THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7371, 24 January 1902, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Whilst heavy rains have blocked operations in the field in South Africa, interest has been kept keenly alive by reported inclination of the Soers to surrender, both in the Transvaal and Europe. It was a slim intrigue of the European section to send the Dutch Premier to England ostensibly to discover Lord Salisbury's attitude on the question of ending the war. Lord Salisbury's announcement in the Lords that he had not been approached on the subject in all probability prevented Leyds and Company, on Dr Van Kuyper's return to The Hague, from announcing that overtures for ' peace had been made by the British Government. Lord Salisbury's firm attitude of adhesion to the only terms possible, added to the Boer administration's previous and oft-repeated announcement that they would not accept even the status quo ante as a basis on which negotiations should be 'attempted to terminate the war, rendered the task of Wolmarans and the others in formulating proposals almost impossible. The difficulty was accentuated by the announcement of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs that mediation without Britain's consent' was impossible, and meant war.

Tberb bas been no factor of late so potent in saving and increasing Briliah prestige in the Cabinets of Europe aa the ready unanimity of the great colonies to support the Imperial Government with all their resources. The Ninth Contingent and the increased forces of the Commonwealth are but the clinching of the nails to the choc which has shod the Empire afresh for its Imperial march. These are the things which cause the friendly feeling among tha Powers to acclaim Britain, and its abusive rivals to hide their filthy cartoons. There is no chance of our troops arriving in South Africa too late. Whatever troops may be dispensed with, should an amnesty be declared, colonials will long be wanted. Tha execution of such men as Bcheepers, whilst it cannot be avoided as a lesson and a warning so long wanted at the Cape, will keep rebel leaders, and those with a rope around their Hecks, in the field. They will have to be rooted out from fastnesses covering 80,000 square miles in the Northern Transvaal which have a well-stored arsenal inaccessibly situated in their midst.

The methods taken to placate the Powers by tbe Empress Dowager, and the reasons she gives for her actions to the Chinese, are truly Oriontal. She presents the Powers of the West with the head of Tungfu Hsiang, credibly reported to be at last headless, whilst she explains to her people that this and other executions and dismissals are a punishment for the leaders having misled the Court by representing that the Boxers could overcome the foreigners by supernatural means, and 30 got assistance from herself and the Princes. Nevertheless, the old lady has, it appears, commanded reforms.

Whilst the Italian Premier has announced that Italy will do nothing to disturb the existing state of affiira in the Mediterranean, and the French leader of the Chambers has told the world that France has reached her limit of annexation, and wishes solely to develop the territory she .has, it appears from what has been said by an Algerian Deputy, without contradiction, that whilst France has acknowledged Italy's right to Tripoli, the latter country has recognised

Morocno as within France's ephere of influence. If the latter applies simply to the Hinterlpnd, theo it probably gees no furthee thaa Britai ■> has already goue in arranging tho frontierii between tbe French and Anglo-Egyptian spheres. Bat if it id intended to give Frauce an open band on the shores of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, there are other Powers ready to speak.

Whilst the methods of France are open aggression on the dominions of the Sultan, under the guise of friendship Germany is preparing for her colonisation of Asia Minor by making a railway, ostensibly for Turkey, from the Bosphorus to the Persian Gulf. Indian authorities are emphatic in their views that we cannot agree to the establishment of another European Power on the Persian Gulf, as such an operation would be a standing political and commercial menace to India. This makes it difficult for Britain to agree with either Germany for her railway or Eussia for a port at Bandar Abbas.

The Polish national movement is growing into a serious business for Germany, whilst the m.thods the latter is taking for its suppression are a curious comment upon Germany's abuse of our severities in South Africa. And the prtss of Germany's ally, Austro-Hungary, is loud in censure of the Courts of Germany, which punish with imprisonment for long terms those men and women who protest against tbe barbarbous beating of children *ho cannot say their lessons in the German language. Tbe operations of tho American Congress and tho pronouncaments of Australian pap-.rs alike augur a keen but frieadty rivalry for tbe trade and traffic of the Pacific The Statfs Commerce Committee favors a general subsidy of 1,072,000 dollars and a mail subsidy of 4,700,000 dollars as an aid to the capture of the carrying trade of the world. Of tbig amount £50,000 was hypothecated by Congress in 1900 aa a subsidy upon a tonnage basis to the Oceanic Company for the Ang'ralasian mail service from San Francisco. As the Age cay?, the Commonwealth is h&rdly likely to further assi-t an operation which will interefere with the interests ot the Australasian mercantile marine, and having in view the we ! fare oi the colony, and the interests of our splendid Union Company, New Zealand views will generally coincide with those of the Age. Especially when it ia recollected that whilst seeking shipping facilities on oui shores the bfcates forbid our enterpride on their own.

The inclusion of the Argentine in the suppliers of meat for the South African contract will bring home to colonists the competition of that immense country with tho trade of. all British colonies which have primary produce as their chief export Bnd the British market their place of sale. A glance at history will tell the immense influence which the British bondholder has on the foreign policy of the Empire, and by that lignt it was not to be expected that the owners of the £250,000,000 of British money invested in the Argentine would fail to get a. look in when army contracts are in competition. Whether British capital invested in a foreign country is to have the same consideration as the colonies which fight for tho Empire will be a big question for the immediate future, and the reply will go far to fix the destiny of Greater Britain. Whilst ib is satisfactory to note the rise of from 7£ per cent to 10 per cent, in the price of wool, there is still a good deal to be advanced before quite satisfactory prices are reached ; and it should be recollected that here again Argentine has been a factor in the reduction of prices by pouring in the immense quantities of crossbred wool from the backs of the sheep she freezes.