FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 12

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

FRANCE AND MOROCCO. . Parls.August 20. Tho "Echo de Paris" seems to think that tho implied offer of a freo hand, made by a German papor often directly inspired, may;, be a mero ballon d'essai ■to induce Prance to make overtures, whercas.it considers, that tho best thing for her to do is to propose nothing, but to, hold to her announced intention of policing Casa Blanca as long as it is possible to do so without being forced to go further by tho march of: events. It very portinently observes that though. before aud at •Algcciras Germany talked more thari all tho other Powers put together, that does hot confer upon her arty Special tiglits,' and oven 1 if, Germany were to offer . Morocco to Franco on a silver charger* it would: not mean that the rest of Europe released her from hor engagements. And l ) finally, supposing all Europo wore to do so, Morocco might require a littlo,taking;. The truth is .that something very like a deadlock has come inevitably to pass, and the' French are beginning to seo that, whatever mistakes M. Delcasse may have committed in, his coufcoptiori of how to carry out his policy, that polioy in itself was a sound one, and will possibly have to be followed by the present or somo succeeding Government in' the end. Morocco belli# a rioighbouririg ,province and natural adjuncttp the French possession of Algeria, it must come,, SOoner or later, -under French predominant influence in ,somo form or other. This is what M. Delcasse saw when he made the Convention with England about Egypt, and it is. noir being : generally recognised by the mass of public opinion in France. ;■ . ' ' . .

r It remains to be seen liow this object Can bo attained; If it can bo dono without'a military expedition, every- , tody will be pleaSed, but if not, such j an undertaking grows daily more pro- j bable. And tho more the possibility of j it takes shape, the less does it frighteii ] France; As-far as the army is con-- , corned, th6re. can hardly be two ( opinions. An army in idleness is sure j to fall into disreputo,- and tho Trench , army .is badly in want of a little po'pu- ] larity!- A ,cafnpaigii-would immensely , 'coritnbute 'to .its efficiency/ as well as .to/its, popularity,..arid the anti-inilitar- , istißpirit/iVhichis now rampant in cor- ', tain cirftles could scarcely , be better ■ challenged atal combhted than by put- , tiiigits theories to the test in a : cam- j ■paigii where there would be no national , danger 111 doiiig so. That Spain cOn- • ; such an eventuality is evi- . dent''from the. Speech made yesterday ' Ijv, S?nor,".Maura, the Premier,- who, . •stli-'mariced'-- solomnifcyj •.sajds "Spain Will not engage in any adventure, and her engagements towards France in no .wise bin 4 her to do so. If France under} pressure of unforeseen cirbumstaiibes shoiild think fit to alter :her lino of conduct, Spain Can. recover her liberty of ..action,. a§'she is not compelled to follow wherever Franco may chooso : to;'lead.": - : FRANCO-GERMAN BNTENTB. .Paris, August 27. • Though . nothing beyond the, official ,'cortmuniques.; has been known in re-* gard :td the Nordernoy interview, there is a general feeliiig that\a liiarked ad- ' voin'ce lias beonmade towards the es- 1 tablishmerit of better relations with Germany 7 In this connection a diplomatist,'inter viewed by tho Press, does not hesitate to state his . Conviction .that' France and Germany are fairly on tho way to an entente. He Says that , the communiques are purposely vague, Bmoo Blich an entonte Cannot bo suddenly sprung on ..the. French nation. ,^sking,'the'.reporter to'take down his exact Words, he proceeded :—"M. Cambqn : and 'Prince BuloW haVo beforA'noW been working together for ail ontento. Their projepfr-.Was submitted to; the , iftehch.'Government and' 1 to. the Emperor William., . King.'Edward wag cognisant of this terms proposed before the interview at .Wilhelmshbhe. Mr.Gambol! weiit to talk,the matter over again, 1 aftor,.the, interview, of thb Sovereigns! yie may ; feohcliide 1 that this .conversation Was satisfactory, sinco I