The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1900. RUSSIAN DESIGNS IN PERSIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1900, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1900. RUSSIAN DESIGNS IN PERSIA.

Por the cause that lacks assistance, For the -wrong that needs resistance, lor the futuro in the distance, And the gnod that va can do.

It would be contrary to all her traditions and practice if Russia did not take advantage of England's difficulties to advance Muscovite schemes in the East. The cable announcement, therefore, that in consideration of a loan guaranteed by Russia the Shah has granted that country exclusive rights for the construction of rail-

ways for a period or .seventy years, will cause no surprise in the minds of. students of. Russian diplomacy. Last year a Russian mining syndicate obtained the lease for seventy years of the entire province of Azerbigan, which is reported to be rich in copper, iron and other valuable metals, and it was declared by the "Times of India" that under a secret treaty Bandar Abbas, a port on the Persian Gulf, had been ceded to Russia. The latter statement lacks official confirmation.

The practice of establishing commercial interests us a prelude to political control is one constantly followed by Russia. For years past the consuls of that country have been authorised to buy freehold properties in Jerusalem and other parts of Syria. These purchases are not, we may feel

assured, made because the Czar's Finance Minister finds himself overburdened with a surplus which he desires to invest. The extraordinary expenditure of the Empire last year exceeded the extraordinary revenue by ninety-eight million roubles. But the existence of Russian commercial interests always forms a plausible pretext for interference when the moment is deemed opportune, and exclusive commercial rights, such as those secured in Persia, really constitute a form of annexation. They close the

country against the subjects of any other nation. A ioun directly guaranteed by the Russian Government affords a still more solid pretext for political supervision. Persia is not a heavily indebted country-—uot because the present Shah or his predecessors have been unwilling to borrow.but because financiers have shown a reluctance to lend. The total public debt is not much greater than that of the Municipal Corporation of Auckland, and the •'King of Kh;gs," if he has ever heard of Xew Zealand, must be filled with admiration at the skill displayed by our Colonial Treasurer! In tapping the reservoirs of English gold to the extent of nearly fifty millions. We believe there is an excellent sphere of labour open in Persia for any retired colonial financier: but for the insecurity of heads in that benighted land we might recommend it to the attention of some of the disappointed aspirants to the Xew Zealand Chancellorship. His Serene Highness the Shahinshah must be perfectly weil aware that his country will have to pay very dearly tor that loan, but with every true Oriental sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. Besides, Muzaft'er-ed-Din Mirza is not the first man. high or low, who believed that he could sup with the deil and escape the penult}-. .Nevertheless the day of reckoning cannot be very far off, and when the railways whicu Russia may construct through his territory are rendered fit for the conveyance of troops the world will probably hear more about it.