CURRENT TOPICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 10

CURRENT TOPICS.

•> • Navy ■ need hardly. bo said . : (states the ".Daily: Mail") that wherovei, men assoinblo at tlio present time they discuss tho ■Navy Estimatos.. Tho general opinion—and : thore:can bo very little doubt that it is right ■ s : ; —is that tlics# represent tho result of some- ■ ■ ■ thing liko a drawn battlo m tho.-.Cabi- ■ net, which is swayed in ono direction by ; tho , too numcrou.? Little Englanders , among.'.its supporters,• and in the other,by such- sound .'- -Impemlistj as Mr. -Asqmth and - Sir ,E. , ; -Grey. l Ono may; feel suro that Sir John, < : • Fisher has got what is.necessary, or tho Gov- . ■■■ ernment would bo confronted by his resigna- ' <'' > • tion,- which would wreck it. Everyone undor- : (.<: stands that the • present pause in ■ naval coii•struction is in tlio nature of a halt; before ' a.-bia movement forward next year. ■ There.«jforej* .though the, programme.; of .'.new con- . i ..struction 'is. a"niodest:,and-;chcap..;ono, I/ord ' Tweedmoutli is probably justified'; in. assei t- • .v;,'ing,i as.a*comment, on' the Estimates, .that' ;> f'His, Jlajesty's Government "havo- every in- ' : .tention of' mamtaiiung, tho 'Standord-of tlio : > British .Navy which has hitherto been deenv- ;: ,! - <Kt,,nccossary ..for tho, safeguarding- of -;our ■ : : > natiouaL-and Imperial;-interests."v>That,--is . : 1 , , the first .duty of : Ministers/ ■ -.Tho Admiralty . i .vf shows many , signs of .ably .directcd-ngoui, • ■ not.least- m.its persevering endeavour, to.as-. - emulate :the gunuerT practice of .the. Fleet to war conditions, c The neccssary Viorksi for .<■ making Rosvth a first-class ..naval i)aso.,nre. ; to : bo taken m.hand, to the crcdit :of ,tho.Caljir : net.; It is quito "on -tho,cards"- that the Admiralty may- liavo to. present, supplementary ; •?!>,estimates during tlio present year.-. In.-.whipli ; case 'John-'Bull ; wiU cliccrfuljy. -" li: Education 8111.-r-Refcrrmg'. to -.tho . now -. ( Education Bill, tho- "Ttm«sV> states' 'Sti-orig ; - as. : is their lnsistencoVon. a'.-Tcllgious,.basis', - j . the Government-, aro • erecting on it a crac.y ;'!!' v when,'. Jhoy-!'^-insipfc^'ingt'merely -that throughout'.:t-hfK country, '.thoro. shall ■honcefortlr be- only .'ono typo Pf public elpr, ." i! montary school,' but also that the-teachers : Jn'these schools'shallr all'bo appointed with-; out any . religious test.;.; That proposal- simply .- : -means;that'. Cftwper-Tomnle: reltnon ls .to bo practically universal (and wo fully admit that ■■ v.? this is 'hotter/ than >110"religion' at 'all),..but : ' ' that.'there is no.-provision for enslinng ithat : v . the. teacher •; has a.'knowledge l of" what; he-is • ■' • to<tcach,"lot alono a modicum of-belief in lis ' ' general trustworthiness:'' ; Mr: M'Ker.na' achievo?" asks ' tlio- '"Morning .. .Post." ' ("Ho removes a-grievanco that-may ;.- t .have -opprtssed- a comparatively small. sec.tipn of tho, 1 population by .imposing /a i.-faf : ■ c heavier griovanco pn a much larger section.''' ~ "'ln the view ; of tho-'"Daily. Chronicle"; tlio ' r Billi fromoVes : grievances, which -.all. admit ; i : : and it offers a -reasonablo settlement: of tho .•: .freligious difficulty? which; so long as it' is ■nfleft'open, imperils, tho; whole future of, reli- ' • v gious teaching in the schools; and . paralysis . ; ; the. forces which should' be set free to con- : '.