repeat tliat ,the French, and German communiques'hro. identical, afid both Covbriinlohts' haViy thought it expedient offibiaily to libtify to tho world.that tho ' •two 'diplomatists';Wcrß, able to confirm the harmony'.of their' views (leiir accord), mark \vell tl'ie word, it Will soon > 'be repeated in- a':'inbro precise fornv Fbr th'e'time, being it wasfimpossiblo -to' Say, more especially to ■ tho French public, which is always inclined to mention Alßace-Lorraine whenever tho possibility bf' ai rapprochement many is :! suggested.' Therefore/. it is neCeSSary to prepare public opinion for more sensational revelations." :V . . -THF,'FRENCH NAVY, . Paris, August 23. The . first volume of , the report drawn up by M; Mollis on behalf of the Com-, mission appointed by the Senate to en. quiro into the cause of tho Jena disaster in • March lifts been issued. M. Monis says: l ; ... ."Wo have Established with certainty, the cause .of the ' taneous combustion'fif the D.; powder, but the cause, apparently indirect,: but in reality direct, of- the disasters that' are devastating biir national marine is .the' lack of, cO.-bperatibn and tho division iaud antagonism whioll exist.be-* tween the various:branbhes of thb'ser« vice. . . ... ' . "The magazines in our ships are in ; Sohio instances placed next to ebmpartmehts.ift which thorp is always a high temperature, and. the ooristructOrs 3o not appear to hkvo known anything of tho composition of the powdo'r, which has been in use for twenty year's, and. ' •' is Always dangerous from the'' point of viow of Safety. Its manufacturers ignore the uneasiness of the artillery authorities and. their, experimental researches. , .' ';' . t ' "The naval .artillery authorities, when confronted with disasters Such as th'oso.ot the Jena, do not endeavour to 1 .fix tho responsibility; but .to furnish an official defence in the in-. 1 tcrests of the contractors. _ The Army ' . controls .its powder' factories in the' ' ,minutest.;details; the Navy has no i btlibr anxiety than to protect its pow- [ der and saltpetre s from disquieting t<s-] 1 ports and inspection.' ; , 1 "Further, wo have met with nothing '' but antagonism and divisions in the [ Navy. Naval constructors, engineers, ' and active officers all act in cpmpleto • independence' of each o£hor, and there 1 is lit) superior authority with power to r :'unite these' throo divergent i fbrbes in '■ co-ordinated action; . Administrative ' anarchy reigns 111 tho organisation', j t The officers complain that they rebeive f' no Orders,'and, indeed, tho heartrend- »' ijig inefficiency of the central power is \ the source of tho growing enfeoblbment ' of our naval forces., It is the; system 0 bf irresponsibility and general iiiditfereiico that loads to disasters such as 1 that of the Jena, and .will bring more - ill its train. . Leti us . view without fi 'tveakno'ss' tho" melancholy .spectacles of S :tlib'defeats of tho Spa:nish and Rusi.' Sian fleets, but let us swear to res establish authority, discipline, vigilti mice, nnd responsibility in tho Navy." L A PLUOIiY FIGHT. • d v Odessa, August 23. ' Thrco days ago fivo yoting meii left ' Odessa by an oveninj; train for tho littlo township of Krivoyo-Osoro. Thoy 0 wero seen by a private watchman to d proceed, ono by ono, to an empty oot- ;. tago. Tho Watchman reported tho in'y cident to the chief police inspector, >f who forthwith onlured tho yuriadnik to is investigate. The latter took with him 3- two gendarmes and a couplo of .Cosrs sacks! An entrance to the- empty, cotjf tage was demanded, but no roply. Was ss giveni Tho yuriadnik ordered his meir :o to forco the door. On tho moment lie stretched dead by two shots from

