KING AND TSAR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 5

KING AND TSAR.

DIPLOMATIC EVENT. TO MEET IN THE BALTIC. FRENCH PRESIDENT'S RECENT VISIT. BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. London, May 21. , The fact that th-o Foreign Offioe makes the announcement of King Edward's proposed visit to Russia, coupled with the wording of the announcement, indicates that the Start® character of the visit is predominant. Moreover, Queen Alexandra docs not accompany tho King. Sir Chas. Hardingo, Permanent UnderSecretary to the Foreign Office, accompanies His Majesty. Tho fact that King Edward is sailing on tho ovoning of the 3rd, as soon as convenient after tho visit of M. Fallieres, French President, is oommonted upon. A CORRECTION. QUEEN ALEXANDRA WILL GO. (Rec. May 22; 8.55 p.m.) London, May 22. King Edward will.not land in Russia.- An exchange of courtesies will occur, on board the Royal yachts. •

It is officially announced that Queen Alexandra and Princcss Victoria will accompany King, Edward to Reval. ' DUAL ALLIANCE AND THE . ENTENTE. ' RUSSO-GERMAN RELATIONS. •' Tho cablegrams concerning the King's visit to St. Petersburg aro interesting, especially in view of the Berlin message of Slay IS: "German publicists warn the Government that General Sir I*n Hamilton visited St. Petersburg to arrnnjo an Angle-French-Russian military convention, Aimed at Germany," ■ The relations of the four Powers mentioned have lately been _ a specially prolific subject of speculation in the European Press, especially sines .the Baltic question doomed large. Germany has been suspected of an attempt to divert Russia from tho alliance with France, Russia's reward to be tho right to fortify tho Aland Islands in the Baltic. .Tho Paris cor-, respondent of "The Standard" points out that Franco has been partly to blamo in tho way' of ostranging her ally. The Combes Govern'mcnt, in his opinion, did not sufficiently rebuke the French, Socialists who denounced the autocratic ways of Russia; French money for Russian loans has not'.been freo enough. 'Trance, on the other hand, has to complain that Russia • would not. dllow horsolf to ho prevented from engaging: in a disastrous war, the effect of which' was to. destroy for. somo years the value to France of tho Dual Alliance." ' Confirmatory of this, a- Paris cablegram of October 31 last stated that "France has reminded Russia of hor obligation to maintain treops on tho Busso-Gorman frontier; which. obligation has not been .fulfilled since .the Japanese War. Russia wishes, as a plodje of u»ivei - s*l peace, .to lessen the stringency of her military convention with France." In February, last M. Bompard, French Ambassador at St. Petersburg, who, itis said, Jiad given offence to Russia for pro T surninr to advise the Tsar's Government on the administration of internal affairs, was recalled. Admiral Fonchard succeeded him. , • This is the summing-up of tho "Standard's" St. Petersburg correspondent"Tho Dual Alliance'was never moro necessary, not only to. Franco and Russia, but to Europo, than it . is to-dav. -, It is a most important part of tho foundation on'which' the policy which Franco and Great Britain have been following since 1901 depends for success, and solidity. ,In conjunction' with the entente • cordiale, it made possiblo tho amelioration of . Anglo-Russian relations, and so paved tho way for tho understanding between' the two Powers which is soon to bo signed. It prevented France and England from being dragged.into tho Mnnchurian war, and for' the'same -roasons facilitated the establishment of, peace between Russia and Japan, and made tho Anglo-Japaneso Alliance acceptable to all the world.. As. to its effecton the peace of-Europe, its forco is as great to-day as over. I have said nothing about the .'Novoe Vromya's' arguments for breaking; with Franco, because thoy aro . not : worthy of discussion. It is nonsense to describe the French, army as utterly usoless because of what has recently happened. lin . one or two regiments, and it is equally ,absurd to talk of Russia being ablo to do without French money and. of' Franco being unable to lend it to anybody else." . . ', .