THE TRIPOLI TROUBLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 64, 30 October 1911, Page 8

THE TRIPOLI TROUBLE.

WILL THE WAR LAST LONG?

Mr Arif A. Nassaor writes interestingly in the Sydney “Sun” on the Tripoli trouble. He is a 8.A., and son of the late Amin George Nasso or Bov, who for many years held a high position in the Turkish Government. Mr Nassoor liiniself was in the Egyptian Government service for five years, and is well in touch with Egyptian Mohammedan affairs. Ho also possesses a wide knowledge of the ways of the Tripolitans, and, of course, et Turkey itself. Inter alia, he says : “Now, for the war itself. 1 do not believe it will last very Inn". lam confident that Europe will intercede, I hope and think, that the intercession will come from Great Britain. 1 will give two main reasons. The first is this: England rules the larger part of the Mohammedan population of the whole world, and she is looked upon as the defender and protector of Islam throughout all the continents. Consequently, if she does not come forward to intercede, she will lose the prestige of respect that she holds at | present, and rightly holds, and may also have to stand the consequences of Islands war.

THE STRATEGIC POINT OF VIEW. “My second reason is this: From a strategic point of view Great Britain would be extremely loath to see any first European Power oilier than herself occupying so important a point as Tripoli, having the advantage of ports and dockyards for the building of fleets in the Mediterranean, the establishment of a base, and a point of menace to the merchant trade of Groat Britain with India and Australia and the Far East in the event of a war with, say, Germany. As Italy is allied with Germany, it is quite within the hounds of possibility that if Germany had a chance she would take Tripoli as hers in the event of trouble.' “France, again, England’s ally, would, from her own standpoint, have cause to resent a big European Power taking possession of Tripoli, so close to her own colonies in Northern Africa. Being friendly with Groat Britain, she would no doubt use her efforts in any means of intercession'.

“Nor would Russia like to sac Italy strong in Northern Africa, as such strength might lead to the holstor-ing-up of some of the small Balkan States, with which Italy is in great sympathy, and thus cause a menace on Russia’s own borders. So I say that •these throe Powers, Great Britain, France, and Russia, cannot remain nuiet for long. I do not think that Italy' will be turned out from Tripoli, but will take part in a joint governance, leaving the suzerainty to Turkey. That is, providing that Germany will back Italy up in her claims in the event of the other three Powers interfering. If Germany docs not support Italy, then I think the latter will go out without any benefit.”