a window, and one of the gendarmes was badly wounded. The police inspector no# hurriedly sorit to the neighbouring garrison for assistance, which camo in the shape of 50 infantrymen and 50 Cossacks. Again the inmates of tho cottage were called upon to surrender, and again tbere was no response. The military then advanced and opened a volley attack. This waß instantly checked by tho woll-aimed fire of five Browning revolvers. Incredible as it may appear, this siego and defonco then continued for 18 hours, and tho improvised fort of the five young revolutionaries was only surrendered whfen their ammunition Was spoilt; The surrender was not the least extraordinary part of tho affair. From tho corner of an upper window camo a hand which fluttered a White handkerchief;' This was at first mistrusted by the' military, who delivered anothor salvo. Tho cottago door was then opened by a young man in a red shirt, who, flung .down his Browning. Close within the threshold lay tho body of one of his companions, but tho other three had escaped I The ono prisoner captured explained to tho commandant that his doad comrade had not fallen by a military rifle. 110 had been wounded in the shoulder, aiid ,with the last cartridgo in his revolver, had shot himself through the The official report does not say what explanation tho prisoner gives of tho affair, but it may be assumed that the empty cottago was being utiU ised as a bomb factory.. The amazing featuro ; of tho iiicidcnt is that a hundred soldiers Cauld .have been held at bav for 8 hours by five young men armed only with Browning pistols. Of course, in these affairs the fear of bombs is a deterrent, but a storming party is supposed to storm at all risks.

PEJISIA AND TURKEY. , Constantinople, August 26. The Persian Government has addressed circular to its diplomatic representatives abroad complaining of the atrocities Committed by Kurds, in the disputed frontier districts occupied by the Turks upon inoffensive Persian men, women, and children. The Persian Embassy here has called , the attention of the Po'rtd to tlio reported atrocities, and has received a promise that stringent ofdferß will be given to prevent sucli misdeeds in tho, future. .With rogard to tho despatch of a special Turkish , ; commission to enquire liito the . recent frontier incident and ' the - Ownership of the disputed territory) the; Persliip of tho disputed territory, the Persian Embassy insisted as a preliminary upon tho evacuation of tho .occupied places of Vezrieh, Lahidjian SOrdesht; Mergovai 1 , MaVanehj and Bane, and tlio despatch' of a . mixod commission from Mossul. it is felt that the object of the Porte in,proposing to send a commission from Constantinople \ya? merely to gain timo,\ and .by remaining in occupation to establish a claim to tlio territory in question, _ . i ' . In consequence of the Persian objections, tho Porte to-day decided to order the Vali of Bitlis, Tahii- Pasha, and the Miitessarif of Kerkuk to proceed immediately to,the frontier to open an enquiry conjointly with the Porßian delegates and to withdraw tho troops immediately if it is ascertained: that they, are on Persian territory. These decisions seem to proiniise a satisfactory solution of tlio difficulty. ' 'FIGHTING RAILWAY MAGNATES. New York, August ,29.. The monthly meeting of the Illinois Central Railway, which was held yesterday, was rendered remarkable by ail assault committed -by Mi\ Stuyyesant Pish on Mr* J.. T. Harahan, the chairman of tlio line; Both mon al'o very well known,'and wore formofly friends. Mr. Harahan, in fact, owes much of his success in tho past to the friendly aid of Mr. Stuyvesaiit Pish. . But the alliance came to an end last November, when Mi. Harahan joined Mr. Harriinan in k campaign against Mr. Fish, Which resulted in the last-named being ■ ousted from the chairmanship to piako way for Mr. Harahan. When the' mooting yesterday . had disposed of,formal business, Mn Pisli' began to Mad a long resolution condemning Mr; Harrinian|s pOliCy, and calling'' the directors "Harrimftli's tools;" Mr Robert Goelet interrupted With a-motion to adjourn, which Mr. Harahan, Who was presiding, promptly declared to bo carried. Mr. Pish protested '•warmly, btit in Vain, and finally declared that Conduct so unparliameii' tary aiid lliscburteous proved his charges; Upon this Mr. Harahan broke ill, crying, "I am ho man's tool; The matt who 8a?8 I am is a liar.' ' ' This was too tn'ucli fdl 1 Mr. Sttiy-r vesarit Fish, who, jumping from his seat, ran round tho board table, and landed 1 his right fist on Mr. Ha'rahanjs jaw. He sought' to follow up this blow with his left, but' Mr. Harahan had