LECTURE ON RUSSIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1351, 11 June 1885, Page 2

LECTURE ON RUSSIA.

A lecture wns delivered last Tuesday evening in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, by the Rev. T. Jasper Smythe, on " Russia." There was only a very small attendance, which is very much to be regretted, as the lecture was very instructive and amusing. How it wns that there was not a larger attendance is inexplicable, more especially as the rev. lecturer is highly thought of in Temuka, and as the proceeds were to go towards a fund for the relief of a poor widow. The Rev. Mr Hamilton (who presided) said the attendance did not speak well for the charitable disposition of the people of Temuka, and we quite agiee with him. In fact, we think it % disgrace. It is impossible for us to give more than the barest outline of the lecture, which occupied about an hour and a-half in delivery, and was listened to wish rapt attention. The rev. lecturer stated that "Russia is the largest empire in the world, comprising forty nations, speaking one hundred different tongues. He traced the rise of the empire to the marriage of Ivan and Sophia. From that time to this the Russians looked to Constantinople as their right, with religious superstition, and this was the key to Russian aggrtssion. He next referred to Peter the Great, whose dying injunction was that Russians bhould never omit to make use of an opportunity to extend the empire. There were few mountains in Russia, and they were mere hay6tack6 compared with ours. There was a stretch of 17,000 miles of unbroken plain, and it was a great graingrowing country. The rev. lecturer next referred to the rise of St. Petersburg, built by Peter the Great, who decorated the Great Church there with carvings of ivory made by his own hands. Its population was between 700,000 and 800,000. Moscow was the great geographic*!, political, and intellectual centre. The great bell of Moscow weighed 200 tons and stood 19 feet high, but a piece of 12 tons, had fallen out of it and was now lying idle. He next gave some pleasant descriptions of peasant life, aud said that Russians, both high and low, were diehonest, corrupt, drunken, and untruthful. Some people suffered from a disease called Russo-phobia, but if these people counidered Russia's position it would cure them. Russia was insolvent. In 1882 she raised a loan and got only £55 out of every £IOO. She could not carry on war without money, and she had not the money. If the English were the lost Ten tribes, a,B it was said they were, the Lord of Hosts would be with them and they need not fear Russia. He next referred to the offers of assistance made by the colonies to the English Government, and called for three cheers for the New South Wales Contingent. He could not restrain bis righteous indignation at the lukewarm way in which the Government of New Zealand behaved in the late crisis. Russia would not go further south. She would wheel around by Persia and Asia Minor to Constantinople. After having explained thi3 pretty fully, and also making a few more references to Russian social life, the lecturer continued to say they intermarried with every nation they conquered, and Russianised the people. He referred to Siberia as a vast Colonial Empire of great richness. England had given £120,000 a year to the Ameor of Afghanistan, and he wanted more. If the Russians gave him more the Ameer would turn with the Russians and there would be war. Before passing sentence on Mr Gladstone it was necessary to consider that bribery and intrigue was capable of turning the Afghans as well as the Indian Princes in favor of Russia ; that it would cost £100,000,000 of money to go to war, that it would increase taxation, and ruin trade aud commerce. However, had England shown courage in the" beginning Russia would never have come down as far as she had come. After showing that the Empire must be defended at all hazards, he wound up by reciting a couple of verses of Mr Bracken's New Zealand National Anthem, and sat down ainidßt great applause. The Rev. Mr Hamilton said that Russia had only a few good ships and one of

tliein was disabled. The others were wooden vessels, so we need not fear them. The army and navy of Russia were raised by conscription. The men when brought in were divided inlo three claßses. The tallest were sent to the Czar's body guard ; the pecond to the infantry, and the third to the Davy. Men were not chosen because they had any aptitude for the work —and they had always to be kept threeports drunk to get any work out of them. He knew this, because ho was for 12 years in the British nuvy, and frequently met Russian officers. He next read Mrs Manning's letter (published in our last issue), forwarding 5s towards the lecture, and said when people at such a distance were ready to help it was unfortunate the people of Tenr-uka were so backward. He also referred to the meeting on Thursday night for charitable purposes. Mr O'Halloran moved, and Mr Wills seconded, a he.irty vote of thanks to the rev, lecturer, and expressed their regret at so few being present. The liev. Jasper Smythe briefly acknowledged the compliment, and said the smallnesH of the attendance would not prevent him from coming to Temuka again.