THE WEEK.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 337, 23 May 1885, Page 12

THE WEEK.

The Australian Contingent have left Africa on their return voyage. The expedition has been so great a success that it is a thousand pities that anything should have happened to interfere with the satisfaction which it has excited both at home and abroad. The proposal that the force, or at all events a portion of it, should be sent to England may have been an ill-advised one. It is not difficult to see many objections that might be urged against it. Such a visit must have been in the nature of a fete, and certainly would be a novelty in English military history. Had the campaign proved an arduous one, and had the contingent suffered, as no doubt it would have done, there would have been ample means of rewarding services rendered in a strictly military way. A trip to England, it must be confessed, to a portion of the men of the contingent would have been rather a compliment to New South Wales for sending the contingent than to the individual members selected for the trip. Yet it is unfortunate that the proposal was ever made. No one would have objected to England's not offering any such recognition of the services of the force, but many it may be found will feel hurt at its refusal. The expedition, however, was not sent out in the hope of gaining compliments, but of generously performing a duty. This at all events they have done to the full satisfaction of all whose opinion was worth having, and no complimentary trip to the Mother Country could be so appropriate a reward as this public recognition of a "great work nobly clone.

It would be satisfactory to know a little more tlian we do of tlie final arrangements made between Russia and England <n the Afghan boundary question. The announcement that a British officer of rank was ordered to Herat looks as if the fortification of that important post were a part of the scheme of settlement. If this is so, it is to some extent a natural guarantee for the honourable observance of the implied covenant that Russia is not again to attempt aggression on Afghan territory. Herat would, if fortified, be a serious barrier to any encroachments. Too strong to be carried without a seige ; too large and important to be left behind in an enemy's hands, it will stand in the way of any future attempts to reach the Gates of India. The Gates of India themselves, it is said, are to* be

fortified at a cost of some five millions of money. The amount is", large/ though, probably none too large, to do >t the work effectually. In the -meantime, rumour is disquieting as to the view taken of the arrangement, both '% the "ASghims^and Kussians. Both parties seem to consider that England has eaten humble pie in the transaction. • The Ameer, it is said, is depressed, and would like to give way to Russia. This is very natural. A man in the Ameer's position will naturally, at all times, lean to the stronger side. In the recent troubles, Eussia hfis acted as if she were the stronger side, and England has apparently treated her as if she were right in her assumption. It is no wonder that the Ameer endorses the view. The Russians, too, are anxious to obtain an official footing at Cabul. At first sight thfc demand may seem a natural one, as they are to be such near neighbours, but undoubtedly if granted it would mean the early close of British influence in Afghanistan. A Bussian envoy at the ear of the Ameer would bode no good to' us as to India, and if on this point as on. so many others, the Gladstone Cabinet gives way the concession will yet prove a costly one to England. The troops are being withdrawn from Dongola, and no doubt the Nile expedition will soon rank amongst the military experiments of history. From the first the. experiment seemed a doubtful one, and its result has shown that, despite the brilliant efforts made by generals and soldiers, it was in fact a mistake. It would, perhaps, be rash to assert that had the Suakim route been adopted at once Gordon would have been saved, but this is at least a fair ground for arguing that it would have been so. Lord Wolseley was the only military authority in favour of the. Nile route, while all other men of experience took the opjiosite view. Results have certainly not sustained Lord Wolseley's opinion, and this naturally leads to the suspicion that those who so strongly advocated the other route may have beelr\ right in saying that Gordon could have been relieved by its adoption. The experiment, at all events, is at an end, and it has ended in disappointment. The exertions made were worthy of all praise, but after all they were exertions thrown away. Many and valuable lives have been sacrificed, and individual soldiers whom England could ill spare, have found a resting place out in the sands of the Nubian desert. Meanwhile the Mahdi remains in possession. The possession, indeed, is reported to' be by no means- undisturbed ; but it is evidently possession still. A rival prophet may indeed press him hard, or may even overthrow him ; but if he does so, our professed object of establishing a Government in the Soudan strong enough to suppress the worst horrors of the slave trade will even then remain without accomplishment

The capture of the insurgent leader in Canada is probably the last blow required to suppress the insurrection. I was much amused at the off-hand truculence of a daily contemporary, who expressed the hope that he would be instantly hung. Fortunately, we don't all go quite so fast as the writer in the Herald. That Riel will be tried for treason is announced, and is no doubt very proper ; if it can be shewn that he has been guilty of atrocities, I hope he will suffer the extreme penalty of the law. But it is not very clear why we are to make much of Te Kooti in New Zeal.md, and to hang Eiel in British North America for precisely the same offence. My own feeling was never in favour of Te Kooti, than whom no American savage could have been more barbarous. Bufc > what is held to be* right in matters of this sorb in oite part of the Empire should not be wholly ignored in another.

The Lopal Option polling for the Auckland district has come off during the week. There were not many votes ib most districts, but what there were were nearly all on .one- side. The Grood Templars, of^course, voted against new licenses . of any kind ; those who were not G@bd Templars had evidently no mind_to increase licensed houses. The public snowed its^ood sense. What are wanted are good houses, and not a host, of" bad ones. The legitimate trade cannot be conducted in any but costly and permanent premises, "and this settlement of the "question for another three " years should give confidence to those who wish, to make our licensed houses what they ought to be.

Our City Councillors have voted themselves copies of tlie New Zealand Statutes to be paid for out of the Borough funds

The tiling is a joke viewed from almos. any point from which, it can be looked at. There are, I think, three councillors who are lawyers; they could, no doubt, make some use of thebooks if they didn't happen to be supplied with them already. As for the others, they will never read them, or if they did would find them, as the old woman found the dictionary, " very dry reading." What conceivable object was to be served by wasting public money in so vain an attempt to enlighten the minds-pf councillors, I cannot imagine, l>ut for the sake of the public and the reporters. I hope it won't make them all fancy they understand the law. The «ost of the books would in that case be a trifle compared with waste of time and confusion of ideas that would prevail. One thing is perhaps worthy of notice — ihe cost of the books is an illegal expenditure of public money. If the membeue appropriate the volumes, every one of them is liable to be sued for their breach of public trust at the instance of any ratepayer. Perhaps when they have read their copies carefully the fact will ■become apparent to their minds.