->-'.contrato :• themselves upon ' educational progress '' " 'Contnctmg out' indeed is in somo. respects -acounsel'- of .' despair,'';,, says tho . "Daily News." ; ; "It means' tho 'aban- " donment ■of tho conception of a unified; na- ' ' tional educational ' system,' from .fear of tlio ; strength. of^sßctariaii'.demands.:',lt,; may:-'be '. ■, "necessary -in present circumstances. 1 vTt can- - not l bo swallowed -by - educational/ - / - oxefept-- wjth '"s : 'wry;.facß.-.-: Thero; are '.thou-:. ...; i r.sands and. hundreds of thousands—whoso numbers' increaso - daily—who would profor , ; tho simple . national- systom, in which tho ; State confines itself' to. tho provision: of secu- • i' ,-lar- education, \leaving, the roligious mstmc- . tion to ,thp Churches and tho parents. If 'genotoiis .oifer'ia treatol..lik)s the ; v': .; clear.". •!. ;, f uoy. ;■ Natal/for the. Whita. time has • • come for something to be dono to savo Natal ifor./tho -whito - mart,'' -doclaresV tho . "Natal . ■: Witness" .(JanuaTy- 25);' ."Wo havo,:,no,'do* ■ sire-that Indians, shall bo .unfairly orrharsh- - Iy ' dealt with. -Those'' who have come;, here and have been allowed by us to acquiro ■ -k rights and/pnviloges must not bo ruthlessly, . .... assailed as . though ,'such ; rightsv and , privi-' • leges did not.-; exist:-' If any step is , to; bo V'''' taken■■ to • sftinul,; their Tights . they must ! bo 1 . given ample .notice,- and every facility-to-pro-.tect rttheir.>omt: interests. : Moreover,;-if -j-wo v - acquire suoli rights'by what amounts to logsl ; • : force; wo: must pay. a fair pnoo .to those,who '.-. ii .'. are deprived'of-.them.v-..1t seems to'us a,men-. ' 1 sstrous- thing : that: iin a;; European 1 , Colony. ■'v practically nothing should bo dono:to attract ' ; white,settlers or- retain tlioso already.m-at,-•'.'V...'>f:',wlule'.e7eiy.'.faoility'.sh«uld be given for. low- , - priced .Asiatics . to,rush :in, .and Hood tlio ; .country;.with . cheap, trade ;and labour, tho '. .' .pnco. of-' which ' is. sent; thousands -of. miles •\ ' ■ across-the ocean to be spent..-the agitation 'in: tho Transvaal may havo achieved..at,kast '■ ono good object in that-it will, have ,'paus«l ; - South Africa in general to realise tho full ■ depth "and meaning of /the problem with ; ;■''yX/,which;;it;,is : -facp. : tp!;facb. ■ Judging jby^jtlip . meeting in Durban, and thoso, held previously the, feeling I .;*, thrbiighout ;- v: Iv.ital in favour of- the Transvaalis; inten•>i'"f^s!fpnSS^Naial./,a!?o^S/«,th«.;;'ih(^.'';^ ' ■examplo.it is possible to conceive of the evils !.;*:;;i':.:-iwhich,'must'in6yita.bly;re6iilt'frpm'!- ; the.'ittfliiif :;»i!, ;!of > : A!siatics r into..comrhuriities - o'f EurbperiliS: V : in; the;; first ; ; - iristahep' to; help !the", planters.;';; Not even 'the !'; ;i;U jilanters; ■^hdl'bTpught.'thpm : ' ( ]aefp' looked far • -' enough ahead to see that iii-inauy cases tho ;. ! '-'-.vvery -.'lndians^^.tiroucht!''by, - to;" ti! I.' th b . ; coif.-would, with ,'their descendants, own 'as masters the property; on -which many- yeara ago they, worked., as servants:-!-'".-I > New Haad of .the Imperial' Collega,—"ln :•appointing Professor Bovo 1 v 1 -<F.R;S.,: Dean'of .