Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1878.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5007, 13 February 1878, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1878.

The news to hand with reference to the situation is such, we think, as to favor the anticipation that a pacific solution of the Eastern question is likely to be arrived at. England, apparently, gives up her own claim any longer to close the passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean to Russian vessels of war, and contents herself with insisting upon free passage of the Straits for the fleets of neutral Powers. That this will be conceded, in spite of the contrary views recently advanced by certain Russian writers, is probable if not absolutely certain. Some correspondence which took plsce in May last between Lord Derby and Prince Gortschakou', and which has been published by Le Nord, is on this point reassuring. " Her Majesty's Government," wrote the English Minister for Foreign affairs, " is not prepared to regard with indifference the transfer into other hands than those of its present possessors, of a capital which occupies such a peculiar and important position." To this Prince Gortschakoff replied — " So far as regards Constantinople, without being able to forsee the course or the issue of the war, the Imperial Cabinet repeats that the acquisition of this capital is excluded from the views of his Imperial Majesty, who acknowledges that, in any case, the future of Constantinople is a question of common interest, which cannot be settled otherwise than by a general understanding, and that, if the possession of that city should be brought into question, it could not be permitted to be held by any one of the European powers. As to the Straits, although the two shores belong to the same Sovereign, they constitute the only outlet of two large seas in which the whole world is interested. It is, therefore, important, in the interest of peace and of the general balance of power, that the question should be settled by a common understanding upon equitable bases efficaciously guaranteed." It is also satisfactory to observe that several of the other neutral Powers appear to be making common cause with England in the matter of securing the neutrality of Constantinople and the Straits, and that Russia, so far from showing a disposition to treat the mission of a portion of the fleet to Stambottl as a casus belli, z ¥ emaz*ks that this action on the part of England, and the other Powers was exactly what she had herself in the first instance advised. There seems to be something of an indication that Austria and Russia will have some difficulty in arriving at terms of peace, which will meet their respective views. Their differences, however, which, probably affect the Danube

bordering provinces, may not concern Great Britain, whose interests are now pretty well denned to lie in the Straits and Egypt exclusively.

We hear that the amount allocated to the Hawke's Bay Educational District for school buildings is £1200. The, amount voted last session for the whole colony was £50,000, out of which the "Sum of £10,000 has been allocated to Wellington, £5000 to Wanganui, and £12 3 000 to Auckland. Comparing the requirements of those districts with the requirements of Hawke's Bay, it is perfectly ridiculous to give only £1200 to the latter. It must be remembered that that amount is to serve for nearly the whole of the East Coast, including part of what formerly belonged to the Auckland district. It is quite a monstrous injustice to give £12,000 to Auckland, and only £1200 to Hawke's Bay. A special meeting of the Education Board is to be held to-day, and we have no doubt that steps will be taken to represent the nicatter in its proper light to the department at Wellington. It is to be hoped that the Minister of Education will see the necessity of altering the decision arrived at.