STAVING OFF A CATASTROPHE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11798, 30 July 1900, Page 2

STAVING OFF A CATASTROPHE.

EFFECT OF THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN

AGREFiMENT.

That Britain and Rvtosia would act together in the settlement of the Chinese question was predicted six weeks ago. The special correspondent of the Daily Mail in Copenhagen reported early in June that a very important person, who is in close touch with the Russian clique had informed him that the Russian diplomatists were' working tor the preservation of a crood understanding between England and Russia. _ In support of this view he referred to Russia s attitude in regard to tho South African war, and in other parts of the world, too, Russia had done nothing in tho direction of taking advantage of the chance that offered.

"No," lie went on, "the two Powers will eontimie in their work of peace, and, in my opinion, they will march on arm-in-arm during the forthcoming developments of the Uimese question. I mean by this that they will protect their European subjects and regulate, the lingering dissolution' of China. ./'The immediate duty of this diplomacy will be to stave off a Catastrophe in China in the way'l have described. China must not be allowed to become the 100-years' menace to the peace of the world that Turkey has been to the peace of Europe. "But now, as T have, said, we may safely say that the. Chinese, question will not disturb the peace of the world policy, at least so far as. our imagination can foresee, for the two Great Powers are agreed.

"As a result of this the world will not find itself threatened by even tho suspicion of a catastrophe, and though Japan inny perhaps prove restless, yet" that Asia'.-io Power will probably corns to .see that tho leading nations of the world are determined on the preservation of peace."