HOME NEWS SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4740, 23 August 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOME NEWS SUMMARY.

(From tho ‘'Spectator.”) EUROPEAN POLITICS. I While Lord Cranborne was Milling, about Italy and our foreign relations ; in the Commons, M. Delcassc " d jt l ,, 1 ing an important statement as to Drench j foreign polmy in the Chamber ot Deputies which was also especially c.mcerued with Italy. reterenccs to, franco’s souther., neighbour were *C| are glad to say, most friendly, and he , intimated that Franco had had assn , aiices that tho renewal or tho Inplo, Alliance, as far as D aly is concerned, j was by no means a menace to tho Re- j public. “The Kings Government had itself taken care to dear up the situ, lion, and make it precise and had shown -that in no case, and under no form, canid Italy became either the instrument or the auxiliary of an aggression against our country. Italy s explanation showed, in fact, that , * thing any longer impedes the development of a friendship that has already had fertile consequences.” This is a most important declaration. -I no “Times” correspondent hastens to dot tho “i’s” by showing how tho most recent trend of foreign policy is to abandon her former attitude ot submission in regard to tho lost provinces and to mako"her reassert, claims. But. France lias determined that in doing this she will not plnngo all Europe into war. If and when the struggle comes it must he a, duel with. Germany alone. Therefore tho primary aim of Franco is to isolate Germany and to assure other Powers that no aggression against them is intended* F’ranco wishes to spare Europe a general conflict, and only asks that if tho duel proves unavoidable, Europe shall make a ring round the combatants. But it is surely also to the interests of Great Britain to see Germany isolated, and therefore wo ought not to oppose Ercnch aspirations in this direction, but rather assist them. Germany isolated, and watched in that isolation by France, would have far less time on her hands for vilifying all things British and for doing her best to sow discord between us and Russia and America. Tho telegram to Mr Kruger would never have emanated from an isolated Germany.

TRIPLE ALLIANCE. Tho Treaties which formulate tho terms of tho Triple Alliance were formally renewed at .Berlin on Saturday, June 28th, by Count von Bulow and the Austrian and Italian Ambassadors. Tho terms remain unchanged, and tho now Treaties are to last for twelve more years. The precise stipulations remain [unknown; but it is well ’understood that tho Treaty is defensive, and binds tho three Powers to resist the invasion of any of them by Franco and Russia. As wo have pointed out elsewhere, the Alliance is disliked by tho Agrarians in Germany, by tho Slavs in Austria, and by the Francophiles in Italy, but is in each country considered necessary by tho Government, and by tho chiefs of all groat parties. It is believed' in many quarters that tho renewal has been precoded by mutual concessions on economic subjects; but there is no evidence of tho fact, and it is more probable that caeli Power has been left free, as before, to make such commercial arrangements as it can. Tho renewal is a somewhat severo blow to tho Vatican, as it renders tho restoration of the temporal power within the term of the Treaty nearly impossible. As the Alliance has now lasted nineteen years, tho three Governments must have full experience of its working, and their continued approval will weigh more with sensible men than the rather vague opposition offered by parties which, like tho clerical, do not at heart desire peace.

CHINESE AFFAIRS. There is evidently great reluctance on tho part of the Powers recently engaged in China to restore tho city of Tientsin to tho Government of Pekin. They want to keep the means of coercing tho Empress-Regent should she prove refractory. As, however, Russia has withdrawn from the joint occupation and America docs not wish it to continue, the city must be surrendered after the delay necessary to soothe the irritated pride of some of the Allies. There is also great reluctance to concede tho Chinese demand that the indemnity shall be paid in silver; but as America has formally conceded the point and Great Britain is indifferent, there is no doubt that on this subject also China will win. Indeed she has won, for sho has paid the instalment duo upon the silver basis, and the Powers have taken no steps towards coercion. As Europe will not again enter China with a composite arni'y, as she will trust no mandatory, and as the people of China consider the exaction of the indemnity a violent' oppression, wo should not be surprised if it wore by degrees whittled away until only a moderate annuity remained' to bo paid. Only Germany is in earnest in exacting the money, and even she would hesitate to drive the Court a 'second timo from Pekin. Tho ruhiours of attacks on missionaries do not seem for tho present to mean much, but there is a certain revival of the “Boxer” organisation, how extensive no one seems to know. A SERIOUS POSITION. Tho French Budget is not to bo settled till October, when tho Chambers will recommence sitting. M. Rouvier requires time to consider his exceedingly difficult, and even dangerous, task. It is stated on good authority that the French deficit now amounts to £12,-

000.000 a year, while tho revenue is declining and trade terribly languid. There nvust therefore bo either a great reduction of military expenditure, which in the present condition of opinion is next to impossible, or a heavy addition ,to taxation. Tho Radicals almost unanimously, though it is suspected not quite sincerely, plead for a progressive In-come-tax; but. this M. Rouvier has as yet peremptorily refused. He must therefore either greatly increase the duties on all kinds of alcohol, which will bo most unpopular, or put on much heavier Death-duties, which will be evaded, or produce some absolutely original scheme, say of universal and compulsory insurance. In any case the opposition will bo most bitter, and we should not wonder if not only tho Government bub the Republic reeled under tho shock. The French are all in a way accountants.

