France possesses fifty-eight fortresses, fifty forti* fied places. Her &eefc comprises 101 i

line of battle ships, among them a great maoy^Tiperanuuated, wooden vessels, but likewise twenty>on«*ironcl*cls. Russia jafdfessrs dispose of-» r £»BO,nog":men active force 620.000. regular reserve 400,000 irregulai reserve j in ail, 2 000,000 men, with numberless cavalry and about 2500 cannon. Her fljet^is numerous, but Ijttje^ l^nown, , It i| very seflectyre ih the Mattel Joi forpedo appliances. We calculate that England could Tu^ppiyabout UO.OGO men-»-such as they would be—^towards a European war. Yei Wit ireWendously powerful fleet and her tremendous power of «• blow " are WatteWmm*iriraTwlyrweigOeivl!F ;n the soali>.