The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1900. INTERVENTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 105, 4 May 1900, Page 4

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

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1900. INTERVENTION.

For the cause that lacks assistance Tor the 1710112 that needs resistance, For the futuro in the distance, And ths good that we can do.

A glance at the wars of the century shows that, irrespective of the standing of the Powers absolutely engaged in conflict, foreign intervention Jias almost invariably precipitated or followed on the. termination of. hostilities. To instance one of the most notorious cases of modern times, we need not go farther back than the Kusso-Turkish war of 1877. > When, after a sanguinary and costly campaign, the .Russian forces were concentrated vi Kan Stefano. within .sight of the walls of Constantinople, their further advance- was suddenly cheeked. England, prime mover in the threat which brought to a stmidfitill the victorious Cossacks, had her Medite.rranean fleet assembled, in the Dardeue.lles, and the intimation that it wOuJd, be moved to Constantinople, saved the capital of the Ottoman Empire.Russia, weakened by ah exhausting' (.•oiiftiet, had perforce to submit in spite of her

successes to a revisionary congress. Great Britain, Kussia, Austria, France, (.ieniinjiy, Italy and Turkey were represented at the gathering, which commenced in Berlin on June 13, .1.878. The present British Prime .Minister, then holding' office in the Beaconsfield

Government as Seereary of State for Foreign Affairs, accompanied his chief to the Prussian capital. Russia was virtually stripped of the territory she had acquired tinder the Treaty of San Stefano, concluded on the cessation of hostilities, and her territorial boundaries were set back to nearly where they were before. Bismarck, who presided, Bcaeonsfield and Lord Salisbury tl id a ted the terms of the new treaty agreed upon. Russia defeated the. Turk after a vast expenditure, of blood—aud treasure, and Austria, England and Prance secured i*he direct benefits, while derma uy was content with an indirect advantage,,At the time of the-Berlin Treaty it did noi appear that- ■ Britain gained anything1 by her espousal of the Turkish cause. . Subsequently, ■ however, it transpired that b\ a .secret treaty with the Porte she was ceded the island of Cyprus, which, gives almost absolute, command of the Levant and control .over the -Mediterranean end of the Suez canal.' XutneroMS Other examples might be cited. The victorious Prussians, in 180(5, within one ■ day's march of Vienna, were slopped by the diplomatic action of Napoleon 1.T.1., of France, who hart a vast army massed on the Rhine. The march of the Japanese upon Pekin in the war of a few years back was ended by the. threat of .Russian intervention ; and it was Russia gained j the territory conquered by Japan. The latter received only a monetary indemnity and the island of Formosa. Again it was Kussia in the war of 1807 who peremptorily brought up the Turkish army when within a short. distance of Athens, and compelled the sublime Porte to forego nil territorial aggrandisement at the expense of. vanquished Greece. In the FrancoGerman war of .1870, Russia, as well as Italy, would hnve. intervened in France's behalf, had not Germany bought off the Czar by consenting to the abrogation of the humiliatingBlack Sea Treaty of 1850, and King Victor Emmanuel by acquiescing in i his capture of Rome, and overthrow of the temporal power of the Pope. Germany would in all probability have ' intervened in the most recent of inter- j national wars—the Spanish-American —had it not been that Britain was in I a measure pledged by her statesmen to maintain Continental neutrality in the struggle.

Intervention has been the sequel of almost all modern wars. 'The question which now looms large in the world's polities is, will it be the sequel to the present British-South African Dutch struggle? The Boers certainly have

a bad ca.se. They made The declaration of war, and not only invaded and annexed British territory, but stirred tip ■British subjects to rebellion. Later they demanded from Great Britain, as terms of pence, rights of international sovereignty not hitherto existing', and indemnity for the rebel subjects of the Paramount Power. Such proposals left no alternative but the continuation of: the war, for no country in the world could consider such terms as the Boers advanced.

In considering1 the probabilities of foreign intervention it may be accepted as an axiom that, any nation, or combination of nations, undertaking1 interference, is not actuated by disinterested motives. No point is more plainly emphasised by the history of modern Intervention than this.

