NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10100, 8 April 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Tab views of Russian policy which hare recently been pu« forward by responsible British statesmen, says the Home News, would hardly induce the outsider to anticipate the nature of Russian doings in either the Par East or the Near East), recently. Mr. B.xlfour, Lord George Hamilton, and others have given such testimonial to Russia's excellent motives ami worthy ambitions, that it is somewhat of a shock to find how absolutely the Tsar and his advisers have played their own game in Asia and in Europe, and how seriously disquieting for Greakßritaiu is the policy she has adoptod. In the light of the further Armenian Bluo-book and of events in Corea, it is surely impossible for the average Briton to wax very warm in his enthusiasm for a Russo-British rapprochement. Under the pretext of affording protection for the King, a force of Russian marines was landed at Chemulpho and marched on Seoul, and something in the nature of a Russian Protectorate of Seoul is believed in certain quarters to have been decided on. The aims of Russian diplomacy in this part of the world are too well known for anyone to have doubts as to the significance of this move. Russia secured the evacuation of the peninsula by Japan only apparently to take steps to occupy the point of vantage which Japan abandoned. In Japan her action is being seriously canvassed, and it is impossible not to rnticipato trouble. Japan would not tolerate a Russian protectorate over Corea without a struggle. Among Britons interested in the Far East the question everywhere asked is: His Russia stolen another march on Great Britain ?

In South-Eastern Europe Russian doings, according to the same authority, have been nob less disturbing. Russia, and Russia alone, is responsible for the impotence of the Powers in regard to Armenia. The Czar has taken the Sultan under his protection against Europe; that is the moral of the official papers. When ib was hinted that armed intervention might be necessary to compel the Sultan to ensure just and merciful government for the Armenians, Prince Lobanoff raised objections on the ground that any such intervention would be an illegal interference in the internal affairs of Turkey, and dangerous to European peace. The sophistry of this plea cannot bo disguised for a second. Russia did nob trouble about legality in 1577, when she went to war in defence of the Bulgarians; and she does not need to be reminded that the only danger to European peace arises from the action by which she has broken up tho Concert of the Powers. Lord Salisbury had no option but to'acknowledge that a conflict between the Poweas would far outweigh any advantage hat could possibly be expected from isolated action, and tho position of things remains what it was, save that Turkey may now carry out her campaign of horrors under tho very a;gis of Holy Russia. Russian diplomacy has scored heavily, though the score is, perhaps, nob one of which she has any great cause to be proud. She will, however, conceivably find a certain satisfaction in having driven another nail in the coffin of the Berlin Treaty. That Treaty was originally violated against her wishes in Bulgaria, and ib is violated now in Asia Minor in her interests.

Among; Russia's latesb triumphs, of course, is (continues the News) the conversion of Prince Boris to the faith of the Czar. In days gone by Russia has posed as the Protector of Christendom, and the new role sho has assumed of Defender of Islamism in its worst form is a change which musb make Prince Ferdinand wonder whether, after all, he has been wise in surrendering his son to the Greek Church. The conversion has, naturally, been hailed with much rejoicing in Bulgaria and in Russia, and Prince Ferdinand has furthered the ends of ambition considerably by the event. That Russia should in a few brief months have succeeded in drawing into her net China, Corea, Turltey, and Bulgaria, is sufficient to show the world how masterly are the hands which now direct her foreign affairs. In what she has done there is, so far as can be seen, nothing whatever to merit the support of the British people. Bub there is in it a good deal to encourage an Anglophobist revival. Prince Lobanoff has embarked on a Fanslavist campaign, which reminds one of the days before De Giers, and in this he is cordially supported by his master. Russia is becoming the dominant factor in the Balkans, and Austria, curiously enough, seems to have played into her hands. England has not perhaps done likewise, though it cannot be said that she has made any sort of counter move.

The London Daily News, returning to the subject of Baron Marshall's speech in the Reichstag, on February 13th, has reminded its German critics that it found the German veto on South African union not in the German Foreign Minister's speech, " which was most satisfactorily moderate and conciliatory in tone," but in the German White-book. Ib says" Tho despatch in question reports a conversation which Baron Marschall had upon the subject with Sir Edward Malet, and is dated February 1,1895. Tho crucial pasßagos are as follow : —'I have the honour of informing your Excellency of a conversation which I had to day with tho English Ambassador. The object of our policy is to protect against all attack those material interests which Germany has created for herself by tho building of railways and the opening of commercial relations with the Transvaal. These interests demanded tho maintenance of the Transvaal as an independent State according to the Treaty of 1884, and the securing of tho status quo as regards the railways and harbours in Dclagoa Bay. This is the beginning and the end of our policy in thoso ports. If Lord Kimberloy strives also for the maintenance of tho status quo, why are nob the agitations of those who, with very improper and unwise attacks upon Germany, proclaim quite openly in London the absorption of the Transvaal by Cape Colony, put a stop to? Sir Edward deplored those utterances againsb Germany, but saw in Dr. Jameson's lasb speech nob the intention of annexation, bub only the idea of a commercial federation of the South African States. I answered that tho idea thab Rhodesia should become a commercial union, amalgamation, or federation of all the South African States was opposed to our interests, because this, to express it in a few words, meant politically a protectorate, and in an economical respect the commercial monopoly of Cape Colony and tho exclusion of German commerce. If the English colonists are touchy on the Transvaal question, ours are so also. If Lord Kimberley withes for the maintenance of tho status quo, our views are thoroughly identical, and I would by no means think ib oub of question to have this put down in writing."

Nows from the Soudan states thab the Dervishes aro massing in force ab various points, and thab an attack on the Egyptian forces is impending, Sir H, Robinson has thanked President Krtiger for his offer of aid in connection with the Matabole rising, bub has not accepted ib, Mr. Cecil Rhodes has started oub At the head of a small force

to relieve welo. At the revival of th o Olympic fined in Greece 70,000 person were prose:. A Victorian athlete won the first safe in one of the events. It is stati that in Venezuela it believed tit the frontier dispute with England 11 bo satisfactorily settled Germany a I Japan have contracted a new commercial renty greatly in favour of the fotmer. A wording to Heir Schmeisser s report the 'est Australian gold fields compare very ivourably with those of the Transvaal. The Knglish and American Cardinals o agitating for the establishment of a { rmanent tribunal of arbitration for the set smenb of all disputes between England id America. The British mission in Madagascar are showing a strong disp -ition to work in harmony with the French