THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27, 1911. AFRICAN WAR CLOUD.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 240, 27 September 1911, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27, 1911. AFRICAN WAR CLOUD.

Ominous war clouds still darken the horizon of Northern Africa. It is true the big menacing cloud which hung over Morocco has been dispersed. Diplomacy has triumphed and Europe is spared the horrors of a terrible war. N'ews of the amicable settlement arrived at between France and Germany lias been hailed with unfeigned delight in ail quarters of the Empire and we can sin ccrely and earnestly hope that the good relations re-established will long be maintained to the benefit cf the nations. Indeed, we may include Britain to receive her share of the blessings of the peace assured by the agreement, for it was almost inevitable engagement of Britain in the drawn into the oonfliet. Lt is also safe to say, in passing, that this m evitable engagment of Britain in the contest, has been a liig moving factor in bringing the bellicose Germans ♦ -> their senses. We have hardlv finished congratulating ourselves upon the dispersal of the Moroccan war cloud, however, when anotlmr has .arisen over Tripoli, llalv an/l Turkey are the latest to "throw their lots into the ring" and offer to carry on the entertainmeiit which the heavy-weight champions have abandoned. So far as Britain is comerned the trouble in Tripoli dix’l- - present any direct cause for an xioty. The two nations inv lived may squabble without raising any of (he serious issues of the Moroccan run tine. but. a war amongst European nations can alwavs be likened to a (Jrunkcn man with a box of matches in a powder magazine you know what might happen. The present trouble has, in all probability, arisen from the Moroccan incident as Italy lias alway s been jealous ef I' l’iUiec s expansion in Northern Africa. After France had effectually absorbed Algeria and laid covetous hands upon Tunis Italv. as a set off. claimed Tripoli as her "sphere ot influence." and the L’ow ers acquiesced in the "deal" without the worry of asking the opinion of the people of Tripoli, or their Suzerain, the •Sultan ef Turkey, who appears to have had a good claim for consideration as the country was made a Turkish vilayet in 1835. Tripoli has an area of about loo.oou square mde, and a population of a million. There is a little productive land near the coast line, but the remainder docs not appear to be worth fighting over. After establishment in Tripoli the Italians continued their scheme of colonisation on the Red Sea littoral. and the story of their disastrous conflict with King Menilik of Abyssinia is told with tear-dewed eves m Italy to-day. It was many years before the Italian people could look upon Government prop< sab f> r colonisation with anvthing appi '.,a«-liiH’.f lei, iiiii, and few mole attempts were mad" al expansion.

but of late years. Italy has more oi less shared in the marked industria development of the times, and the need for expansion begins .t > mani fest itself strongly. Lt is not, therefore. surprising thae her old claim tc Tripoli should be revised, prompted Rtlso by the success of France in Morocco and Algiers. Can Turkey b< ignored in this deal It does not seem so. and we think Italy will fine that the threadbare condition of hei claim to the territory—worthless as it may be—will provide pretext foi other Powers to demand "compensation” elsewhere. Already we heat that the übiquitous German lias found ground for annoyance in hi: disturbance from careful nursing e-! the Young Turkish Party. It is also said that disquiet is being caused in Vienna, and Turkish resentment i: found in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Up to the present Turkey has showr no inclination to fight and has ap pealed to the Powers to restram Italy, but the latter has made it plain enough that unless her demands for a lease of Tripoli ar.conceded, 60,000 troops will lie landed. There is a strict censorship of news and wealthy families are leaving Tri|>oli. but although the out' k is ominous we believe it is sa f • t< hope for the maintenance c. f pen<e.