ANGLO=JAPANESE ALLIANCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1179, 14 July 1911, Page 5

ANGLO=JAPANESE ALLIANCE.

THE RUMOURED ALTERATION. HAVE THE DOMINION PREMIERS BEEN CONSULTED? COMMENT BY •• THE TIMES. , ' By Telegraph—Press Association-Oopyrieht (Rcc. July 13, 11.10 p.m.) London, July 13. "Tho Times" states that public interest is beginning to be roused both in Japan and America by tho effect of the projected Anglo-American arbitration treaty upon the alliance between Britain and Japan. Tho existing alliance, "Tho Times" states, is incomparable in form were it not for the fact of a general arbitration treaty between Britain and a third Power. It is difficult to modify the. alliance so as to obviate the incongruity without raising the whole question of its revision or prolongation. If it is true that Great Britain has arranged with Japan that Clause II of tho treaty of alliance shall not apply when cither ally is fighting a nation with which the other has concluded an arbitration troaty, the step has been taken without the full consultation with the Dominion Ministers that was 'promised during the sittings of the Imperial Conference. Theexisting Anglo-Japanese Alliance has still four years to run. In the opinion of many experts tKp trend of internafional policy in the I'ar East has rendered tho Alliance unnecessary, and even obnoxious, to British int'vests, and they confidently predict its non-renewal. Well-informed opinion in Japan, however, is equally confident that tho Alliance will bo renewed for the reason that Great Britain could not afford to allow Japan to enter into a similar undertaking with another Power, which, it is declared., sho certainly would bo compelled to do if she was deserted by England. At all events, it may be admitted, in view of the modifications introduced into the Asiatic situation by the successive Anglo-Russian and Russo-Jap-anese Treaties, that the Alliance will not be renewed in its existing form.