NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10047, 6 February 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr. Jons Morley's criticism of Lord Salisbury's speech on tho Armenian question was certainly not the criticism of a practical statesman. Lord Salisbury had stated that he had reeolvod to rely on the goodwill of the Sultan in fulfilling tha promises of reform in Armenia which His Majesty had made to the Powers instead of taking individual action, which he said might produce " terrible calamities." This decision, according to Mr. Morley, means the effaceraent of British influence in Turkish affairs. Mo opinion, however, could be moreunjustor more untrue. It also seems toshowaninadequateappreciationof the real crux of the wholo question. If the Concert of the Powers is unablo or unwilling to take the government and administration ol the Armenian Christians out of the hands of the Turks, it certainly i 3 no part of the duty of England to draw the sword and enter upon a crusade against Turkey. But even assuming that sho wero to do so, it is more than doubtful whether the result) would not prove more disastrous to the populations whoso rescue is aimed at than the grievances under which they now lie. But in any case a war. between England and Turkey is not an undertaking that is to be entered upon with a light heart, or without carefully calculating the probable results. To shatter the rule of the Sultan, to root out and destroy the Turkish Empire, would not perhaps prove a veryformidablotaskforaPowerlikeEngland -although old empires aro not, as a rule, easily destroyed—bub that would not be the ultimate solution. To smash up the military and naval forces of an empire is one thing, to parcel out its territory among a group of selfiVh and jealous Powers is quite another thing. The present state of things in the Sultan's dominions may be as bad as it is represented to be, although we doubt it, but it is surely better to go on getting a little improvement here and there, keeping the Sultan up to the mark, ago to speak, than to plunge into a war, the ™.id and consequences of which it is given to no mortal man to forecast, bub which would, the chances are, bring upon the World untold calamities. The announcement that Russia declines to join Germany in an attempt to force the British out of Egypt, and the remarkable statement in Mr. A. J. Balfour's speech, thai the world would welcome the acquisition bj Russia of a commercial outlet in the Pacific, have a deep significance when read together, They appear to us to contain ovidence of a rapprochement between England and Russia, and of a desire to promote the entente cordiak. Taken in conjunction with the more friendly tone in tho speeches of British statesmen lately when referring to Russia, and tho gradual disappearance of thai) bittomess which was once so conspicuous m tho English press in discussions on Russian policy, they possess an importance which cannot be over-rated. Both from a political and a commercial stand, point a good understanding with Russia is to be desired. She is the only Power in Europe that could strike a rapid blow at the British Empire. A Russian invasion of India may bo, as some military experts assert, an impossibility. Of that we are by no means sure. But, whether it bo possible or not, no one, experts or other* Wise, has ever doniod that Russia has it in her power to cause us serious trouble in India. So far, also, as these colonies are concerned, she is perhaps tho only Power that we have any need to trouble ourselves about as a possiblo ouemy. It is therefore of no little consequence that England and Russia should bo on friendly terms. Willi regard to Mr. Balfour's reference to a commercial outlet in the Pacific for Russia, wo may expect to learn that Russia has secured some Coroan port, probably, whioh she will transform into a great entrepot for the commerce of her vast Eastern territories. Naturally, too, she will convert it into a second Vladivostok, which, however, will be aoces3ible to her warships at all seasons of the year. Russia, like some enormous glacier, is slowly drifting down to the sea. One rnipht as well endeavour to sweep back the rising tide as to stay her progress. The wisest policy is to recognise the inevi< table, and to be prepared for it. When she gets an outlet in the Pacific no dreadful catastropho will happen. Tho affairs of the world will go on as usual; and, according to Mr. Balfour, British commerce will indirectly bo the gainer. In a sympathetically-written biographj of tho late George Augustus Sain, a writer. in the St. James's Budget gays: "For thirty years or more Salu made an income that was accounted magnificent in Fleet, street. If he died poor and a pensioner tc tho extent of £100 a year on the Roycj Bounty Fund, that was because of ill-luclt and a certain royal extravagance rather than from insufficient remuneration, For many years he was in the fortunate poai< tion of commanding his own price, and tho Telegraph paid him handsomely, Ha netted a good deal of money by his letters on ' Tho Land of tho Golden Fleece,' for ha; was paid £100 a week for their republic*' tion in some Australian jowuale, and tin

ecturing to *• Antipodes was very successfnl from a pecuniary standpoint. When he ft Australia in 1889 it was with a fortune sufficient for the rest of his days. Bub he lost all he had acquired, he suffered a greab ief by the death of his wife, and evil days overtook him. When his health recovered buckled down to work with invinciblo mn „t s married Miss Stannard, and started Sala's Journal. Tho venture was unsuccessful, and sinco thon bankruptcy in health, if not in resources, overtook him. But ho retained his vivacity, his wit, and his inexhaustible energy of mind almost to tho Inst, and till his final illness was ono of the best of good fellows and most entertainng of companions." The rumour which is prevalent, apparently in tho United States, that America ami England are in favour of coercive measures against Turkey in connection with tho Armenian question is of courso ontitled to no credence in view of tho statement made by Lord Salisbury the other day that ho was prepared to allow the Sultan an opportunity of fulfilling his promises. That the Armenians have suffered brutal treatment at tho hands of the Turks is not denied, bub that they themselves are not the Paints which they havo been depicted, is proved by their treatment of the Turks at Zeitoun, where, according to tho report of the foreign consuls, they tortured and massacred 200 prisoners. Mr. Herbert Gladstone i 3 at present in Constantinople, where ho is said to bo dogged by spies. Considering his father's wild and fanatical denunciations of the Sultan, and all his doings, it would have been more discreet of tho son to stay away from the Turkish capital. The arrival of the remains of Prince Henry of B.Utenberg in England was a sad and sorrowful event to Her Majesty and Princess Beatrice. The Agents-Goneral of tho colonies have fittingly shown the sympathy of their various countries in this terrible bereavement which has overtaken the Royal Family. Mr. Harrison has refused to bo nominated for the American Presidency.