BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 199, 16 May 1908, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

CURRENT TOPICS.

: England and Germany.—Tho navil writer -in:tho ''•Taglicho Rurtdschaiij" Count Ernest Reventlow, says that the German Estimates for, 1906 provided for two battleships. The, •t, cruiser " E "- sanctioned in that year cannbt be mcludod, as ifc .hAs only <15,000 tons displacement. The Estimates -for 1997, provided ■: for two new,battloships and one cruiser; tho - Estimates for 1908 for three battleships and ono cruiser; and'the Estimates for I9tfi) for three battloships and ono cruiser; altogether, J-thirteen vessels. VThere .is/'.ho.continues, • ■ '.' fortunately,' no reason, to doubt • thai/ this programme-will be punctually carried out;

although there is also no reason to assume ■. that: the vessels will bo - constructed witlnn ; thirty months in tho future. ; Tho stole-' • '•!••• monts m'ado ,-by Admiral : von Tirpitz, -.the Secretary for: the 'Navy,-. and in other quar- : tc-rs; justify us. in hoping, that-the-term of ■' fqrty months, thai; lias hitherto been cmployed m / tho . construction of-'i a first-pli\s3 , ; battleship,Avill.bo*reduend, but it,is hardly : . probablo that it-will be lessened by. Sb much vft;.as/lcn:,in6ritlis.; ; ; Assuming 'thirty montl)B, as:' : vthe.building term. for.'.the four vessels in' the 1009 estimates,: these, . if laid down 1 in. thosummer of the same year, 1 , would he l'eadv? -by tho end of 1911; otherwise, in the middle - ::or ond of 1912.- In the litter more prob- •• -able case, -tho English vessels of the 1910 :-programme .would; of course,, bo ready, arid - these may. be four, five, or mora m .number.-- • Wo should thus have 13 vessels ni 1912, and England 23 -or more." - . ' . «

Noetl for a Sfrong at 1 ■ Ladbroko Hallj 'Konsington,. oij Mavili. 16;Mr. L.' J.Mafcse, rcfelrmg to the increase ' in tho Gferman Nav.v, said, that a prodigious Gorman: flcot, winch• never left tho North >v> Sea except for occasional cruises m British ■ florae ■ waters, , was not required \ to defend ■■ Gdrmaily a£ainfct Russia; because Russia had . cOascd to lie a sea: Power. It fras not •required against , Franco;' &b Germany counted . oil crashing Franco by'her military pi'epon- . ' dorance. - Austria Slid Italy ivere the. allies :of Gormanv, and experts would .tell ■ them that tho 'limited cdal-carrying, capacity of ; - German battleships was conclusive evidence [/Cj.that'.'they: .wore: not ji.iitendpd' to .fight at'any » - great- distance from the- North '"thefefdre, the Uiiited States hnd'Japan misfit' . : also be ruled- out as possible antagonist! : Thus By thd elementary process of oxhaus- , v ti6n. they arnved' at: tlie sinister,fact that :• Great Britain:was the objective of the, Gcr- : man .Navy. <■ Th6y must keep an eyd'upoii . every Gorman Dreadnought, • aiid take 'to lieiirt tWe wis6 and' patridtifc a.dvice of : il'r. ■ Stead,' to lav ono laid dowiv'by Germany.' .'/•• . :

■ Royal Visits: to Rohie.—Writing on March ;; 20, tho Rome correspondent of the- London -■ if' Standard ";' says : there , a point oh ■ which Italiansaresensitiveit is the' l , attitude,which Roman, Catholic rulers take, towards tho House of SaVoyjli must bo admitted . that is justified; -; The lato Kihg; Humbort visited; the Emperor ? Francis' Joseph- iiv Vienna in '1881, "but -thb .flatter .never returned'.die visit) becauso-'-tho - vVatican- would inflict an excommunication i on' any; Roriiaa.';Gatholic' niler visitifig • the tKangr,of Italy ml Rome; ItaliahS. • their - part,- .argue tliatnf yi3its. were returned" in . - any. other: city thaii Roma ;it rtiight bo talteh .vaa..meaning that tho,unification of J-talyiwa? not acknowledged. In 1896 tthe late Ki'ftgCof '.Portugal,' nephew,of King: Humbert, started to visit his unclo in Rome, bub was stojJpud in Pans ..by an intimation from , tho ■Vatioah ■ /that .if •: ho' persisted/in his intention 1 itjid , -;' Vatican would -bring about a uiuoii' of Portuguese- Clericals; imd .Republicans,' with tho result that the Monarchy : would bo overthrown The tisit nas not leturned, and Italy broke off' diplomatic i^SltiOiis' With Pbrtugal. * The subject comes "under, notico at the present time owing to tho , possibility of ■ the postponement of -the rPrinco of Moiiaco's visit. Tiro new - Prince of Monaco haR tVicb promised -to come to : Romo as the guest of King Victor Emmanuoli 'and to deliver a , lecture. It' is to-day; stated that : his visit ,; is. again postponed, owing to the ■■ condition of his health. •- y ■- -. - - ;<■