already gone on the floor, and Mr. Fish, striking the 'air for his second blow, over-balanced and fell oil his rival. ' He .ifi's- quiokly' oli his feet, again, but M. Cornelius Vandorbilt as quickly interposed, urging that thero should bo 110 further violence. Mr. Fish replied. "Ho is hot worth' hitting," and left tho room for the lift. As lie descended the elevator the attendant' hoard him remark to himself, "It's too bad; it was not Harriniaii.' This speech, combined With Mr. Fish's heated s.nd somewhat tumbled appearance, indicated that something. had happened, and tho lien's spread quicklj;. Although the other directors are reticent as to the details of what happened, tho mam facts, as I baVe outlined them, are well established. There is not much difference physically tween the two men; Mr; Fish stands' 6ft., is 56 years of age, and'has been an athlete in his time. Mr; Harahan is an inch shortei 1 , three years older, and 151b. lightor than his rival. 1 RACIAL tROUBLE IN GEORGIA. New York, August 29. ' Another race war' is imminent iri Georgia ih consequence of -the' murder of three Government officials by a negro ex-soldier. Mr. D. W. Tylor, sheriff of Grady, County, attempted to arrest tlio negro for a minor 'crime ; ou Monday night, and tho liegro promptly shot him dead. He then barricaded 'himself m a lonely cabin, and when a posse headed by. Mr. Cardell, the Federal marshal, surrounded the cabin oil Tuesday night, tho nogrO opened, fir.o with a Winchester riflo and killed tlio mar-' shah Several members of tho posse narrowly escaped being hit, and they retreated hurriedly. The riegro escaped again, travelling in a southerly direction. Yesterday he was overtaken by another posSo, commanded, by Deputy-Sheriff Nunnifiutt. Ho again Oponed fire, this time.' from dense undoibrush, and killed Mr. liioutt. Beforo the members of the posso rallied tlio fugitive escaped into a forest. . . Ho was next heard of in Thomas County early this morning; and the chas6 was taken up by Sheriff High and fifty armed mon, who were accompanied by bloodhounds; The'negro may. succeed in eluding his "pursuers and reaching the Florida swamps. If ho is captured he will undoubtedly bo lynched, and ho will phibably bo tbrTlio murders have ' created intOnso oxciteuienfc throughout Southern gia, and business is suspended in many places in order that the men may join tlio pursuit. It is feared that retaliatory measures may bo attempted against other ue- ' grocs, and the latter, wlio are greatly alarmed, have appealed to the authorities for protection. | CHINA AND TIBET. ' Pekin, July 11. i Chang Ying-tang, tho Chinese Eesii' dent at Lliassa, reports the, estahlishi mont of a Chinese-Tibetan school nt the i Tibetan capital, where young Chinese

and Tibetans will learn the languages and literatures of China and Tibot. Tho students at that school are destined for future Government employment in Tibet. Ho also reports tho establishment of a native newspaper for the onlightenment of people in both iimor and outer Tibet. This newspaper will bo tho first in tho Tibetan langilago. Tho Chineso newspapers recently announced that it was proposed to niako five now provinces in the south-western confines of the Empire., With reference to Tibet, ono province was to bo called Chuen-si, Which will include tho territories West of. Tacbien-lu ard tho western portion of outer Tibet, ' with tho Lungtsu river as the natural boundary, and tho other was to bo Tibot, which will i include the romaining portion Of that country. To-day tho papers state that the central Government has held a conference regarding the development of Tibot, and the enlightenment of the pebplp, and has decided to establish readingrOoms whero tho pooplo can bo educated in the geography and conditions of Tibet. The Government considers that tho ignorance of tho people constitutes a hindrance to carrying out the reorganisation of ' the Administration. Chang Ying-tang somo time ago suggested the sending of Tibetan youths to tho Military College at Paotingfu. After going, through the- cou'rso there they would join the Imperial army for a year and then return home to instruct the Tibetan troops.

