GATHERING OF THE CLOUDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

GATHERING OF THE CLOUDS.

» — MULTIPLEX MENACES. I "FROM OUR OWN CORBESPONKBNT. J London, Atpril 25. Although I do not desire to play the part of an alarmist I deem it my duly to point out the tendency of certain necemt events which do appear to involve a very serious menace to the. future ascendancy and even welfare of the British Empire. Recently I referred to the somewhat disquieting tendency of Russia towaad fresh movements both in Persia and in. Afghanistan. These still go on. Very quietly and unostentatiously, but also very steadily and' persistently, military forces and munitions of war are accumulating in the neighbourhood of the Afghan frontier. I have reason to believe that the Russian force already on the spot is far larger than is generally supposed. The Russian military authorities are aware of the present: Czar's strong repugnance to hostilities witih England. So they constantly find specious pretexts for moving on more hoops and stores in that direction—not, of course, to operate against England, or against Afghanvstan, which would be exactly the same • tiling. Oh, dear, no. of course not! —but merely to maintain Russia's ascendancy over the territory she has already absorbed about there. Also Russia continues, octopus-like, to' l fasten fresh tentacles almost week by week upon the Persian finances. Persia is now virtually in the grip of Russia so far as her monetary affairs are concerned, and cannot stir a step without Russian sanction. This makes the Persian Gulf question one of more and more perilous potentiality. For Russia has long determined to secure, sooner or later, a coaling station in that gulf as well as another in the Red Sea, and but for the, friendship of the Emperor'for England—which may be termed his wife's country—there is nothing in this world more certain than that Russia would have taken advantage of England's hands being hampered in South Africa to seize each and both of these earnestly-coveted advantages. France is most desirous that she should do so, and would support her heartily, raising the Egyptian question at the same time. This tremendous menace to Britain's position in the East is only held in abeyance through the autocratic personal power of the Czar, moved thereto by the influence of his clever and pretty, young wife. On the slim thread of those two lives, now daily threatened by Nihilist and Anarchist conspiracies, hangs England's immunity from hostile action in those vulnerable quarters. ■ • Should any contingency remove those protective influences the whole British Empire might be called upon at a moment's notice to fight for its very existence. It has no army available to send abroad. Not much of one to speak of even for home defence, and all would depend on the navy and on the ability of our mercantile marine to bring the food' needed to keep our people from absolute and speedy starvation. Of the navy Lord Charles Beresford does not give' the most cheering account possible. In fact, he seems to hint pretty plainly that a radical and drastic, reform is imperative if it is to hold its own with certainty against a single Continental rival. Nobody knows how—apart from the factors already instanced—the critical condition of the Queen of Holland, the approach of the French general election, the alarming recrudescence of Nihilism in Russia, the further financial decadence and consequent fiscal embarassment of Turkey, the ebullition of fresh turbulence in the Balkan States, and each of a whole host of other awkward matters may prove the spark to the European Powder Magazine whose explosion would wreck the peace of the whole world.