New Patent • Lavi.—Germany doesn't like : : the'' Be#,. British; l Patent Law., l Ooni pjairtts ' .regarding ; tho, Protectionist 'tendehi;ies,pf th' 6 new English-Patent ! LSiv;haVe already been mado by; the Radical; .Tageblatt," ahd i>6w, ■/ ■Bays the '. '' Evening IStandai'di" . itlio .Co'ft■V/ servative 7 Kreuzzoitiing" publishes a bit- ' iter 'denunciation' of ,''Hhik; act of hypocrisy • of a liberal Governmehtin practising d'Pro- .' tectiqnist policy,;while professing Free Trade principles..' ; nients arc so tho Standard's n Jjcriih 1 . that they/: deserve - the. widest''publicity''in, '• England. ■;,'f This 1 ; Free: Tfadov Government -'; have ( brought about a new' Patent Law, which came into,force on January 1/ It is alfeady reported from - 'London' that sevel-al krge ..chemical factories. ;iiv Gernmny havis* opened -new factories, ; ih:England iiifordef-to'obtain ,; the; protection i.of this, new Jaw.' ,In creating this • law.; British' 'Free' Traders havc[ dcliber- . ately aims./' The Presklent of the Board of Trade, Mr. Lloycl- ■ '.George, ' a -declared -Free. Trader, istated^• iii '. the course of. a ! discussion on "thb'imeihplo'yed 'question,; ' give many-thousands of British workmen opi .portuhities of obtainingemployment..'Maiiurfacturera.; ii]u Sheffield havo.iiia'do.a-.spefcial '■ demand that ..everySeparate article . imported • into; England. from foreign countries l / shall beYt in; eases,.; difficult, or : impossible, : anil would be a. far more 1 : effective. Protectionist • measure than' a high duty. . ,Wn have not , yet'observed' that the Free Trade British v Government, have .'.rejected •.■ this .demand: ;, Prince Bismarck had a high respect' for dn- ;: dividual- Englishmen. _biit he considered,thai English policy was bniefly conspicuous for its ~ hypocrisy... • This, new ' British .■ Patent -Law' reminds us bf.» this opinion' of Prineo - Bis- ; mirclt,' '. England ; ; continues, 'to.' pursue . a policy .of Protection under .'a : Free Trade mask, and she chooses methods of so - dbiiiciwhich must lie described as unfair, in view . '.of-the fact- that,Gerrhaii' interests.are seriVously affected.'thereby,.;. There;are groiiiids ~to : fear',that the hostility betw&h: Germany • and England will-again be intensified if . the ' -British: do not; check their Protectionist'tendencies, aild -if they persist : i,li piittin-r intij operation this hew: . Patent Law, which -is incompatible both with Free Trade and a fair Commercial policy;" . '

