FOREIGN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 October 1907, Page 4

FOREIGN NEWS.

ANGLO-RUSSIAN ENTENTE. Paris, September 2'. ■• The " Journal dos Debuts ■" has a thoughtful article oil the Anglo-Russian entente. It says that though nothing is yet known of the contents of tho agreement, tho more fact of its conclusion merits consideration. It thinks that the time : having come for England and Russia to put a check on the rivalry which has subsisted for the last fifty years, these countries, without making definito settlement in. detail'of all the questions involved, have broadly, fixed the bases for the continuance of tho status quo, thus giving themselves breathing time, and deferring to tho future further conflicts cf interests. The writer then roviows broadly the change that has como 1 over tho situation ill Asia sinco the Russian conquest of Turkestan and tho Pcnjdeh incident, leading up to the dream of Manchurian Empire and the Japanese war. Out of this, however, came a suspicious awakening in China and tho revival of native unrest in India, rendering it equally advantageous to both Russia and England to be sure of each other. Tho position in Persia, too, whore Gormany showed signs of profiting by Anglo-Russian rivalry, by playing on native feeling and making a show of 'disinterestedness, rendered an understanding between the two Powers whose influence is already established most desirable. The article concludes :—- " Nowhere will tho ontento be more'cordially welcomed' than, in Prance. ' ourselves are face to face in Asia, though on a lesser scale, with problems of the same, nature as those with which England has to deal, and wo are seeking a solution, in part at least, by sharing her Oriental policy, as wo were invited to do by our own entente cordiale, and which the Anglo-Russian entente renders easier for us.-' Consequently we havo every: roason to learn.with satisfaction that the laborious negotiations at St. Petersburg havo led to 'an agreement between our frionds; and. allies.. When: the British Press declares that : French diplomacy; has co-operated in the settlement of possible ; difficulties between two nations, : good relations' with whom form the basis:'of our foreign policy, it merely puts on record the fact that wo are still capahle'of under-standing-wliore our'interests lie, especiallywhen nothing is asked from lis'.but .a conciliatory, effort."' JAPAN IN KOREA. ' ' Joklo, August 2., :•' In view of tho alarming amount of hostile criticism that, finds increasing circulation concerning Japan's administration in Korea, the public will doubtless ibo. interested ' to know the results of a somewhat careful inquiry into what: Japan has really been aiming to do in that country, with a brief survey of the extent to which she has beenabio to bring hor- plan's .to achievement. And if. this necessarily meagre. roviow of so vexed a question should rosult in-disappoint-ment to those who all along have'.'expected' that Japan would'havo shown tho same competence for celerity of reformation that attended her policy of melioration in Formosa, thqro will' bo leso liability to, unjust criticism if'it bo borne in mind that there is no real identity of .circumstance, in the. task .undertaken or tho changes to bo offocted, Mter the signature of tho Treaty of. Portsmouth, permanently to safeguard, the'peace which it proclaimed, it' became'absolutely necessary that'some authority acceptable to tho leading Powers should .-'undertake the. .management of .Korean affairs,,until such time as; that ration should 'evince a.capacity for independent self-government. As- Japan was on tho ground,, so. to ' speak, • and the nearest of .kin .to. the Koreans; it soonicd only natural to the Powo'fs concerned'that sho should be : assigned the task of reforming Korea. • Apart altogether from tho international aspect of tho question, , the roign of injustice and diabolical cruelty.'that..was .decimating •' Korea '.callod for ' interference l '!jii ,; the interests, of civilisation., :''■■'■>'■:'■'' '■■' .;■ .:.; ' JAPAN; IN- KOREaI'-; '' '':■'■;"" ■: -Before Japan could;. enter upon the'-'duty. • assigned, h'ciysho'was at. the' ou.tsot confronted with, the very, unpleasant. responsibility;.: offormally' onfofe'ing ,a '.'protectorate', of >tho country.' Korea was approached in'the mostpatient, considerate, manner, and the conditions carefully.' oxp)ai'iia.l; Out the overtures of Japan wero met'.by evasion,' not to say ..resentment; . It. : became ovident to Japan that no good could bo accomplished by treating Korea as an independent Power. A Conference between tho representatives of the two imtions was called in: November, 1005, but tho Koreans naturally/ yet blindly',' averse-to outside interference,'placed" every obstruction;in the way-of an athicablo adjustment of tho difficulty.; a-corrupt andimbecilo officialdom, encouraged by a benighted and semi-savage