Russia has recently been quieter ; no attempt to assassinate
any Bulgarian has been reported for nearly a month, and there has even been a slackening in the massing of horsemen in Poland ; bat this week the stories of war preparation', are revived. There are "great movements" of troops in the South, and "feverish activity " prevails in the Black Sea dock- yards. Vladivostock, moreover, on the Pacific, is to be reinforced by "several" ironclade, in order to bring up the Russian squadron there to " sufficient " strength. That last " preparation " would indicate expectation of war with England, as no other Power would fight in the Pacific ; but it is quite possible that the stories, though true, mean but little. The Czar is perpetually, though in a fitful way, watching his Empire, and when he discovers a weak place, there is for a little while a fury of activity in reinforcing it. The Departments arebig with secrete, and regiments and ships are moved as suddenly as if war were immediately at hand. We see the same thing in England occasionally, when our many- headed Czar wakes up; but in England, as there is no secrecy, rumours die a quick death.
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