THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 2747, 19 February 1896, Page 2

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

THE POWERS AND THE TURKISH QUESTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. — Copyright, London, February 17. In tho House of Commons, Mr G. N. Curzon, Parliamentary Secretary for the Foreign Office, declared that the Powers would not request Russia to occupy Armenia in violation ot treaties if the Sultan did not agree to the step. Pour torpedo destroyers have been ordered to Malta. Mr Gladstone told a representative of Figaro that ho personally desired closer relations with Franco, but he was unable to express an opinion as to the foreign policy of Great Britain.

From Out Special Correspondent. London, January 3. Tho "Happy New Year” which we wore all wishing one another so vigorously tho other day has opened singularly infelioitously in the city. Seldom indeed has the outlook for business men seemed more ominous. At the present moment Great Britain is in trouble in all four quarters of tho globe. “ Abdul, the Damned ” (as tho poet Watson gracefully stylos tho Sultan) defies us in Constantinople, and Russia—brimming with sullen menace —secretly helps him. The American Eagle shrieks shrill defiance from Washington, wo are at war with Ashantee, and Providence and President Kruger alone know what is really happening in the Transvaal. Such is tho situation after six months of tho strongest Government on record, the Government which was, we are reminded, to “ restore confidence ” and set us right with those foreign statesmen who declined to deal with tho “ phantom Government ” of Lord Rosebery. The Secretary of State for the Colonies and his family spent the holidays at their home near loyal Birmingham, which continues to reflect every fresh turn in its senior member’s coat with touching fidelity. It was not Mr Chamberlain’s intention to come to town till the end of next week, when the Pacific Cable Congress would, one heard, engage his attention. But tho Transvaal crisis brought him up by the first train on Tuesday, and also spoilt Lord Salisbury’s Now Year’s Eve. At the time of writing the news of the defeat of Dr Jameson’s troopers and his own capture has just boon made public, and another bad panic seems brewing in Kaffir stocks. The only fact certain is that for days past the wires from the Transvaah have been in tho hands of the Boers, and that allthe news that has reached us comes through them. To this may be added that Reuter’s agent at Pretoria is the editor of Kruger’s paper. In the former capacity ho recently interviewed himself in the latter with great spirit. The article was a most pacific production, but, judging by recent events, distinctly unreliable.

What the truth is concerning the whole unfortunate Jameson episode you may not even have heard when these lines appear in print. All, however, who know the doctor, either personally or by reputation, vouch for his character being cautions almost to a fault. The idea of his deliberately heading a reckless filibustering expedition without adequate provocation cannot, they say, be entertained for a moment. His reports, when they come to hand, will put a very different complexion on the situation. Meanwhile it seems apparent that the Boers were by no means in tho unprepared state their innocent cables to us insinuated. Catching a weasel asleep must be child’s play compared to capturing these good old Dutchmen off guard. The foreign papers, I notice, are sceptical as to tlie ignorance of Mr Rhodes, Sir Hercules Robinson and the Colonial Office anent Jameson’s expedition. Such an undertaking must have taken, they forcibly point out, many weeks to prepare. How came it that all those responsible parsons and. their agents were blind, deaf and dumb to what was going on ?