THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 1886.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7799, 19 November 1886, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 1886.

It was a wild scheme, the proposal of Baron Macleay to establish a Russian colony in New Guinea, and it is not surprising to find that it has not received encouragement in St. Petersburg. Muscovite ambition is always restless, aad is exceedingly lively just now; but there are obvious reasons why it should not see anything attractive in this particular project. If it were intended, as stated, to introduce a body of Russian peasants, they could only be expected to rapidly die off in that torrid clime; while if it were intended to colonise, as the Dutch have done in Java, or as the Germans, according to the Baron, are already doing in New Guinea, a clashing of interests would be inevitable, inasmuch as the site recommended for the Russian settlement appears to be within the boundary claimed by Germany, and the bone of contention with the newfound ally could scarcely be acceptable. Above all, Russia is not maritime enough for trans-marine colonization. She could not stand by it in time of war, and it would be useless, as she possesses already any amount of waste land, fertile, and in good climate, in both Europe and Asia, upon which to plant any superabundant population and create colonies. It is true that she is not content with her enormous territory, but is perpetually advancing or trying to advance its frontiers; is trying to do so at the present moment, not only in the Balkan region and on the borders of Afghanistan, but along the shores of the North Pacific. She has not, however, to depend on her navy for doing this, and does not venture to raise her standard beyond the sea, because although very anxious to become a maritime power, she must for a long time lack anything like a powerful navy. If Russia held possessions beyond the sea, they would be captured in the event of war with a western adversary. The Russians, properly so called, are an inland people; but since Ozar Peter was able to remove his capital to a seaside, they have the maritime aspiration among their other dreams. It was not, however, until the acquisition of Finland that they could obtain any considerable number of good sailors, and that province is allowed special privileges in consideration of the service. Those Finland seamen furnish the bulk of the crews for the ships of war in the North Pacific, and in the Black Sea as well as in the squadron belonging to their own Baltic waters. Two or three years ago the Russian Press was talking of the benefit that would accrue to their trade if it were represented by suitable agencies in great foreign ports, like Bombay, Batavia, Melbourne, etc.; and sometime previously there was rumour of the projected establishment of a line of steamers, to be mainly under Russian management, and to run between Vladivostok and Japan and San Francisco, with a branch to Australasian ports. Perhaps it was the disposition thus exhibited which inclined Baron Macleay to formulate his plan of a Muscovite settlement in New Guinea. But if the Russians will not plant their banner in New Guinea, they are busy extending its folds on another shore of this ocean. We learn by advices within the last few weeks that their mysterious influence over the rulers of Oorea is likely to obtain for them other territorial concession besides Port Lazareff in that fine peninsula. To be sure the country of Mantchooria, roamed over by pastoral Tartar tribes, lies between Corea and their present frontier ; but if Russia can get hold of Oorea she will not have to depend on her ships for communication with it, as Mantchooria would very likely be annexed at the same time. Indeed, preparations are being made for that end. The reader may remember the intelligence we laid before him last year,. supplied by the London and Ohina Telegraph, respecting the treaty concluded between Russia and Oorea through the agency of M. von Mollendorff. We were then told that the treaty provided for the officering by Russians of a Oorean gendarmerie, post roads were to be made between certain points of great importance to the Russians, the opening of the river Tumen was to be secured, and telegraphic lines were to be laid across Mantchooria to Vladivostok and other places. It was added:—" The Tumen river flows close to the borders of Mantchooria, and no doubt the control of the telegraphs will be in Russian hands, and will be a most important and useful agency in Russianising the country," It was in view of such intrigues in Oorea that the British Government formed a naval station at Port Hamilton, on an islet in the neighbouring seas; and on land Chinese intervention will sooner or later come about. The King of Oorea has long been tributary to both Ohina and Japan, whose supremacy is disturbed by the Muscovite movement. Both those Mongolian Empires are gathering up their strength upon the European model, and the enormous resources of Ohina must, eventually, render her a very formidable Power, not likely to remain satisfied with a Russian seizure of

Oorea and Mantchooria, or of the Amur country, which was appropriated during the confusion of the Taeping outbreak. The Chinese Government have for years been engaged in military preparations, and we learn that in the present year they have ordered from the English gunmakers 200,000 rifles of the newest pattern. It looks like a sense of their growing strength that, according to report, a board or commission has been appointed in Pekin to inquire into the position of the Chinese people residing in the various foreign countries where there are no Chinese consuls. They seem to think in America that this proceeding is specially aimed at them because of the anti-Chinese riots and murders which occurred some time ago in one of the Western States. There can, however, be no question that China must become by and by an exceedingly powerful empire, which by reason of the comparative proximity of its base of operations, should be quite competent to drive back the Muscovite movement in Eastern Asia.