THE WRONG HORSE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 45, 16 October 1912, Page 4

THE WRONG HORSE.

The Auckland "Star" discussing the Balkan outbreak holds that it is certainly an open question whether England did not make a serious diplomatic mistake sixty years ago when she took up the cause of Turkey and decided to maintain the integrity of the Sultan's European Empire. Her diplomacy then, as ever since, was inspired by her suspicion of Russia, and I her resolve to prevent the Russians from absorbing Turkey and reaching Constantinople doubtless seemed to be dictated by sound political considerations. 13ut it is now generally recognised that the course we adopted in the days of the Crimean War and subsequently at the Berlin Conference not only intensified Russia's hostility toward us, but compelled the Russians to exercise pressure in other directions to find an outlet toward the sea. Hence Russia's relentless advance through Asia eastward and southward, and hence the eternal difficulties created for us in recent years in regard to the Far East and'the defence of India. The Anglo-Russian Convention has come rather late in the day, but it may be accepted as a reversal of England's traditional policy and an admission of the truth of Lord Salisbury's ironical remark that in .supporting Turkey against Rii'S.England ."backed ,the .wrong horse" in the Near, East. 0