CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11368, 8 September 1897, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS.

■THE coercion ok turkey.

It id generally admitted that Turkey would ere now have been coerced by the Powers in regard to Armenia. Crete and Greece, but for

what has come to be spoken of as the Great Terror. This means that, whether Turkey yielded to coercion or resisted it, a, great European war would bo the inevitable result, if she resisted, Europe, once committed to action, would have to tight Turkey, and if she yielded, the Turkish Empire would break up, ami Europe would fight on a vast scale about the partition of the territories. These things are spoken of as quite certain to happen, and the European nations that are dominated by the assumption have grown callous, and say almost openly that no misery which could arrive in Turkey is to be compared with the misery which would come if Europe were involved in a general wai, and that their duty is not to the world, though they wish it, well, but to the peoples for whom they are trustees, Germans, Russians, Austrians, I'ronchmen and Eng-

lishmen must not perish in myriads in order that Armenians, Greets and Ottomans may be saved from calamities which, however great, they have historically brought upon themselves. But this black cloud of pessimism, which has so long hung darkly over Europe, is at last being touched with the light of more reassuring convictions. A thoughtful writer in the Spectator , for instance, is convinced that the coercion of Turkey would end in a much simpler way ; namely, in a resolution by a conference of Europe that the Sultan must retire to Asia, that Constantinople must ho the Bulgarian capital, that Macedonia must he a principality, and that everything else must resume its old position. This, were it to take place, would of course not he a final settlement, for no settlement can be final till the Eusssian people have • direct access to open water; hut it would be a very good interim settlement; it would avert war between Eussia and Austria, the collision of whose interests is the most imminent danger, and It would allow the nations to grow prosperous for another generation, while it would liberate Europe altogether from its present impasse. It is probable enough that a conference of Europe ■ which resolved that the Sultan must withdraw to Asia would put forward other schemes, any one of which might be better than making Constantinople the capital of Bulgaria ; but the point lies in the cheerful reasonableness of the assertion that it is possible, if Turkey is rebellious, to defeat Turkey without necessarily bringing on an all-embracing European war. This view of the matter may with reason be expected to exercise an increasing influence on the relations of the European Powers in respect to Turkey. If it should Mr Gladstone’s old “ bag and baggage ” policy may yet he carried into effect with advantage to freedom and civilisation.

In view of the prominence that has lately been given to the proposal to establish a training-ship for

trainingships.

the colony, some particulars of the New South Wales reformatory ship Sahraon may he of interest. There is a considerable diversity of opinion amongst those now agitating for a training-ship for New Zealand as to which particular class of vessel would be most suitable to our re■quirements, and there appears to be a generally growing conviction that a reformatory ship, conducted on lines similar to those observed in New South Wales would offer the best prospect of success. All are agreed that it is desirable that a, nautical sentiment needs fostering in the youth of the colony if our locallyowned vessels are ever to he manned and commanded by colonial-born seamen. There can he no doubt that a large and fairly remunerative field of employment is possible in that direction, and the fact cannot be too soon or too plainly understood that our boys do not take kindly to the sea as a means of earning a livelihood. The reason for this is perhaps not far to seek. The contrast between the comforts and pleasures of an average colonial home, and the hardships of an ordinary “ fo’-castle ” is very great, and consequently a diminishing number of boys are found with the traditional British love for the sea. The great majority prefer to seek employment in the already overcrowded ranks of the various trades, or worse still, to swell the army of unskilled labour. It is open to question whether some of the money spent in maintaining reformatory schools on land could not be better employed in the establishment of at least one training-ship where a boy who had brought himself within the clutches of the law could bo sent and taught the rudiments of a sailor’s life. At present, after serving his allotted time in the schools ashore, he usually develops into a farm labourer, and as time goes on drifts back into the large towns to encounter the temptations that have overtaken his youth. Much of this would be avoided if the lad were sent for a couple of years to a properly conducted training-ship.

THE SABRAON.

It is claimed for the New South Wales training-ship that she is the largest

vessel of the kind in the world. She was, years ago, one of the most popular traders visiting the Australian Colonies, and was purchased by the Government of the mother colony for .£II,OOO, while a further £23,000 was expended in fitting her up. She has five decks, and her total length is 315 ft. The boys sent to the Sabraon are drawn from the very dregs of colonial society. They are, in a great measure, the riff-raff of the Sydney slums. Boys who have got beyond parental control; boys who have been in other reformatories and have proved incorrigible ; boys who have been the associates of criminals, and boys who have offended six or seven or more times themselves are all sent to the Sabraon. When a new-comer arrives he is given a hot bath, his hair is cut and his clothes; are thrown overboard. He then reappears in a new nautical suit, and spends a day or two in the "observation ward,” where his peculiarities and disposition are studied and noted. This brief period of probation over, he is brought out, included in one of the messes, and becomes a member of the ship’s company. He is at once made to understand that good conduct will smooth his path. There is a school on board, presided over by three teachers from the Department of Public Instruction, and the elder boys are encouraged to devote their evenings to reading. The boys are kept on board for twelve months, and are then apprenticed on shore. In Hew Zealand, with a training-ship conducted on somewhat similar lines, it should be possible to keep the boys on board for a longer period, and to qualify them to fill the places on merchant vessels that are now occupied by foreigners. The Sabraon is at present under the command of Captain Mason, who has just succeeded Captain Neitenstein, and in addition to the officers, some of the elder boys aro appointed monitors, and assist in the maintenance of order and discipline. During the thirty years the institution has existed a very largo number of waifs and strays have been reformed and turned into really creditable members of society. No fewer than 3500 boys have passed through the school, with a full average of 90 per cent of proved successes. At the present time, in addition to the 400 boys on board the Sabraon, there are as many more under the supervision of tho ship’s officers. The net cost last year of training and supervising tho 800 boys was £7412 4s, and this is a sum our own Government might very well provide for the purpose of making valuable citizens out of the scores of youths who aro now dangerously near to the current that threatens to carry them on to a life of crime.