It is to Germany that the Republics have principally looked for active aid, but,the Kaiser's' Government seems to fully realise that far more is to be gained commercially by the great development of the country that may confidently be expected under British rule than is to be expected from any partiality of the Transvaal Government. Beyond this, however, there is every reason to'believe that a. definite understanding was come to on the subject in the Anglo-German agreement of last year. As regards France, M. Delcasso has stated distinctly that Lord Salisbury's pronouncement entirely precludes the possibility of European intervention, and tbvs statement may be accepted as defining- the attitude of France. Russia has very plainly discouraged Boer hopes of assistance. The fact of the matter is that Britain is the monetary head of the world, and since the outbreak of war there has been a stringency in #he money market from which Russia has been the severest sufferer. Germany has also felt it. and the continuance of the war to both these countries, and even to France, is, from this cause, likely to prove more injurious than to England itself, which has not suffered at all in an economic sense. The stringency in the money market has amply sufficed on the Continent to show Russian, German and French statesmen how ruinous the precipitation of a European war would prove. They are sufficiently astute to perceive that in the present temper of the British nation attempted intervention would assuredly mean war: and the uselessness of diplomatic pressure-, which could only end in ignominious withdrawal, is patent. Xo European Power i's likely to attempt intervention either now or in the settlement of the future of the Republics after the war. As to the United States, for which the Commissioners are now en route, it is neither in a positi6n to assist the Boer Republics, nor, at bottom, do we believe its Administration has the desire. The Boer Republics have thrown their chestnuts into the fire, and there is no Power so fatuous as to burn its fingers in their attempted rescue.

At the sitting- of the Helensville Old Aii'e Pensions Court yesterday the following- further pensions were'granted: — P>pnjamiu Young. £li>; Frederick Whitbourne. £1^: John Lennard, £18; Emily Rose Hall. £18; Charles Edward Furdon. £18: Robert Bell, £18; James Berry Hoyes. £.18; "Richard Powley. £ 1G: Mary Tliompson, £18; Thomas John McManus. £.18; John MeLeod, £18: James Connell. £18. Several cases were adjonrned until next Court clay.

A child of eighteen months, the daughter of Mr Peter Gillespie, died at the Napier Hospital on Tuesday from the effects produced by her eating a number of match heads oil the previous Thursday.. Shortly afier the little one swallowed the. poisonous material she vomited freely, and was .subsequently running about. Under these circumstances her parents thought all clanger was over, but on Saturday evening the child took ill. Medical aid was called in, and after preliminary treatment the ,girl 'was removed to the hospital where she died as stated. . .

Our C'orotnandel correspondent writes re the fire at J. K. Kelly's store that insurance on the building in the Northern was .1:200, not £'000, as previously published.

Whilst travelling on the west coast of the South Island recently .a representative of the Christchurch "Press" came across :>n old man cradling some stuff which he had mined from the side of the road. In conversation with him it was elicited that he was blind, although there were no outward appearances of his affliction. "I know yon are there." he remarked, ''but all 1 can see is a blurred something." lie had constructed a cradle with special features in order to save the gold which he said he did solely by touch. The small piece of. ground which he was working had taken him over three months to treat, and the total return from his labour had been about ten shillings. This added m hi* old age pension had kept him going, and he appeared cheerful, and like almost every miner on the coast, anxious, to, hear the latest news ofthe Avar. At; a well attended meeting- of the Waikumete Vigilance Association, surprise was expressed 'thnt the County Council should be so "dilatory in taking over and forming the pro- : posed road between Mr Morgan's and ! the railway line. It was also decided fo make inquiry into 'the assertion that there is no public road to the Blow Hole on the West Coast.

It is an extraordinary thing, says the Wniknto "Argus," what, an inhuman delight some people take in making others unhappy. Where the pleasure is derived from is a mystery, bui there, must be some source of gratification. Almost every week we are called upon to chronicle some act of larrikinism, which amounts almost to fiend ishne.ss, and goes a long way to show the eussedness of- human nature. The latest thing that has. come under our notice "is a rascally trick that was played on Mr W. Hammond, baker, a day or two ago. Someone deliberately put a large quantity of washing soda into the tank full of water which is used for baking purposes, with the result that two batches of bread were destroyed before the cause of the trouble was discovered. Mr Hammond 'offers a reward of £2 for information that will lead to the conviction of the. offender.