A FRENCH HEROINE. Paris, August 26; Tho town of Grenoble has remembered, after two hundred arid sixty tears, that it owes something to a gallant ladyj and has decided to erect an equestrian statue in honour of the Valiant and gracious Deftioisolle Phyllis do la Charce de la Tour du Pin. ' In Cocked hat and coat of a Grenadier, holding aloft her trUsty sword, with curls falling over her shoulders! the sculptor gives us in bronze tho presentment of this fair warrior maid. She is only one of a long list of tho daughters of France who have upheld the traditions of their'race and honoured tho history of their sex. France, the country of ; Joan of Arc and Jeanne Hachette, has always boasted the wit and courage of its' ladies> ' Phyllis de la Tour du Pin was one of that race of heroines whom the gonius of Tasso and Ariosto lias immortalised under tho names of Cloriilda and Bradamantc, simple and modest, and pure in their private, lives, fearless and free in thd field. -

, Those who care to read may learn from the old chronicles how Phyllis equipped a company of her ' vassals, and, putting herself at their head,, rode boldly through the. plains from Gap a Die to Valence to guard the passes through Which the mercenaries of the Dtike of Savoy were hoping to ipvado tho Da'uphine. Suffice it. to say that blio alone hold Dauphine for France, and justified the device Of her'illustrious house, " Chez nous femmo vdut homme." Her feat of arms brings up tho memories of many another heroine whose name can never die. In the. troublous days of the Fronde, wiien tho rivers were tinted with blood and the scent of the iris was mixed,with tho acrid smell of powder, was it , not a Princess of the blood royal, tho Grando Mademoiselle horself, who, .'accbin-i' panied by her t\Vo friends, Mmcs. de Tieaquo and do Montenac, put herself at the head of an army and seized th 6 , toVrn of Orleans, in appanage of her father ( Gaston d'Orleahs, brothor of Louiß 5111 P,. And, on the day bf the fight in the Faubourg Sti Antoine the royal "frohdeuse", herself insisted oil setting the liiatch to tho touoh-hole of the first cannon that thundered from the Bastille to coyer tho retreat of Cqnde. • . ■< SCIENCtf IN THE DESERT;' Paris, August 26j According to .private, letters which •have Reached Paris,, the expbditiohj under Captain Tilho, for the delimita- . tioii ofthe' Anglo-French . frontier 'in the region of Lake doing a great deal of Valuable scientific work, besides the mere frontier working;. ■ lii* tofpfeting Officer Laiideroin, Who was with Major Jlarchand, lias Compiled a Voluminous series 'bf observations on tho history, • manners) customs, and languages of the natives, and also, a dictionary tof the'Houssa dialect. _ Dr. Gaillard, ill a Collection of "lcpidop- 1 tera," lias, especially 'noted , and served specimens of hll the varieties, of, flies who * propagate ,the trypanosema or pathogenous bacillus.) of sleeping SickneSs. Hti has also • made ing ethnographical studies-oQ all , the races. he has come across, .being given especial facilities through his popularity with the hativeSj whoiri ho has treated in illness. i M. Garde, the geologist,: is still away in the Sokoto. deserti Lastly, Lieutenant Mercadier has been studying the topography of. the British possessions iil Ivebbi Argutiga and tho Sultanatb bf Sokoto. Having beeii shown' by Captain Macdonncll,; commanding the Sokoto mounted infantry, the organisation bf that Corps, Lieutenant Morbadiei 1 remarks that it lias almost lost its infantry character, and is l now" practically a fine light cavalry- regiment. •' .