10 MARCH 1883, Page 3

Anarchists of different types, and with different objects, are mow

under trial in Russia, Austria, France, Spain, Belgium, and Ireland. They all profess to be moved by the sufferings -of the poor, all deny personal aims, and all justify murder as a method, if other means of securing their objects fail. In the trials now proceeding at Vienna a new feature was developed. The Anarchist " circles " sought as their ends the destruction 4' of the throne, the altar, and the money-bag," and were subject to the usual discipline. One day, however, a general order was received to raise money even through crime, and circle two resolved to rob Herr Merstallinger, a master shoemaker, selected on account of his unpopularity. Two of the members, accord- ingly, chloroformed and robbed him of £78. There are said to be forty-two of these associations, and a member of one of them 'has been found in possession of cyanide of potassium—which when treated with acid de velopes prussic acid—" enough to poison -3,000 persons." Let us hope that he is a photographer, not a poisoner ; but still, the existence of these circles in so many -countries, and all ready to commit crime, constitutes a new and most formidable social danger.