THE CZAR’S RESOLVE. A correspondent of the “Daily Express,” writing from St. Petersburg on June 28th, declares that the Czar, who is greatly alarmed by the accumulating reports of discontent in Russia, has resolved to grant audiences to leading

journalists, professors, and even political prisoners, and extract from llioiu it lie can the real cauvxs of the commotion and higgestions for its cure. A number of invitations have been issued already, and tho correspondent even names sumo of the more remarkable Liberals who will be allowed to express their ideas to the Czar standing face to race. The .story is so odd that it has probably some foundation, more especially as the Czar is well aware that the higher bureaucracy round the throne do often contrive to conceal unpleasant facts, which reach him, if at all, in a roundabout way' from foreign capitals, especially Copenhagen, whore there is a real wish for the safety of the dynasty. The recent recrudescence of Nihilism must, moreover, have alarmed the Czarina, who being accustomed to Germany, must bo well aware that a splendid and powerful throne can be maintained without the excessive repression at present practised in Russia. It is not tho Sovereign who benefits by tho shooting down of peasants. Of tho discontent in the Southern provinces, usually the best off. there can bo no doubt, and there must be some cause at work which has not yet been accurately' described- The process of events is m all cases the same. The peasants arc hungry, in debt, and disposed to violence; they aro told that the Czar ha.s given them tho lands of tho rich, and they make, a rush either for the chateaux or the Government offices, where, as they think, decrees in their favour aro concealed. Tho landlords make no more fight than the French nobles did in 178!), but fly to the larger towns, whence tho officials send troops to boat back the peasantry. If the soldiers do not fire, there is anarchy; but if, as usually' happens, they obey orders, there is a mas-

sacre, and tho defeated peasants are : flogged or imprisoned in scores. The i three measures first required are pro- ' tcction for tho journalists, who would keep the central authority informed, a thorough reform of the fiscal department, with decent pay for tho collectors, and some provision through which complaints can reach the central authority. No one in China, we believe, dare stop ] a “rod” petition to the throne, bub in Russia they have not as yet got even so far as that. The hope is in the Czar; but if he moves he must move strongly, for tho entire official world will be against him. AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY'. Tho Vienna correspondent of the ‘•Times” reports that tho dispute between Austria and Hungary, which was ■ fast ripening into a dangerous quarrel, has been terminated. The Emperor, becoming aware that his two Premiers were not on terms, personally intervened, ordering both a reccmciaation and a compromise, an order which was obeyed. The details are not yet known, but tho affair is in accordance with tho regular course of affairs in Austria. Tho nationalities always quarrel, tho situation always gets dangerous, and then the disputants always decide that the Empire must hold together. No section is prepared for final secession, or ; for the fate it would have to endure if secession were carried out. ENGLAND’S PROSPERITY'. The wealth of the country increases in spite of all the calls upon the Treasury. The revenue receipts for the quarter ending June, 1902, show an in- ( crease on those of the same quarter in

1901 of no loss than £5,307.000. This , is not all clear gain, for tho Customs- j, duties and Income-tax have been -n- f ; creased; but there has been an increase i of £IIO,OOO in the receipts from the ; Post Office, which is a barometer ci our business activity', and of £OOO.OOO in those from the Death-duties, which have not been altered. This may be due m part to some lucky windfall in the shape of a groat estate; but it must also bo i due in part to tho increased value of the properties which fall under ihe impost. Nobody, in fact, can read the usual i lists of wills and legacies without noticing tiic increased number of obscure per- i sons who file leaving accumulations : which even thirty years ago would have j 1 been considered immense. Not only me there many more millionaires, but j there is a whole new class of demimillionaires and testators with from ,; £200.000 to £400,000. Sir William Har- j court hi nisei f must be amazed at the# success of his great experiment, which , has given the treasury a second sheet anchor, and shows him to have been j at all events a most fortunate Chancellor of the Exchequer. THE CORN TAX. In the House of Lords on Thursday, on the second reading of the: Finance ; Bill, Lord Goschc-n made a powerful defence of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach s finnancial measures. The tax bn corn would, ho declared, only amount to half j a farthing on the quartern loaf. Even if the whole weight of the tax n ere placed on the consumer each individual member of tho community would only' pay Old a year in consequence of the Corn-tax. After Lord Spencer had opposed tho tax on the con volitional Opposition lines, Lord Balfour of Burleigh