• Mr. Lloyd-ceorga and Travellers.—Mr. i). Llovd-Gcorgo, President of the lioarfl "of -rrade.i took the chair at an important roeet'ing, convened by the Uhited Kingdom Commercial Travollefs 1 Association on March 21. % The. object'of the meeting was to form, an Jntcrriational .LoriguG of lravelleW Assdciatiohs.; ; Mr. Lldyd-Goorge 'said : that , thdy: were to inaugurate a very import ■ tint iAtmS.tiohitl , '&pveiii^^itrl|oi ; f»ht frdin' the pbjftt'of ffe#'of !trtd6';and from .individual • interests,, 'more imiJottant' from .the ■ wider -and; higlidf / point "of f .vioty ■df ,intdrnil- , tid/lal interests; Tliey\ proposed to organise ■B\ : :' , great''':?iuWnati6tiM.;;aisßcljitio'il . df , , commetcial 'tfaveuers ill ofder to render; nssistanco. to tlie repfeSe'ntatives df,,,,tradq who had to .Visit' other countries. Mutual. assisV ahce .and inutiial gocldifill wtif.di ati tlio; bdfc . torn of this jirdposetl i asaocidtiorij/.wliifch ■ lie welcomed heartily. The rßoitrd jjf. Trade had, during the last .two ydars, dohb something to ' clear the way for siicli.- a movfeindiit. .Since November, -100G.. His Majesty's Gpvernitien!;,, moved by tliij IJoald of Trade', hitd eiltdrell into agreeinent with'the Belgian, Swiss, ? aild French Governments whereby facilities had been mutually accortletl for the fcleaiance of commdiciiil travellers' - sainfiles' tllfdiiglt tlid Custoiiiß, by providing ' tlint' the marks, stamps, and seals placed oil dutiable samples by thoi Customs authorities of oho coilntry at the time of exportation and the official lists of sucll samples should be accepted by the Customs authorities of the other countries ' Ho was pleased to say that agreements of a , similar character Were in course of negotiation with other"countries

LATEST/ NEWS BY OVERSEA MAILS

z Tho.Now-City.-—Tho order of the Local Government Boardlfor tho six Pottciios towns of Hauley, Burslem, Stpke-on-Trorit, ; Longtony -I'qhton, and Tunstail, • lias been..received'-by; 'tho'- 1 different local Council clerks'.'--' ' THo' 'order:provides that the • new and shall pomo'into oxist'eiieovon. November 9 next. .L'Jio existing .Councils are to bo dissolved, and ■11 anloy- QuartefiSoSsiojis Recorder,\ tho Clerk of' the; Peacej Coroner arc lo have their potters extended throughout tliti new district.' • Tho. pciwerg of Hanley police and justices.; are also to n 'extend-'.through all the Potteries. On'the'-neW, Council .there are to be- Sqventy-eight-' councillors and twenty-six alderineii. The'' lieWT borough covers 11,154 a'cros, and has'.vpbpTflatio'n of-236,000.

- East - and - 1 Wcst.—Tho Rev. Wardlaw blood had boiled at the' way Englishmen in his 'hearing had spoke'h 'of Tiidi&ns'aiill Indian nobles. We tended; to. 'treat those. .we ruled as children, ftiid i^ere;slflw'-tb v gi-v'e'tliem power.' . 'A pai'ri--ful Eepai-fttibn-hadvcpme about between people and rulers ■ifi-iill-'th'e : .'finer,Sympathies of life frhicli '"Ynfrkq,"pc6plsl'pull together. Our: fiiturc'rMatio^s'-'with,lndia wbiild bo happy or-unhippy-as inuch by .the line we take as by the' line--they take. ' We might guide tho new nationalist l mdyb'ment .66 that it might' be a-soiH'ce'of-fetreiigtih;We must, strive to 'Sirfei^ l ih'to;thbtf ljfff-'&M -.'their needs, and the ftitti'i'e W'biild b'e -bldsspd: 5 -'

L.u!ie,,.tW.;Pby,sioian.— SirA. R. Sjm'pson, that! " it specially interests >amolriber of tho medical profession "to find .two/of- tho'foremost scholars lof our day—Professo'rs- : ll3raiack -find Sir William to.v.bid uS/sdo ,ih ' Luke, •the-belbvcd-physreiahi' -of St; -Paul, not only a - very-' distinct:', arid'.attractive . personality, h'ut-;;a-.compe'teirt -and. accurate historian. .Without : -'.-dealing, tho earlier" with ;ChHst: : and tho .later : with/ tlio .beginnings' of'-Ghristianity, - it Seems, to me that -the,.spread of-. Oh'ristiaViity ftould tcnlay be unintelligible.. :,I 'do hot Von'der that that mo-st sagacidus and spiritually minded among ijiissionarios, Dr.- Robert -Morrison, choso' theih^\-to', ; b6--tho■ port-ions''for l .circulation in China- as the. first,.iiistalm'ent; 'of his- mag'ni.ficont' gift;to ! tho' Ohiu'ese' people: of '.a whole Bibl6-..iri.'.''their.','bwn. iiongue." : .