populaco, resented what was regarded as an unwarrantable assumption on tho part of Japan, and had practically to bo forced into submission to a legal agreement placing Korea under tho protection of Japan. -'It would not boposSiblo at this: time to give-any extendod view of the many indications of achievement that' already" are, attending the course 1 of Japan's; administration'.in Korea.' The, fine: system of railways that Japan has.built from- one end of the country to the 1 other has greatly enhanced'tho''land' values of the interior, as well as proved a potent civilising factor; and Japanese loans, aro being devoted to developing 'the industrial and commercial rosources i of tho country. Enormous' sums havo already been. expended by tho Japanese Government,on the improvement and extension of highways; for before; tho' advent of, Japan there were no roads fit' for horse vehicles; -Modern systems of water-' 1 works are already' well ■undor way in some; of the largor towhs'and'cities,,and,'with improved sanitation; tlio fearful 'epidemics : to which Korea has been subject will become as raic. as they now aro in Japan. ■ ~, . ■ ■ -.--'; Plans havo heoii formulated.for ia national 'system of,education similar to-that in Japan; text-books are in course ofrpruparation for the new schools, for which Japaneso normal and training colleges aro to .provide efficiont teachers. '1 he Japanese mirid,' imbued ,'as it .is. with'the spirit of modern science, has made special efforts to root out stitiohs, especially, the pernicious; practice, of sorcery, hut in tho Imperial Court all'attempts in this direction had been without avail. - " ,: ,' THE SOUVENIR; MANIA.' New York, September 2. By the courtesy of Prince William of Sweden, his cruiser, the Fylgia, now. jn tho North liivor, was yesterday thrown open to tho inspection of his ;'countrymen and any others who cared to conic.. But what befell tho-Duke of. the AbriiKiii- at the hands of "souvenir" hunters when ho granted a similar favour here has now becomo so well known that; tho .'quarters', of tho officers and crew were locked against possible raids oh uniform''buttons' and the like. Nevertheless, the Swedish cruiser.had, by the ond of the'day, .been v.;ell-nigh : stripped of all that was portable. The. senior ofheer. lost a sword scabbard,, while tho'wardroom'is to-day lacking wineglasses and dozens of spoons.' As those articles bear the vessel's crest, they are especially sought after. "'■■ ; '■ CHOLERA IN PRUSSIA. '~'. ■- '.' Berlin, September 5. A Russian immigrant, named AbrahamZiwin, died 'suddenly in a railway train between Thorn -and Hohensalza, in Poscn, with iijt'tlio symptoms of cholera. The body, was takon possession of by the authorities, and 1 the internal organs,; etc., have beeii sent to the bacteriological institutes at Brpniberg and Berlin for examination. . Ziwin was on his way to Australia. .''.' BOURBON-ORLEANS MARRIAGE. Paris, September 5. The marriage is announced .for''November, of. Prince Charles of Bourbon, brother-in-law of the King of Spain, with Princess L'ouiso of France, daughter of tho Countess of Paris, and sister of the, Duke of, Orleans: : T hp King and Queen'of Spain and.the Infanta Isabel);)'), their aunt, aro expected to be present at tho. ceremony. The Countess of Pan's and Princess-Louisa arc now in England inor'ter to attend the requiem mass at Wcybridgo on the anniversary of the death of the Count.

"THE DEAD AT CATHCART'S HILL." , Odessa, September 2 . The few British subjects who aro resident in Sevastopol tho .British Vice-consul included, are indignant at the uncomplimentary description of the condition of the British' cemetery at Cathcart's Hill, given in some Russian notes lately published by an English correspondent. The place could not well bo kept hotter even than it is by tho Lettish caretaker, who is a very good garcloner. Every inch of tho ground'which is not occupied:'by the graves and. monuments is handsomely laid/out with floral.parterres in pleasing, artistic designs, and tho- walks are neatly and cleanly kept and prettily bordered. So abundant and beautifully various aro the (lowers that no matter how many British tourists visit Cathcart's Hill during, tho summer and autumn, all are' suppliod with souvenir bouquets.';. The French cemetory is well kept, but there, is no comparison between it and the British graveyard in point of trimness, beauty,. and floral- ornamentation. ...-.., ..•'..'-. . --'~ - .