- w the Faculty-of Applied Scionce -in tho M'Gill .. ; University;:.' Montreal, ■. ■ to'' 'tlic ? . i position of Rector, of the Imperial College 'of ; - Science and Technology tho - governors. of H'!'that. in , stitiitioii , '-have i "'tiijson'^^b6l3 :, slppj 1 " 1 . one for' which ■ there is '!a'mpleJ justificatioh, ■as ■ wo believe will be proved bv: results,"' thuik's .: '-'The •. Times.", i "The : -M'Gill' " Univorsi'ty stands in of higher education in the Empire,-and . this . • . position' is . largely due .to'.'the organisation : ; i.aud equipmpnt' of the Faculty.'of Applied .' Science, -.the credit for which * - . cilpally,;to the.Professor, of--Civil ing, who has been Dean of tho " Faculty ■ ; since' its/ separate'-- pstablishment; 'in -'1888. • Professor Bovftv lias shown not only that-'hc .can impress '-influential; aud wealthy citr/.e'riE : ■ , ahd, cbrporations with the advantages'of ad : .;! ,! vanced scientific '. . also successfully organiso the extensive-'ro: . .. sourcos' provided by tho. liberality of ?sucli v donors.--;- Moreover,- Pf-ofesiol-.'Bovcv's aji- ■ ; pointmont. to tho newly-established Rector r .ship has a wideand .linporial significance, -, • flinch alone is commendable." . . British. Rule in India.—^,'lt:cannot ba-saic that the Decentralisation Commission, ivhiqi . _ . has now resfimed-its sittings in Calcutta, ii , * - making; a-favourable impression; on tho om cial classes or on Indian leading , men," sayi . - . • the Calcutta Correspondent .of the "Man _ . Chester.Guardian," under date January'3l) - "Somo/prominent members show a tendenc; to_ the ;of brief stay ,in tho country,- whllo others'rii .' - not disguise their complete ignorance -; : b Indian conditions. Very striking evidenci has been given by Mr. Bhupendra Nath Bosd . one of : tho most trusted and respected of th Indian leaders in Calcutta ..and,. indeed, ii Bengal.';;; Speaking 'of the relations .'betweei ''; . officials .and peoplo, ';hd; said.: that plp'se : per ■ lonal relations.seldom existed between th executive head of a district,and any class' o - uho community, When tho district, magi's :.trate was out on tour ho was so hemmed i] . by the' police that.-ordiriary. pebple did no , - dare to come to --him freely. His liisuffi V ,; eicnt acquaintance with ■the.language was an other obstacle. Tho young civilian came oii to India v.'ith.all the feelings of a ruling rac and, what lv-as worse, a ruling casta. His Ilea' was turned by; his .being placed m a vicipu '- / v!' fltmpsphero, the servile -surroundings' of th !, , V criminal!'courts, Henco lie formed an es . travdgant idcW 6f his own' importance an ;■' <!;!•; thonght that his prestigo would bo diiiiiiiishe by free intercbiirse with the people.' Mi Bhupendra Nath Base's statements can b ! , ; 'amply confirmed, and they go to the root c , much of the existing unrest.": .

■ ■Shall Russia Fortify the Baltic?—" Sweden lias been greatly, and," adds tho "Natiou," "justly, alarmeq nt a Russian proposal to cancel-the Convention concerning tho Aland Islands betweon France, Great Britain, -.and Russia,- which formed part of the Treaty of Paris. - This Convention bound Russia not to fortify theso Baltic'islands or to maintain any.'military establishment on tlioni. ,'Lhey command 'Stockholm,'; and -if" fortified might bottle up the Gulf of bnd go far to make the Baltic, a closed sea. Russia cannot disturb: tho. status guo without the learb of France and Great.'Britain, and wo strongly hopa-that-wb • shall-'firmly refuse permission,' for wo havo a national, an/historic, and a naval interest.:m .'tho: question. It was, for instance;"keenlydebated in. tho 'thirties. 1 ltussia'-' declares' that' she does not want to -fortify Aland; if- so; she need not disturb' a treaty-to which she has submitted for more than half a century-.