GERMANS AT BASLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 5

GERMANS AT BASLE.

NOT IN SWISS TERRITORY. THE REPUBLIC'S NEUTRALITY. <W- ' - In regard to the cabled, report that the Germans=Tiave occupied the Basle rail- •■ way station, the general impression seems to "be that- this constitutes an infringe-. ment of the neutrality of Switzerland. That this view is erfoueous -has been, pointed out to us by -Mr. Streiff, _ .the Swiss consul. He expUins that Basle - being a border town, is partly in Swiss territory, and partly in Baden, and that the railway station which the-Germans have "occupied, is actually- on German soil Mr. Streiff further observes thao the Swiss arc-not in the least likely to ignore any further encroachment on their" frontiers. In 1871, when General Bourbaki with the remnants of. a.'defeated French armY"was'driven frora-Frahcc into Switzerland, his 80.000 men were at once disarmed hv the Swiss. It\is well known that the "Swiss hay.c built up one of the most perfectly organised, systems of iiational defence in existence, and. they would certainly not: acquiesce,-tamely to the occupation of any part of their country by the Germans, even if any German general were prepared to run the risk of conducting military operations among the practically impassable mountains and valleys of the Alpine regions.

A Grandson of the dar Nicholas I„ Inspector-General of Cavalry, and a Man of Great Influence in Amy Matters, Vrito has been Appointed Commander-in-Ch'** ot tie: Etesian S"ero% _