- i The old -wall has lately been replacod by . a now and more imposing structure, and the general and particular condition of tho historic British ' burial • ground -loaves nothing to be desired. Tho English correspondent referred to considers that- the caretaker at Cathcart's Hill ought to bo a- British Crimean pensioner. Such an .appointment would certainly bo a very fitting and appropriate one, but the Crimoau, pensioners are now,' all old. men, ,aiid where is a British Crimean veteran to be found who,speaks Russian or would care to live alone on the lonely steppo whoro; Cathcart's Hill is situated?' The upkeep- of Cathcart's Hill is defrayed by ■ a Government grant of £200 per annum, and every penny is disbursed to the best- advantage.' ANGLO-TURKISH RELATIONS. , Constantinople, September 4. The cordiality of the welcome extended'by the Sultan last night to Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Drury and. the officers of-, the. .Mediterranean Fleet',.;'.whom :his ■ Majesty',; entertained at, a banquet,' with niahy other Brit- ; ish guests,, is matter for general comment. Covers wore laid for-110, and-tho magnificence of the entertainment is said to liava surpassed anything of the kind since the Sultan's, accession, and it is held to indicate tho improved relations which' iiow'oxist between tho Porto and the British Government. The- guosts included ' Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Drury, tho Commander-in-Chief "in the Mediterranean,.-.and-his staff, as well as all,the officers of the Fleet, who are visiting Constantinople, Sir Nicholas O'Conor, ' tlio British' Ambassador, and thp-mombors of tho Embassy, tlio Consul-General,'.tho Judge of. tho. Consular Court, and several prominent 'members- of. tho' British colony connected, with trade, finance, commerce, and shipping. •Lady Drury and Lady O'Conor-wore the only two ladies present. The Turkish guests comprised the Ministers and the .'palace functionaries. •Before the banquet the Sultan received • Sir-Nicholas•'O'Conbr.'and 'Sir .Charles Drury and their ladies in private audience. ;The Ambassador's and Admiral's suites were aftorwards presented to his Majesty, who in turn introduced,, tho Turkish-dignitaries."lt is usual for. a -visit "of courtesy-on: the part of- tho British" Commaiider-iii-Chwf ' in'oho Mediterranean to be graciously responded' to by'tho Sultan conferring the .''lih'tiajs medal on his.officers,'; thb decorations usually';con-. -ferred 'in; tho-.case': of, the,'officers of .other nations being contrary to tho British Naval '-regulations. An ' exception has, however, . beem made iu,tho caso of tho: Admiral, who has received tho Grand ■ Cordon •' of tho Osmanieh Order, whilo his'Majesty'conferred on Lady Drury the Grand "Cordon" of the Ch'efakat Order.' "• ■■ ■'' ■ ' ■■' ' ' THE BATTLE OF CASA BLANCA. .... "'' '' Paris, September 5. ' ■ The " Figaro's" correspondent at Casa r; tha; following details''-'of ■ the' lighting oivTuesday :—i-•' ;">■: '''"•'• ,; ; i; |]fever' : ''was'"an action:' so, unforeseen., : Tho, 11 genera! had not expected a. light to-day; and'' -wo. counted ,wrongly:,,on. the weariness .of the enemy-;' whose .boldness soems to increase'with ill-success....: Oil'. Moiiday.ovpningi.information s rptichecl,camp'.tliat,t)ip.tribesmen,'baddpcided upon a-concerted':.action, against-the camp :. and the, : .towh. (.Thevplan this :timo ..was-i'-to attack from ' all 1 : sides "at oiioe. '"'General Drude,On learning this;/rosolycd to;frustrate the enemy's: plans by advaiicihg,to nieot' ' r 't-hbin. Ho inimc'diately formed a", flyiiig: column, under tlio command of Colonel B'rulard, supported,.in tho rear ,by two companies of infantry and a section, of,'field'artillery,, who -wore ordered-, to follow, at ;a distance, but. . .without, losing touch ..with tho. camp.". " .•" • At firstValliWent well.- -.-Horsemen!appeared in:, the distance, but fled at once .without waiting for an attack. It seemed likely that the reconnaissance, would be a bloodless one,' wlion, at'a.'distance of .five or six miles'from' the camp, tho number of horsemen increased in siichi "proportions that Colonel Brulard gave ;tho ! .signal for'a halt,' hoping:to' put 1 tho onemy,-to flight'-..'. 'In this;', howpvor, -lio : was disappointed. -. The : guns' ; Jiad:; no soonerstarted, firing, thaii the .enemy, instead of dispersing, seemed, .-,bn the contrary, to-spring fr'pnVtliG earth/and with useless intrepidity to 1 , face, the' French force. ... -. „.;. ... .- ~.(.. : :'.Nunierpus columns.of horsemen-suddenly appeared on tho hills. These.,were the tribesuion who had assembled at Taddert, and, having heard the guns, were'bravely, coming, to ■ join the fighting hue. They were both, strong in numbers and fresli.. Bullets began tp rain in abundanco round General Drude and'his staity who,, having left the camp''soon after Colonel Brulard, had followed tho'action'from : the beginning.' Boforo this shower of projec- • .tiles we had to retire,, while the artillery mi. '■ deavduretl.to.stop the onset of these fanatics. - O" 1 '. } yho \° strength was directed, against them, and,our troops,were able to return to camp, .after , sweeping the; fiold, at: three O ClOCk. ' : . . : . , ... ■■' . , , ... -, ,The_action thus .lasted ten 'hours, durin'fr four of-which it was fierce and'difficult. r ihe stall: estimates the number of ■■tlio onomy at GOOO.