The Anglo-Freanh Agreement

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 8489, 24 May 1904, Page 1

The Anglo-Freanh Agreement

A despatch to the New York Sun says : —The most important development bearing upon the political situation is the announcement of a pending settlement of tne principal oustanding qucstios between Great Britain and France.

This news, significantly enough, causes scarcely concealed annoyance and disappointment in Berlin and is regarded, of course, in St. Petersburg as akin, to disloyalty on the part of Russia's ally. Japan, on the contrary, looks with satisfaction, instead of irritation, on the important move, which strongly tends to limit the Par Eastern war to the • present belligerents.

Regarding the terms of this FrancoBritsh agreement, it must be said that, so far as is known, the balance of gain is distinctly on the French side in tangible results. On the other hand, if the British concessions be regarded as the price paid for weakening the Franco-Russian attachment, then it may prove in the end a bargain most advantageous for England. The most important British concession is the transfer to France of parmountcy ;n ■Morocco. This is not news at all; it was first published in the Sun as long ago as September last. It was the Sun's announcement, made long before the contracting parties desired the news to become public, which upest the French plans of taking possession of that kingdom. It was in connection with this that M. Delcasse, Minister of Foreign Affairs, invented the new diplomatic phrase "pacific penetration," which is now re-employed to describe the French policy. It may be safely prophesied l that when France ;t----tempts to carry it into effects there will be plenty of guns and bayonets to be used in the same fashion as when Great Britain "pacified" South Africa. An English protectorate over Morocco, even similar to that of Egypt, would not be resisted seriously by the natives. France, on the contrary, is detested in the country, and she can dominate it only by an overwhelming force of arms. England attaches one condition to the resignation of her Moroccan interests, namely, that no fortifications shall be erected on. the the coast opposite Gibraltar. France will virtually recognise England's position in Egypt, including the Nile, but she retains her financial 1 and other local interests.-Great Britain accords to France very liberal treatment in exchange for her Newfoundaland shore rights. There is a cash compensation, the amount of which has not been announced, and in addition France wil Ireceive part of the English territory of Sinder, which will enable the French miltary convoys to proceed from the Niger to -Lake Chad. Hitherto these convoys have been obliged to cross a waterless desert, which can only be done during one- month of the year. It is a mistake to assert that all outstanding questions liavo been settled by the proposed convention. There remain matters in connection with the New Hebrides, Zanzibar, Muscat, etc. None of these is really serious, and it may be paid in general terms that the Anglo-French relations were never so genuinely friendly in modern times as at the present moment. Nor would the existing raprpocliement be seriously distrubed by the overthrow of the Combes Government and the assignment of the Foreign portfolio to that other clever diplomatist. M. Hanotanx. The latter has recently given expression to views. quite in accord with M. Delcasse's policy toward Great Britain. The most encouraging feature of the situation, as is intimated already, is Germany's ■ discomfiture over these developments. Her plans for gaining great advantages at no cost out of the present imbroglio between Japan and Russia are undoubtedly upset. As for any desperate attempt by Russia, in the event of her fortunes in the Far East continuing disastrous, to drag in France and Great Britain, it is safe to say that the understanding behind' the new An<rlo-Frenoh a?ree.ment- would render this difficult, if not impossible. Russia, in the emerrrency stig.ffested, must resort +o some other diversion or go on with the struggle to an indefinite end.