RUSSIA AND AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 4254, 2 June 1888, Page 3

RUSSIA AND AUSTRALIA.

In a speech on tho 14th inst., Mr James Sorvicc, l.ito Premier of Victoria, said : — I havo already referred to tho fact that China would eat us up if wo were left wholly to our own means of defence. Wo must also remember that tho greatest opponent the Britisli Empiro Ims m tho whale of Eiiropo — which practically meana tlio wholo of tho world — is, of course, Russia. Everybody knows tho relations which exist between those two empirpß. Kussia with a pertinacity, which would bo most admirable wero it not directed against ourselves, is proceeding step by step, and milo by milo, extending her railways and pmhing on her udranced guards right to tho frontior of India, and wo know full well that Russia m India means Russia m Australia. Don't let there bo any nusloko, gentlomon. Tho moment. Kiissia takes tho placo of England m India, unless we Australians aro a rcry Btrong and powerful notion indeed, Russian ambition will not bo confined to the northern he-mi-splioro. You bco how timo and space Bpiyo havo been almost annihilated, and whovoan yonrs ago, whon wo came here, m tho flftios, wo felt eccuro from scriouß attack because of Iho qrcal distaneo to bo travelled, that ground of security no longer exists. For I many years a serious attack upon Australia by Russia was regarded as impossible, but things have entirely changed, and things are entirely changing m another respect. At tho presont timo we aro informed by telegrams m tho daily newspapers Mint tho war cloud* which havo been lowering so long aro now hanging over Kuropo, and, without a doubt, m tho mind of any intelligent man hostilities aro bound to break out with a violonco which the world has never seen. Boforo the end of tho next European war, the map of Knrope, wo have ovory reason to beliovo, will be vory considerably altered, and if it bo altered m the direction of giving tho dominant power m Europe at tho present timo — I alludo to the Russian power, because it is dominant m these respects, that it has got tho largest population of any European country ; it is impregnable to attack ; you may attack the outposts of tlio country, but it ;s almost iniposaiblo to inflict a doadly wound upon Russia i slio ib becoming stronger and strongor materially every day— if, I ropcat, the map of Europe bo so nltorod as to onablo Russia to aequiro what it hns co long boon Kngland's policy to provont her acquiring, namely, ascondancy m tho Black Sea aui tlio posscßßion of Constantinople, tho balanco of power m Europe will no longer exist. Aro wo to expect then tliut an ompiro which has gone on from ila very foundation up to tlio present day conquering und to conquer is going to stop short, when it finds its forces increased by tlio acquisition of rich and populous countries liko Hindoßtan ? Any man who wraps hirasolf up m tho idea tl\at tlioso Australian colonies aro m thomsclvca safo against attack for many a year to como is cultivating m his mind v delusion and n sntiro. God always goes with tho biggest battalions, and, therefore, tho biggor tho battalions on our eido tho enfor wo will bo. For that roasuu ovon if thoro wore no sentiment m tbo matter I

at all, I would cling to the old country. As a loyal Australian, as one who believes as much as anyone m the great and glorious future which is before Australia, I say it is to the interests of every man m these colonies to cultivate and cling to the connection with the old country. (Cheers.)