Several papers, notably the Standard, pay groat attention to- war
rumours, one of which is that the Vatican has been con- vinced by its agents that war is immediately at hand_ Thetheory is that Austria is about to take steps in the Balkan which will compel the Czar to declare war, and that Prince Bismarck will then have his long-desired chance of ridding Germany of her Eastern incubus. He thinks, the story goes, that the death of Gambetta will enable him to fight Russia when she has no ally. We do not believe one word of it all. The Czar may be carried a-way by his fears, or by the Revolutionary party, which would like a defeat, as leading to a break-up of the- autocracy; but the governing men of Etirope are old, and will not voluntarily play for such tremendous stakes. Prince Bis- marck does not want war while his master lives, and without his consent the Hapsburgs will not risk their whole future- to get Salonica too soon. As for the Vatican story, who has- revealed to the correspondent secrets kept with the most jealous care P
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