GERMAN ACTIVITY IN THE NEAR EAST.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 965, 17 March 1910, Page 2

GERMAN ACTIVITY IN THE NEAR EAST.

A special representative of the Pall ! Mall Gazette, who has just concluded a tour in Kgypt has, in the course of his travels, come across remarkable evidence of Gcmun activity in the Near East. At the port of Trieste, lie writes, by arrangement with Austria, no less than six mil. ions are 'being spent in the development of tin: docks, is'ot only is the present harbor being improved by spacious landing stages and a thorough system of railways and transporters, lint an ent'rely new ■harbor is to be created on the' eastern side of thirty, which will give inestimably better anchorage than a'- present during the prevalence of gales. Tho town front at Trieste facing tho harbor is being developed on equally spacious lines, A magnificent Rathaus lias been erected, rwhilo the ranges of Government offices more recently added arc equally spacious and imposing. Hound the harbor immense blocks o? well-equipped warehouses are bcii'g rapidly completed, and all the arra-'gcnients for handling a big trade are obvious. Owing to the export traffic being divided between Austrian and German manufactures, it is, of course, difficult to estimate the growth and relative proportion of either country's trade, but the amount of business going en is incontestable' proof of growth, It is evident that Trieste will rapidly become one of the most important if not the largest port in the Mediterranean, and go far to command at I no distant date the trade in the Near East, as well as, through the Suez Canal, immense prospects of trade with Indi.v and China. Only a few months ago the present writer spent some time in enquiring as to tlie decay of industries along niir own river Thames, and the contrast of 'foreign prosperity was a striking object lesson. A tremendous change is promised in -the trade journey between Loudon and Alexandria. Thanks to Continental enterprise the journey will be reduced from 5 l f s to 3 days only. The London connections with the Continental systems will be threefold—by way of Dover, Qucensborough and Harwich. Travelling by through train bv way of, Cologne, Wiesbaden, Frankfort, and Munich, the English traveller will be able to reach Trieste in twenty-four hours, thanks to a new section of railway now being constructed between Salzburg and Bad-Gastein. There will also be a direct line to Innsbruck from Trieste, and the railway journey from London will be shortened some twelve or fourteen hours. Another valuable saving of time will be effected at the Custom House Ac present the access through Switzerland meang a delay -ir five or six hours, .•owing to useless and annoying inspection. This will be abolished.

Even greate r changes ami improvements are to be made in the sea trip, The Austrian Lloyd Steamship Company, arc constructing two new twin-screw •boats of double the .pace of their present stoamc 's. These will accomplish in 52 hours ;i journey which now takes .3dp vs. A rare advantage of the sea trip f; nn Trie?te to Alexandra is-that .it is virtually a "smooth water" passage, the sheltered waters of the Adriatic 1 uing a welcome change for the ■Bay of Biscap. while the interest of the voyage is heightened by the famous shores—the classic islands of Greece and Crete adding to Hue .plcasuri of the cruise.

Diirir" niv stay at Trieste I was so fortunate as to meet the Secretary to the Ch;ii"se Embassy which lias recently been vi.;iting Europe. On arrival I noticed an Austrian general in attendance upon two visitors from the Celestial Empire, whose costume of purple and black was unusually striking. In th? course of an interview with the courteous Secretary 'to the Embassy, ■which consisted of an uncle of the Emperor and a suite of seventeen officers. I was told they were travelling to Vienna the following day, and their visit to Berlin has since been .chronicled in all tiie journals. Unfortunately •a to London was not a part of the programme. The Embassy is engaged in an enquiry into the status of the Continental navies; Germany is, no doubt, wisely cultivating friendly relations with both political and business objects in vie\r.

Hie activity of Germany, howevci', is equally as great, in th e Near East as in the Jar. In Egypt, curiously enough, the majority of visitors are German—pnbably more than the English and Americii'i eonilmiod. Many are not merely (here for pleasure; Germany is there for business. It is melanclioly, true, that after spending so many millions as England has, 1 done on Egypt and the Soudan, we are allowing Germany to reap the business fruit. "From Syria, from Asia Minor and Constantinople, a>>d from the Cape, one hears the same story; and in Egypt German business 'bouses in Alexandria and Cairo, felt in the cotton market German influence is rapidly becoming an important factor. In finance, for example, the German banks are making considerable advances to cotton-growers in all directions, and her influence in Egyptian tiado must rapidly become important. It would be a singular .position if Lancashire in the Mure found the control of the Egyptian market had passed into other hands.

A more cheerful feature in one's travel notes was to hear of the remarkable popularity of England and our customs in Australia. At Vienna the study of Ensrlish is all. the fashion -English sport, the game of "Bridge," the Ensrlish pipe, English literature/English music One of the pleasautest of travelling companions was a n/edical professor from Vienna, whose admiration 01 our ■hygienic niet-lio-Is and sanitary administration generally was great. ■ More agreeable still, lie ridiculed the idea that there should be any risk of war between England and Germany—the Cerman people, he was sure, had no wish for it.