— -Even .if she , does not ;'at once, fortify, and;,the Convention is torn , 'up, Sweden ,will be .compelled to fortify Stockholm, to: cut a-carta! from the capital to tho , northern' coast; Juul'llo maintain '• a naval ' station and;' forc6' l'ii.oro.. England cannot lay so heavy a • bufrtiin on a small and thoroughly peaceful and • progressive communitjv'. • !.. Religious.Ttaohin'g. in Italy.—The discus''siouy inViho'lfalian!tUliamber on the question oL.rcligio.us.'.teaching l m schools ondod in a yote'.yiiich' Constitutes- •! a-..triumj)h .• foi\ :the Cabmet,, .their. policy being approved; by a •juajonty' !of!;over''2TO,.; votes. . This. means a system, namely; that vchgious will bp given only to thoso.ohi|dj;en ,parents desire it, with , .thisreference fogach ,municipalit.y.must. fr/)<!)o-.rules 'govermng tho; seleotion of the '.'be given. Siguor in a; very ablo speech, said that-this'course would, only be followed as an, ;expeninerit. bo .unsuccessful mats.T/orking,; then;'4lio Govcrnmeni? •v/pnlii^prbserit Bill., Baron Sonninb against' tlio ilw'n^f^e'' ! S^iaMj&V-Wliwh; > ask^''f<>r'<tho-. opinpleto 's'.iippresSiflii't of. ..religious (.teaching'; Government when :it!.heeapip-a,;gupstion ,of. expressing con-, fidencb m'tho Cabine't. . ■ Mr. "Benjanunv Kidd.—"Keen interest has been; arPused lv byjt!if©';;. receht'.'announcement thatV'ihe.'' r iiextf i HeTbert': Spencer .lecturo;. be-: , fore r th<i.'irmvers'ity of Oxford . will bo de'livered" by- :Mr. 'Borfiamin Kidd,", says tho Stttri'V •>; r : Mr.":Kidd,. who...is .nhderj fifty,-rdoes-f not "belong--.to Oxford, but ,thero> is a fo to 6110 of •tho!:m6st! r di4tinguislie<l ■of Oxford's .soas^Ldfff'Milner;* 7 now,,'much-talked-! • of Philosopher: was-then a clerk; at the Inland ReVenuo Office, and ho submitted for 1 Viscount Milner's 'inspection a ;!:bulky''mahu-' . Tho Pro-Consul - was -most ...favourably impresspd. And when', 'Social "Evolution l appeared. in 1894, , ;7thd;'plerJi'''.at.-'"&mprsbt,'',Houso won a h^gß' : jepdtationi'!which;he'has,Sustained .by ;:niuch'sy,endid;wPrk; : on-Sociolpg'y!: After his, succbssfuiyyfcutuH' into. ,thp.,.world .of;,books;' ' ■Mi':" liiland' Re\;ohue;,clerkf <sliip. arid'travelled'^in. the. States and. in : South Africa. • He now lives at Tonbridgo.": •• j r; International "Bogeys.''—'The German Am-bassador;'Count--Paul Mettcrnich; 'was tho guest of' tho .-London t Chamber of Commereo at the.Trocadero Restaurant on Fobruary-So; .Vnd.ojh '.to.'the'-'.toast' of' 'his/health : ho"delivered u an nmportant speech' on AngloGeriDtin- r&lations!?'lnternational; rolations 1 aro .apt xto : bo'-ficldo:' arid changeable,, ■ like ladiofi fasliiona, sometimes pretty to • look at, .^somqtimes:not," ,ho said; _ "Thoi under- . lyihg-'j substarico of'what; boristitutes':- tlio "re- ' lations^betweeniiiiatidnavis'partly. .real;' partly, j imaginary. As far as ! it i; is' real,> ■ I havo' ' nutch confidence;:in;tho i-elations' of' our .twj> countries. ; ! Witli regard' .to the - imaginary •sideViOf;! the; question;; I : feel less ' confident; :• You .Ban't'.patch.'a,phantom,: ana tho i will-o!-the T wiip..is' . You-.must-patiently-wait itill thc>so : bogeys disappear.'t What aro the'.actual -facts-'iby,y!which the-relations ;b6-' tween/Germany; .and ;''..- : Engla-nd v are': guided ? i Thoro is through, centuries■ an unbrpken,,re-:Cord!-of,!'amit£; bptwTen ;.usj ( dowil 'from tho. : Middlo-..Agp8..;t0 : ttje: present'.day,! 