- A Sinlung . Diagram.—The French nowspapfrr, :Le Matin,"-.- ofi January; 24, contains- a striking- diagram, in the shape of a round , disc, - having jon :tho cii'cuniforonce Sbhie. forty-seven 'dots, to: represent tho different countries of the ■ wdrld,; with, diagonals, draWn, across -, to -join together' those thai have entered-'jnto, treaties, of Arbitration 'oiie with anoihor.-,- l-he.?W'British Friend," translates;. the.i, words of I. ( exljilaiiatioii .Which, iaro added :-rj u -Tlio' strange disc, which We publish above - these, 'lilies.- should, .rej oioe,-the.' htiart of' all.'thoso .who desire.:.tlie --.ftiaihteriaiicO; of '■Iteii&t :-& : -'the-;.#<>rld..'''This difec..is' in truth borrowedfrom. a.-jjußlicfffcioh 'of.-'the'-' Assodiiition. do • li. Paix ,par. lo Droit,' and tho : hundreds; of .'lines'-which Across and mix in a 'fashion ■'•' at 'dncd' odd- -aiid iinprl'ssivo'; i-epre-; ti'eaties ofarbitration .which .the diffdreiit : | 'Among tho': great dxeept' Japaii, .China,.;a'nd. 'wliich'li'a'vo not yet signed .any spccial -.agreement to arbitrate. At -tho iahie tiMo,' ■ these' three'-oiiipirds signed '-'the gfiileral' coiii'ention - of : -. arbitration at . The ill"";:l-S99-._ "• Certain States evdii 'jirlsofin.' ■ tlieir, -ppliticar co'nstitutidils. tho $finoipljK , ::W6 see, tli'eh', that ,tHo"' : 'ideiV ;bf r 'ipea'c'o"-: niakes progress .in tho .- iv-orld; in - spite of •; every tiling, and-. that, i lie 'gOverbMoilts■ Aro''^4'rkihgi ; Svitl'iin'tliio' limit's pi: ;wliafc--.. 1 8;:; p'd'ssible,to remo'vd. froni ..the nations-the .dangers' of,war.!'! 1 • - ••'/.. -t v^ : . -'.I^J " ! ■','' : .i'. > ( Modern -iPortrait Painting.—Tho iHoii: John .Collier hSd 'a ..Very interesting: Article oil "A- Plea- f6r Sanity'in ; Portraiture"' iii'. thd ; "i think'," lie said; 'there'Viis't '.be. a good- ,'niaiiy people who', 'like'' : inyself,":afß''distressecl itt-' the trend of ihodefh.-'pprtriiti-piiiiitiiig. - .-.As ail artist ■and . as a . maiij-1 : airt-. frankly I shocked, at a great deal of it—it,.seems to . ino bad art find.wOtse : hu,rtaiiity'. rAfe my fellow-isreatures really 'S's 'u*gly , ' , -^'s" that?'. Are, they -.'so graceless <ih their- attitudes; . so, grotesqilo..in "their gestifrCSj-sd/Vfitfant or 'so hialigiiaiit -iil their '.'expressi'div? ""Are their 'skins -iriado of ' rougli-cast.'aiid ;their'-.- ! clothes a-'mere coilipact of''smeafs? ' Ar6- thoir like claws, 1 and ""dd'.'tlioy. air/wea'riwigs - made seemingly of V(i'ii.ytliiiigJ.'liUt ha.it- ? "Are they constructed in. defiiinco--of .•aKa-toirtyv'V aiid- aro tlieir Jifubs iiiostly.'ifdiiietl' ivay? : Surely they arS'h'OViik'e th'a'ti '''Ilils style of paintiiig'may be Vll-ilVßi^f , 'frlßver i ;'''a gi-eat deal of it -u)i''ddubtedly'is'; Th&e iiiay be subtle excellences of ton'3S'%iid '6f'v-'AlueSi of bravura of. bruih%brk;'audi*'.&b'dV.o''all,, df iibvelty of ari-aiige-del 11 gs. in . thohiselvoi!; but-to ni'e a rpijftrait''must first &tld fororiidst ftesomblo' a human^"Beiiig..' -.Unless -it do that-t-heso other.: qillSli{|es are so much waste. I-' shall despair -of"tffiJ futuro of the art of iiorfcraiture unloSS Pl'aii ipcrsiiade my brother portrait-painters;'" -tlie younger o'ues, ,that ; they 011 tho, wrong track. allowaiico for tho siirprisingy.triMt', 'bf'■ otir inmiiiiefable pqrtraitf^ai£f"t6rs^ ll thpVo ; _ ''surely bo' a good, 1 many oTlthom-heiidos who are not geniuses. -T. Jfenwe?J\nth. '.tho utmost ;diffi-. 'dfif(6^' ! t'd' 4^rfiiT.cr *' ttiii" advice.-, jDo iiOt try • • inetlidds in tbeni-swves'-\SVo;."iiKctjr - detestable; - jit' anj follow ratlidr ',iii"'i!li&' painte'rs who liavd produced by .. methods • -ivhich ird"sound;-in tSemselyGs aiid Which, are. suit'ElMe.Uo'.'mffi'^Wo:'have only taleht aiid ap-