replied on behalf of the Government, and, wo are glad to say, strongly repudiated tho notion that the Corn-tax had, or was intended to have, any protective character. A GRAND SIGHT. Tho parade of Colonial contingents held in front of tho Horse Guards on Tuesday morning passed off with brilliant success. After tho inspection of tho parade had taken place—tho Queen leading tho way in her carriage, followed by tho combined Staffs of Army Headquarters, tho Royal entourage, the Home District, and the Duke of Con-naught—twenty-three officers, no*n-eom-missionod officers and men were called out to receive decorations (including five Victoria Crosses), and finally the march past took place. No fewer than twenty-seven Colonies and Dependencies were represented, the Canadians leading the way. Australasia and South Africa were admirably represented by detachments of the finest Colonial corps who have fought in the war, but the world-wide character of the Empire was most strikingly illustrated by the coloured Soldiery |rom Fiji, British North Borneo, Haussas from West Africa, Sikhs from Uganda, negroes from Jamaica, and Chinamen from the Wei-hai-wei Regiment. Tho host commentary on this remarkable display was the remark of an “ordinary citizen” recorded in the “Times”: “It’s a grand sight’; it is a pity ha ain’t here to see it.” OUR INDIAN ARMY. London witnessed a grand spectacle on Wednesday, one possible only to tho rulers of the Indian Empire. The Queen, accompanied by a crowd of Crown Princes, reviewed thirteen hundred sol-

fliers, all picked men, representing the different forces of the Indian .Army. Sikhs, Ghoorkas, Afrecdees, Rajpoots, 1 the Guides, the Viceroy’s bodyguard, and tho bodyguards of the Governors, with Madrassees. Lancers from Bengal,] Madras, and Bombay, all were blazing! in their finest uniforms and covered with medals earned in battle. A number of Indian Princes in magnificent dresses and glittering with jewels added to the picturesqneness of the scene; but] tho European Princes watched most| closely' the men themselves with their tail frames—the Ghoorkas arc an exception—proud bearing, and unmistakable look of real soldiership, and probably coiTccted many preconceived ideas of their value in the field. The reporters record with enthusiasm tho welcome the troops received from the groat crowds assembled; but they failed, of course,; to note the most wonderful facts of all—| that, all tlio.se splendid men arc voluii-, tarily enlisted, and, except when on service, can leave at will; and that, twothirds of them —all, indeed, except the Malioinmedans—in order to he present have overcome prejudices, superstitions and fears which seemed rooted in their very' souls. It is said tho Indian soldiers wore very much pleased; hut it did not need saying. Each man on his return will bo something more than a hero—a historian with unlimited right of telling, perhaps improving, tales which, to his audience will surpass in interest , tho best legends of India or Persia. I ~ ' TYPHOID IN THE ARMY. Dr. Leigh Cauney sends an interesting letter to the “Times” of last Saturday' on the progress of his scheme, published just a year ago, for the abolition of typhoid in the Army. He con-

tends, not without good grounds, that Mr Brodrick’s answer of May 6th practically involves the adoption of a scheme declared in tho previous August by | Lord Stanley to bo “entirely impractic- : able for active service.” At least Mr , Brodrick on tho later date gave assurances that a scheme for providing mobile columns with safe water to fill tho soldiers’ water-bottles at all times had 1 been prepared, and that meaaures were being taken to carry this out. Dr. ‘ Leigh Canney, • however, expresses na- . tural surprise and regret that ten months should have boon allowed to elapse before the War Office took action - in tho matter —in face of the rccom- 1 mendations of Sir William Broadbent, of the Professor of Military Hygiene at ; Netley, and other experts and practical soldiers—and that Mr Brodrick’s own , adhesion should be neutralised by the damaging declaration that, while ofiicers had been specially instructed as j regards the necessity of preventing the i men from drinking water from unsafe , sources, “it is not too much to say that < no instructions will prevent thirsty men committing such indiscretion.” The j scheme, as Dr. Canney contends, is ren- i dcred useless in advance unless certain 1 conditions are regarded as essential, no- ■ tably (a) the rendering all non-medical . officers responsible for. water-borne , disease,, and (b) the establishment of a • tradition in war that it is dishonourable i and a “crime” to iuse # any water for drinking purposes not “approved” or allowed. Dr. Leigh Canney’s persistence ( in this matter in tho face of official ' scepticism is greatly to ho applauded. As ho does well to remind us, there is no room for “indiscretions” in. war.