The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1888. TAKING NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1809, 7 April 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1888. TAKING NOTES.

There is no doubt whatever that Eussia has long been preparing for the possible eventuality of war with England and that her naval and other officers and her agents m all British possessions, have instructions to collect and forward to headquarters every kind of information which might prove useful m such a contingency. And these instructions have been so well carried out ■ that it is asserted that cadets m .Russian military and naval schools are possessed of an amount of information as to fortifications, harbors, roads, and the natural features and resources of the various British Colonies and dependencies which would greatly astonish those who imagine that such matters must necessarily be altogether beyond the knowledge of or but very imperfectly known to any force sent hither. Every time a Kussian war-vessel puts m an appearance this knowledge is being quietly added to, and every bit of information published m Parliamentary papers and m the columns of the press, from time to time, duly finds its way to St Petersburg, and is treasured up for use when occasion may require. It is, no doubt, impossible to prevent this, but it is just as well to know what is going on, so that if ever trouble 'comes, we may not fall into the error of undervaluing the euemy'B sources of information. As an instance of the careful note that is being taken even now, we observe that the "Auckland Bell" writes that the officers of the Bhynda, now m that port, " are making good use of their time * using the pump-handle judiciously.' Inquiries have been made as to population, yearly increase, wealth of colony, taxation, percentage of Russians and Finns m colony, desirability of appointing a Russian consul, openings for Russian mercantile marine, etc. They did not tread on the tender ground of asking for a look round the fortifications, but that is of little consequence, as through our own press and Parliamentary Blue Books they know all that is necessary, whilst the last Russian cruiser took soundings all the way down the gulf to Whangaparai as she went out. The Afrika's officers had a look also at the two guns m Albert Park, taken at the fall of Sebastopol, and said jocularly they thought they had seen them before, and would know where to look them up when they \i anted them. All the officers of the Rhynda speak English fluently, and are excellent linguists. Captain Avellan, to use his own words, ' took it m with his mother's milk,' his mother being an Englishwoman. . . , The Russian officers

were particularly inquisitive as to the reasons for Admiral Fairfax coming here repeatedly, and the objects of his visit. They seem to entertain the notion that it is the intention of the British Government to establish a great naval depot here for their South Pacific squadron." All this, as we have said, goes to show that the Caar's Government are on the qiii viv&y and that whenever Russia has to cross swords with England she will be found better posted up as to the vulnerable points of the British possessions than many people are disposed to imagine.