7 JANUARY 1888, Page 13

The telegrams received from the Continent during the week have

all been of the tranquillising kind ; but they do not amount to much. Certain negotiations have been commenced between the Courts of St. Petersburg and Vienna which are expected to be of importance, and a cue has, we fancy, been given to the journals to keep things smooth while these nego- tiations last. Nothing is known, however, of their character, and there has been no change in the facts of the situation. The deep Mow which covers Eastern Europe has prevented mili- tary activity ; but the purchase of supplies by Russia still continues in her Southern provinces. They must be re- quired, if it is true, as reported by the Vienna correspondent of the Times, that the Russians have collected three hundred thousand men and seven hundred guns in the three districts of Wilna, Warsaw, and Kieff. The " districts " are military dis- tricts, it is true, and of great size ; but such a concentration of force involves the construction of very large magazines, and the expenditure in carriage of a great sum of money. It is quite clear that the danger is not yet over, or visibly approaching its end; for if it were, the Eastern Governments would, merely to lighten the financial pressure, make formal announcements of the fact.