Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. published every evening. Saturday, July 5, 1902. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 155, 5 July 1902, Page 2

Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. published every evening. Saturday, July 5, 1902. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

The Triple Alliance has been renewed, and Germany, Austria, and Italy again stand pledged to assist each other against a common enemy. In view of the Franco Russian alliance it was more than ever desirable that Germany and Austria should be in accordance as to a common foreign policy, but it is very doubtful whether the Slav and Maygar elements would ever agree to Austria assisting Germany in any action which might be deemed antagonistic to their racial interests ; indeed, there are not wanting experienced students of international questions who boldly prophesy the hopeless collapse of the AustroHungarian Empire whenever the wary old Emperor Francis Joseph is removed by death. The Maygars and Slavs hate the German Austrians just as those of the Poles who were absorbed by the Prussians hate their German masters at Berlin. There are many discordant elements in the Austrian Empire, and it looks nowadays as if Germany also were to have her internal troubles. Italy is the third and weakest of the partners. Financially she is in very sore straits, and the republican spirit is alleged to be steadily gaining ground. Italy has never gained anything by the Triple Alliance, but she remains faithful to the old tie, probably oat of a deep-seated suspicion and distrust of her Mediterranean rival, France. Also, she has her African interests to watch, in Tripoli, for instance, and it is useful to her for Franco, who is in Tunis, and who would fain to bo in Tripoli also, to know that quarrelling with Italy might mean quarrelling with Germany also. France, it is true, has her Russian alliance, but so far it has not availed her much, Russia's friendship being mainly displayed in any practical way, in tho borrowing of many millions on the Paris Bourse. In the interests of European, peace,

indeed, the peace of the world, it is sincerely to be hoped that the Triple Alliance may be lasting and be adhered to faithfully by all the three signatories, for such alliances are the best guarantee of peace that we can have. Great Britain, backed by Japan, can thwart Russian ambitions in China, and Russia apparently dare not say her nay. Russia and France are met in Europe by the Triplo Alliance ; and with the Triple Alliance, it is now very well understood, Great Britain is in so complete and close a touch to be herself virtua ly a party thereto. In this way is the balance of power maintained and peace maintains her benefi-

cent sway.

Professor Behring, tuberculose the famous inventor of roisoN. diphtheria serum, in a

book he has just published (says the Vienna correspondent of the Sydney Herald) gives some valuable information concerning tuberculose poison, and about the question, of late so much discussed, of the relation between the tubercle bacilli from men and those from animal?. In co-opera-tion with Dr. Ruppel and Dr. Roemer, he has succeeded in elaborating a practical preventive inoculating process against the tuberculose of cattle. The experience gained in the laboratory is to be carried out on a large s-jale for agriculture. Highly important is the information concern'rg the nature of tuberculose poison, tie mv stuations as to the ennection between tuberculose bacilli from men and from animals, and 1 efore all the successful attempts to mike young cat Me immune from tuberculose. It is oE great importance that Behrirg, by treating young cattle with living sMghtly virulent tuberculose bacilli, has given them such power of resists nee to tubeicalose injection that they are unharmei Jby very virulent tuberculose bacilli, which certainly would prove fatal to cattle not thus treated. This success is of such great importance for agriculture that already immunising vaccination is being carried out on a large scale.