RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 219, 9 June 1908, Page 7

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

. » KING AND TSAR, THE ATTITUDE OF THE DUMA. RAPPROCHEMENT. SY TELEOttAPE— PRESS ASSOCIATION—COrYMGItt (Rec. Juno 8, 9.5G p.m.) St. Petersburg, June 8. In tlio oourso of an interview, M. Homialcoll, • President of tho Duma, declared that King Edward's visit to the Baltic was most popular, and that members of the Duma welcomed tho rapprochement of Britain and Russia. Professor Mcliukoff, Cadet leader, said that Constitutional Russia was united in acclaiming tho visit, which was paid to Constitutional Russia. The enly objectors wero the extreme Right and the Exfcremo Left. M. Stolypin said that a rapprochement was desirable, not only in tho sphero of conventions, but in tho domain of trade. Tho Social Democrats in the Duma have resolved to thank Mr.. J. O'Grady (Labour member) and his supporters for their protest against tho King's visit to tho Tsar. Gegechlsory, leader of a faction, declared that the • King's- visit i condones the worst deeds of the ruling caste.

CROWTH OF CONSTITUTIONALISM. MILITARY SECRETS. (Rec. Juno 8, 9.56 p.m.) St. , Petersburg, June 8. The, navy debate in : tho Duma' indicated that thero has been an astonishing growth of Constitutionalist among members. Recalling the earlier Dumas excited discussion as to alleged • irregularities of tho Admiralty in connection with Viekers's construction of the- Rurik. Admiral Boestrom (Assistant Minister) declared that the responsibility rested with the -former Ministry. Moreover, the communication'to a British firm of the plans of the guns and cteol; armour was no betrayal of military secrets. The Right and Centre, with tho support <:f tho Progressives and Constitutional Democrats, recommended a thorough inquiry, and the prosecution of any officials guilty of 'illegal action.

THE ROYAL TOUR. ' KING EDWARD'S VISIT: 'BT IELEGEAPn —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT (Rec. Juno 8, 10.10 p.m.) , i, ' Berlin, Juno 8. Prince Henry of, 'Prussia ivclcomed King Edward at the mouth of the Kiel Canal, and boarded the Royal yacht Victoria and, lAlbort. German war ships saluted. The crews manned the'ships and'cheered. . An .impromptu review of forty of the" High Sea fleet, ■■ which had just finished manoeuvres in the North Sea, followed. Finally, the Royal' yacht," preceded by 1 nine Gorman 1 torpedors, and followed by the Minotaur, Achilles, and four British destroyers, proceeded to Reval. Detectives swarmed in the hotels, which wero . threatened with fines ; of three thousand roubles if they did not report the prosenco of strangers within an hour after they had arrived. ; ' ; It was arranged that the .Royal' yacht's should'bo surrounded by a cordon of British and Russian destroyers and cruisers, to prevent unauthorised craft approaching within 1200,feet'.' , ' Only Press representatives and . three steamers carrying serenaders were allowed to move in the roads after sundown. The departure of the Tsar and Tsarina was unexpectedly postponed on .Monday evening, owing to boisterous weather in the Baltic. .• The 'Royal yacht Alexandra, which si-iled the day before King Edward,' ollided with, tlio lock at the entrance to Kiel, on her maiden trip, and damaged her propeller.'

DELAYED REFORMS. ; REASONS FOR THE REJECTION, The I)uma's : decision in rejecting the credit for battleships is in accordance' with the recommendation made in' March at a joint■ sitting of the Defence Committee of the Duma ana the Budget Sub-Committee, viz.: That tho crcdits' for new torpedo-boats and submarines and for a depot ship,- also for vessels now under construction and their armaments, bo approved; but that' the credit for battleship's be rejected pending the complete reorganisation of tho Ministry of Marino.. . The object of this long-promised reorganisation is to remove tho irregularities,referred to in the> cablegram. Tho Duma prefers performance to promise, and its rejection of the battleship credit is probably actuated by a desiro to l'orco the hand of. the Government in the .matter of this reform, as well as ■ by' a recognition of tho fact that the condition of tho Russian people and Russian credit is hardly, compatible with crushing burdens such as tho"",£2G(),ooo,ooo,naval credit originally pror posed. , ' -

Russian papers,, including the "Russ," 1 "Slovo," "Retch," and "Bourse Gazette," dwell on tho time which has'elapsed since the battle of Tsushima without any sign of the accomplishment'of naval reforms. As to the hope expressed by the' Premier, M\Stolypin, that the reorganisation of tho Ministry of Marino will bo complete by . the end of the year, tho papers do not share the Premier's optimism, and suggest that strong pressure from outside is required. The ''Slovo" remarks that tho internal regeneration of the impoverished country will raise Russian prestige tar more than the lavish expenditure of millions on,a; fleet and of railways in the. Far East, at a cost of 32$ millions. (This latter project was lately approved'by a committee of tho Russian Upper House.) The recommendation of tho joint sitting of the committees was arrived at by 19 votes to 14. The committees reported that reconstruction of the navy- was "only possible by a complete reorganisation of tho Ministry of Marine and by the legislative determination of the naval programme' for several years to como.",'

In a speech in March, Premier Stolypin'said that, whatever the decision of tho committees might bo, it would bo accepted by the Govern-ment-'and would not provoke a conflict. In the "Novoe Vremya," nis brother, M. Stolypin, deplores tho attitude of the committees in 'wishing immediately to cauterise the wounds of Russian shame."