'when' united .Germany'-'haa'. flgam 'Ijeeomo .powerful ;in;.tho council (rf nations. ■ -TherQ is no -skelcton-'; hidden; away in; a icupboard that ; staiids; ; shpw'iits' ugly form' ; : ; foment ;to recall unplea- , sant ih,b.past;i, ; . Tho 'samo cannot .bo~saK^6f';ev.ery! ; hatipn with whom-'we liavo : eacliT.of.Uis '.relations.' - This isv somothing to' tho.gppd.on! the balanco-sheet;': It. had often, .been ...that the/grpivtli! of German, .industry, and .commerco . has, become an obstacle irektibiis : between. 'us. - 'It. has '.the making" of selling'of ;.them, has ■ between! ;us.; j th3t;;pur..,.re.la , ti i qns must; neoessarilj'.' sufrivalry; -this .function defeats 'tha.fcYyiew;. ..TKe. inore I seo. and learn of tho commergial vorld iii England mbro I be'comb r convinced tliat'Ytherp i. are ,iio . stronger stfppo"rtprsi,of »'gpbcl„Ahglo-German■ !relations, .than. aro,.tli'P', Eii^l. chambers'' of commerce;'arpvtho, strongest! protection' armies.'or. fle'ets. Under 'th(B;-piyt^i^;ipf;^6d.:relations .b^^h.-^oun--. • : iri6s none, becomes ;vau(iuishbd,.or a.siilferpf." . -;V -■ .: ;-Child vEmpioymcjlt;—Sir, Norman Lockyerj ; .■'as:;Ohairman ; of-?fch6 > Associa!tion of -Technical liistitu'tipnSyTSaH'ftliat' in', technical, institu : ; tipns now.''tM6te 'Vers three-quarters of a mil-' Iron childrP|i; ;, whQ 3 iil r fornier.days would:have' been .'merely: learnfil]?~ a' trade.'. ;Tlieypresefit system- ,wa3 ' better, than tho old! 'system, because under tlio! a'egis of teohnical ,;iiistitutipns;the.boys, and, girls wero learning: learning a trade.'. Tho recent'-'Work' if 3 thbj v . Board', ; ofJ Education, could only be described by'ono word —magni- . ficont.'■; ' -Wefhadynaw: a very good system 'of elbmpiitAry cduc-'t'on, ■ but;then:came a break., ;^Ssyg:^j»,,a, : .^errj^ :: warfage after -tho'ipri'.miry,sphbpl. i , ; .'; One of their! difficulties at'this 1 momeiit"!:was-tlie disinclination-of- parents and, ; of child!labour.! Was .Mot the.real interests: fact that'if children-'.'a.'-longer' . : time .they in', their employment? !!\yiiS'nflt ; powerful, enough, • to; i siig'ges]^that ll a!co}i»mittee should , bo formed , representing .'that.',association, .employers, and '• pijeiftß; • could.. bo, done?. It suoh a-committeo were constituted','Vand 'considered tho tiling ciivef^y,r^w6eh',- t Al.iv!'the .facts •were < known .there !ought jbor.ho;:.vory .great .difficulty..Ho;supiiosed .'the. system would have ■tp.'go/. aricl* ho- was'glad to' kiiow ; .that that 'was.;!no r !aue^ 'ThV;;' Uganda rtlallway. — Mr. ' Winston Chu'fcliill-h'as^la'tcly'been'describing, for tho "befittSt? of.'.'tlle'"JttfWle I ,^h'is,' impressions of his recent'''journey' in 'Africa, and" he speaks ; in'a very eiicourag'in'g way :of; tlio! present and ..ftienre'dr-thS'Ogfida'.lUaway,.' He is fully sliTO itn^Btfso' • difficulties against' which thp 'undertakirig had to contend in its' :; everything— ; t'hroiiglf'";tli6'! Tor'fe'Stsi' : * through tho ravines, thrpugh .'troops"Pf ' 1 marauding lions, . through -.famine;" through*.. Vatr t through five years of .oxepriatiiig 'ParUaiiiciitary debate, , muddled • and'taarchiSd'the railway.'' Even now "tho lino is only a trunk, without its necessary • limbs. and .feeders, 1 'without its deep.wator iheadi.at'-KiliridiHi,- without its full talo of ;steamers on the.lako; abovo all, without its ■ naturaj and necosstiry cxtensiu.n to the Albert Nyanza!"''..Yet-jt lias dono much.more than . ! "startle tlio. tribes btit of' their primordial : nakedness'ivith 'American'piece goods made :in''Liincashiro''i'for;"thero is already a sub- . staiitiar^profit'.'of-'nearly eighty thousand ; pounds';a ; :ybar:" !; And.this is just another tribute to British! 'optimism, energy, and : doggod.' persoverahce.'