;thG'':Welßh,'*Lang!(agß.—A remarkable atthek oriHlio -Welsh language : is made in.one [ of tho .March' v ffiftgazines. . Tlio writer, Mr. aSkg?*'AVKat is tlio real truth abotit thc':;We[slr'; laiiguage? And lie iinS.wei'si; 1 -.'"First'''it; is-'iii' no . sort of danger of : dying' but,''' .'and : number ■ of persons who 'tiflk 'Wclsh'"ljy ]sVeferfenco is certainly 'present time thaii it has 'ever,beb'h Known to b'e: probably greater than itUiasVeVdr'lieeii!' It!"_is, of c'oiirse'j" he ; adds, "an' iiiterostilVg "i\in'iyal, < and, as has been saldj" it 'is a' Tory;' J iving survival,, so; that it ■does liot 'staiVd iii "any need at all of tender treatment.'lfVit- 'SJi'onld _ die out, the loss woiihl without its bom'peit. • shtibns..';''V^'atos 4 \rn''Ja<!t,v.snffers iiot -d' little 'frorn lie'r"language.' Clergj'meu in Wales "mii'St knßw,Welsh.;''it' 'is highly desirahlo, and tteognised. .srt', tq that County Court Judges ; 'shpuld,;ii.iive n| 'a: colloquial knowlc<lgo "of- it. Th'e jresult is ,'ihat .;' •\ . - tho field fi-orii' Which "clerg.vhi6'ii. can be Obtained for Welsh work is ;;Sinall, and that, when tlife Lord Chancellor has';" to find a new County .Court Judge''for 'a- .Welsh circuit; his choice is restricted. -' '•'-"Mr'.-V Vihc.ent gods on to say (jhat iji .the Courts of Justice thO.WeJSh " language,Jsj'[an unmitigated nuisarice." "Wo havo heard .'this : sort tof thing 'maiiy a. time . : aiid oft;fe" :t 'says'''tiie '. ."South Wales Daily News," 1 'which: drawjs attention to tliia article. "The Welsh languago ife assuredly'not ill heed of/tender treatment'; it is a very lieslthy plant, firmly, rooted in the national •Sbil.V' ; ;v'Wo tirade as ail iiitorestiug ■ specimen , to. our teachers of •.I/ogici?'f-,-Eor. here w6. have served up in atipetiSiiig foi'jir all till l fallacies systeniatised h ( V>:the Schooiliicu. Tho 'restriction' arEii"ment is singularly fine, in this respect. The ,\Vritcjr; that, 'in. the . cafees li.amctl, Welsh is .ft. neccssarj'; biit it should-not be";, enforced : beeause it. linrrows 'tho-.field of selectibn! ! That is tri say, that, if a toachcr. of lnatlienlatics, is required, his knowledge of Conic "Sections, should hot lie iiiqiiirwl into because;.'it'iWoiild narrow the libld of« Oii'miltlates'.; ,• Instances: of. this , sort Of .roasoiiing c.ifiildi bof eiidlossly multiplied. What some.igootl folks Have yet to realise is that-Welsh ..has i \aluo . beyoiid that of national sentiirieht. ■ We have yet to learn iiow her laiiguago has: handicapjied Wales: at present,'' if thb liatioh. .'suffers' at allj it is tho penalty of success. For it has brought down upqn her tlio wrach of superficial and siipefcilidus critics 1" '