The following will represent the ;iratapn Football Club at Potter's Paddock to-morrow afternoon in their match against the City. District Football ' Clvb1: —Butland, Barker, Harrison, Le Pan, Phelan, Kelly, Thomson, Christiansen (2), Woollams, Neild, Day, Lendrum, Molloy, aad McHhone.

That interesting' and unique event, I the entertainment of the : -Auckland • veterans by His. Excellency, finds pie- : tovial commemoration in the pages of this week's "Graphic.'' The reproductions are particularly good, and the pictures make up the only complete, illustrated record of the event that has been obtained. Sixteen beautiful plates deal with incidents in South Africa, and there are two full-page \ engravings devoted to the same engrosj sing subject. A series of pictures I depict the precautions being- taken i here to exclude the plague from our 'shores, and to cleanse the city. One jof the most interesting- illustrations 'is that of a Maori tangi. It is certainly the best photographic reproduction of the native funeral ceremony that has appeared. The miscellaneous pictures include views of the City of Ottawa, where the recent disastrous fire rendered thousands homeless, of the Paris Exhibition, the Indian Famine, Chrysanthemum orowing, and Young Xew Zealanders.

The drainage works now being carried on in the Borough of Devonport promise to be quite a model to Auckland and to the rest of the colony in the matter of sanitary drainage. The HevonjpoEti ;Borough . authorities arc exercising the greatest care in connection with the scheme, and have embodied in their by-laws some valuable suggestions' received in a letter written by Mr '.Mitchell, architect, of Auckland, who is an authority on matters connected with up-to-date drainage, more especially in reference to house connections and the proper trapping of sewers. The Borough Council are paying special attention to the house connections, recognising the grave necessity for obviating the dangers arising i'rom sewer gas, and they have received some useful suggestions on this subject from Mr Mitchell.

The proprietor of the Empire Restaurant, Wanganui, was last week charged with selling liquor, not being licensed to do so. It was proved in evidence that, defendant was in the habit of sending out for beer when it was ordered by the customers, that there was no concealment of the practice, and defendant claimed in Court that he was within the law in doing so. Magistrate Kettle said the' question was an important one, and had never been adjudicated upon in New Zealand before. He thought the practice now objected to had been common in restaurants and oyster saloons for years past all over New Zealand, and the question was whether it was illegal. He would consider the matter and give his decision later on.

A successful social was given by the Auckland Lodge of Druids to the iiinemoa Lodge (female Branch) in the Foresters' Hall. About sixty couples were present. The music was supplied by Bros.' A. White, .]. Cos-grave and E. Fraser. Bro. Downey and others contributed. sOngs. The catering was efficiently carried out by Bro. Lepine.

The s.s. Wellington will leave for YYhangarei this, evening at 10.30 pan. from Quay-street jetty No. 2.

As the result of the Hemuera Head Board poll taken yesterday for the election of three members, Messrs \V. J. Parker. James Kussell, and A. C. Whitney were returned. The votes'"Which these, members secured were: Parker 131. Ihtssell. 321, and Whitney 115. There were two other candidates, Messrs J. Peach and J. Mason.

The Central Mission will celebrate the third year of its existence by great gatherings at the Opera Hoilse next Sunday. Rev. D. O'Donneil, of Australia, will preach at G. 30, and Rev. W. Gray Dixon at ?>. Evangelist Walker, of the Mission, will give an address in the Mission Hall at 11. A tea and public meeting will be held in the Albert-street Hull on the following Wednesday. Good music and hearty meetings will be features of. the proceedings.

Benton's first show of new goods, Saturday, May oth.—Benton (late Scott), Karajjo-ahape .Road.—(Ad.) Daley's Stock. —The balance for sale at nominal prices: White calicoes, 24d, 3kl, and 41cl per yard, Daley's price from 4|d to 7kl; white twill sheetings, 70in wide, S^cl and lOgd, Daley's prices 1/ and 1/2; honeycomb quilts, .2/11, n/lL and 4/11. Daley's prices 4/0, 5/G. 6/ti. Sale now on—D.S.C.—Ad.

Best English and colonial blankets, balance of Daley's stock, will be cleared at 30 ppr cent below usual prices; flannels and shirtings very cheap. Sale now on.—D.S.C.—Ad.