at the hour is coming." To add to the growing hostility, the
_Post_ quotes from the Paris _Figaro_ an article imputing the grossest
immorality to German women.

At the same date, the Buda Pesth _Journal_ urged Austria to attack
Russia before the latter has completed her preparations on the lower
Danube. It said: "_War is inevitable_, and it is better to begin
fighting before the Balkan states have been Russianized."

Senor Castillo, the Spanish minister of the interior, said that Spain
had taken steps to augment her defences and protect her colonies, in
view of the possible European war.

February 12 a despatch to the London _News_ from St. Petersburg said:
"Ominous fears of a European war prevail here. It is announced that
German colonists in the Caucasus have been notified to hold themselves
in readiness to return to Germany and join the reserves."

At the same date the _North German Gazette_ said that since General
Boulanger had assumed charge of the French war office not a day had
passed without measures being taken to augment the offensive strength
of the army, and there were constant movements of troops upon the
frontiers.

February 19 the news was still more alarming at Berlin. Work was going
on night and day on the fortifications at Verdun and Belfort. "All
commerce has been suspended at Metz, excepting in food. The
inhabitants are storing their houses from cellar to garret." A Russian
paper of that date said, "Existing circumstances admit of no delay."

At Vienna, February 18, it was announced that "a semi-official letter
from St. Petersburg represents that Russia is waiting for a
Franco-German conflict, _which she considers inevitable_, to realize
her own Balkan projects. Russia would consider it to be to her own
interest not to allow Germany to be victorious."

February 19 Senator Beck at Washington referred to an extract from a
late speech of Count von Moltke before the German Reichstag, to show
that _war is inevitable_.

February 27 the London despatch to the _Boston Herald_ said: "Within
the last forty-eight hours confidence in the maintenance of peace has
visibly lessened."

About the same time in Russian government circles the conviction was
said to be gaining ground that a Franco-German war was inevitable, and
that it would be for the interest of Russia to save France from
disaster.

March 6 the _North German Gazette_ said that the Alsace elections had
strengthened the war party in France.