Europe, in spite of the quietude of France, has again
experienced a war scare. Early in the week, statements were made in Berlin, and, it appears, admitted in Warsaw, showing that the Russian Government had slowly raised its garrisons on the frontier of Galicia to 125,000 men, including an unusually large proportion of cavalry. These statements, of course, reached Vienna, and were followed, it would seem, by some official information, for not only did the Press of Vienna take the alarm, but the Emperor and the military chiefs held a council lasting for some hours upon the measures to be adopted to defend Galicia. It was decided, it is said, to do nothing publicly, lest Russia should take offence, but to strengthen the garrisons silently, and to keep Austria, as a Minister recently told the Delegations, en vedette. It is also stated that Baron von Schellendorf, Prussian Minister of War, in demanding an increased term of service for the Land- wehr, made use of an expression intended to imply that war might break out in the early spring. It is pretty clear that the alarm was serious, but its reason is still obscure, unless Russia intends to act in Bulgaria, and desires to warn Austria that she must not interfere. There is, however, no evidence as yet to justify this conclusion, except a movement of troops in Poland, which Russians explain as only an ordinary movement of reliefs. Austrian officers, however, retort that such movements in Russia mean mischief, for they indicate that the sway of the Army towards the West, which in Russia always precedes war, has already begun.
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