Mr. Carlyle wrote to the Times last Saturday to sound
an alarm as to the rumour that " our miraculous Premier" was contemplating a feat in the East,—apparently sending the Fleet to Constantinople,—which would force " not Russia only, but all Europe to declare war against us." "This latter I have come to know as an indisputable fact ; in our present affairs and out- looks, surely a grave one." Mr. Carlyle does not say clearly what it is that he has come to know as " an indisputable fact," whether it be Lord Beaconsfield's wish, or the result which, if carried out, that wish would produce. But we understand him to mean that what he knows as an " indisputable fact" is that if Great Britain did determine on siding with Turkey in the war, the rest of Europe, —i.e., Germany and Austria,—would join Russia against us. If that is what he means, we suppose that he has his infor- mation from German sources ; and it would be rather cheering information than otherwise, and far from intrinsically im- probable. We suspect that the union between the three Emperors is still substantially maintained, and that Germany, at all events, does, not intend to see the settlement of the Eastern Question once more spoiled by British meddling. it is a hint which the aggressive party would do well to ponder.
Previous page
