NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10910, 15 November 1898, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In an interesting article, dealing with the Emperor of Germany's visit to Palestine, the Spectator states that the Emperor's desire to visit the Holy Places is not the causa causans of his expedition. That is to be found in an idea which has been gradually taking hold of the Kaiser's mind. He is, as all the world knows, a fervent believer in German expansion, and in the need for acquiring new fields for German activity. At first, no doubt, the dreams of German expansion which came to the Emperor were dreams based upon Africa and the Far East. Lately, however, he is said to have become a convert to the view that it is in the Near East and in the disjecta membra of the Turkish Empire that Germany will find her truest sphere of influence and interest. Asia Minor, the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates, and Syria, these are among the most valuable places in the list of the possessions of the dying nations, and these are the places which the Emperor thinks should some day be claimed by Germany. To make matters easier, Germany has become the patron, and almost the protector, of the Sultan. No influence is so powerful at Constantinople as that of Germany, She can obtain concessions which are refused to every other Power. Her officers drill the Turkish troops, her manufacturers supply the Turks with cannon, lilies, and ammunition, and in a number of ways the Sultan has come to bo dependent upon his brother autocrat. Originally, no doubt, the Sultan leaned upon Germany because Germany seemed the one Great Power which wanted nothing from Turkey which it would weaken the independence and integrity of Turkey to give. We can hardly suppose that this is still the view entertained at the Porte, but Turkey is now too much beholden to Germany to be able to withdraw.

When the Kaiser (the article proceeds) advertises his dreams of Eastern expansion by his great Imperial promenade in the Levant, we shall probably see public attention given another violent twist, and turned, for a time at anyrate, from the Par to the Near East. That is one of the reasons w'hy our Government should "go slow" in the matter of China, and should refuse to yield to the excited people who want them to do something m order to save " the face" of the Government and divert the attention of the public. Unless we are mistaken, public attention will very soon be diverted by other means. Russia and France will find that hey have things to consider even more important and certainly much nearer home W Vr d , the spoiling, attempted spoiling of England's face" in China will nlo!„° he immediate objects of their di--1 ' cy, The strain and pressure of the Par Astern situation will, in fact, be relaxed, and our people will be able to see that after EveiTth 7' done ° bad, in China. Men tie most lent Jingo should agree not to fight Russia until after the Emperor's journey to Palestine. Till that is over no one pieces 6 on'the th ° amn ement of the STymr *' "" ° I * li " 8

thelfr , B ? tish POliCy in Africa (Bays the Berlin i'aghche Rundschau) as on the whole globe, we are compelled to admire the tenacity with which it pursues its aims, a „d the cool daring with which it assumes risks andresponsjb'hties before which weaker nacave tit :t ls tHe sltme spirit w hich gave o the one city of Rome dominion over U io O Cl t, StCT ~ Year year the mon Jack rises higher over the ° ark Continent, and in its tr •! ]£■ -d electricity provide *£ Africa 1 With Wllich alone coy Africa canle overcome. The fact that here again the British eolours-and not as nnn IS— 6 ' the German bla< *' white^ nd red flag-took the lead, finally seals th over relations of the two Powers To Anglo-Saxon North America to pi, adde^Afric^E' ih 1 S , oUthern Asia . will be Cairo." An Pn r f Capetown to this historical fact.' 01 ' ,vith

among the E,,1, '1,"/"""l* strongly in demand 1, <~? genera ' are •""Sjigfrom&toittS*™ B '' l P ' Ms - H.Ms., which Dg mter Preted, mean parlour a J , ' emg mt «rpret€d, »n n »ZT^ t T g ' malmotl "J engaging rtta he seneral sort, end. Various ' • 6 ® 3 are at 4* wits cause of the scardty'of tliflri ® VCn . as to ths Some say that tbJ 1 , domestic servant. hftiiZ?' IS f 1 bar Others say the , ™ a shop or a enough and to 1/ * 8M 516 not high Wuts r t, »« her lowly w i - , ! Em:al b "OderBui tl. ( J ghly nec «sary duties.

—*r~LJ sent, and son ladies' societies em, icuss the advisability o{ importing^p ment from the Old Country. ' Not % are servants stro,gly in demand) b « and laundresses, m even men-servant, scarce, and in son® branches of the ta?* wages have made a distinct ri<e '

The most alarming statement made in latest cable news * that a strong W force is marching upm El Obeid, the cal, of Khordofan. If this be true, fIJS French really mean war, because El fflS would be a more tlreatening position SSI Fashoda. Tta is, room for doubt, as we have not hitW heard of ■ French fee in this hood. A number of important items in Jff nection with the international situational! the preparations for war will be found i„ ' W latest cables. Sir Edward Grey who OUt Parliamentary Secretary in tie Liberal ?*>%£ vernment, and who first made the ment officially that the British ' would consider it an " unfriendly act" i France advanced on the Nile, ays tW /fS withdrawal of the French from Fashoda 2' only settled one acute point of the En M. tian question. It- is evident that ft**® has pursued certain objects with regard s ' Egypt for a considerable time. M t a? - quith, another prominent Liberal says that" the horizon is everywhere dark and menac ' ing, and he has evidently in view the Far ■ East, as he refers to the advent of America there, as an advantage to Great. Britain • Various movements of the fleet are reported' ' )' Several battleships of the reserve are t' ~ proceed to Gibraltar, while a second reserve' is to be despatched on a cruise round tie British coast. At New York, at a banquet to General Miles, there has been a demonstra,' tion of cordial feeling towards England. The French Government are intensely irritated at the Sultan, and have shown their irritation in a somewhat petty fashion. The Turkish Embassy in Paris, having suggested tie speedy appointment of a successor to M. Cambon, who has lately been appointed Ambassador in London, the French Fire™ Minister replies that as the l'orte is disre garding French interests, he will not be hurried by it. The Kaiser is huirving home from the East, and will not visit' Spain as ' at first reported. His trip to the Holy Places has no doubt been a pleasure to him. self, and it has undoubtedly much increased the influence of Germany in the East, Li Hung Chang, the famous Chinese statesman. ' who is always getting in and out of favour at court, is now said to have been shelved' by being sent to look after the inundations of the Yellow River. He is said to be itf. mical to England, and when lie is out of favour, that is said to be brought about by English influence.