KAISER AND HOLLAND

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 5

KAISER AND HOLLAND

ALLEGED THREAT. A GERMAN OCCUPATION OF THE .-•/; NETHERLANDS. .: UNLESS, BRITAIN IS RESISTED.. : By Assbciation-<Joi>yright. ' ■'■; (Reo. February 10, 9.5 p.m.) : Hague, February 10. During a;debate in the States-General, Baron Van Heeckeren asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Van Swinderen,. whether the, Government would take steps to guarantee: tho integrity of 'the Netherlands. '.■ ■ ■■'"iY'''■■'■ The Baron declared that, suoh steps were necessary, because. a.Vneighbouring .Sovereign had intimated: a few years ago that'he vtroulil.be obliged to occupy Dutch territory unless Holland defended.herself against Britain.' -:-.. ■ ~ ' ; :-,',Tho Minister refused to reply unless the Bnran g'ave the name'of the Sovereign.:-.' The • newspaper "Nieuwe' .Courant" states that,-at a Secret: sitting of. the States-General, Baron Van Heeckeren. informed, the; Minister' for.Foreign Affairs that' the Kaiser wrote, to Queen Wilhelmina,. of;,the Netherlands, in 1904. '. , ,■'..". THE MOUTHO'f THE RHINE. .:; ' A' curious story of the!frustration of. a novel naval display contemplated by the Kaiser, vyas told some' time ago by • the "Eoho.de Paris." '.:. ! v;?.'--,' ■ ' .■; .Tn M eloquent speech, delivered at Cologne,, the Kaisef, wasreportcd to havo announced that the inhabitants of. the pity would soon have an opportunity of realising Germany's naval power,-'for;! he intended' ( to; send :a flcet.of torpedo boats, up the Rhine, and they would, anchor off Cologne,.;, 1 :■■"-. ;■'■ .-.-:. : ;V.: ,;.■ .•.•"■":,•,■•..;' '■•■■ Soon! afterwards tho .German .Minister at The Hague called.qnthe Dutch Minister of Foreign Affaira'and said tohimV Tou know, about the,splendid words of my august niastoi- who L is going to send, five or six.torpedo boats up to-CologneP." ../Send" up!: How?'?, asked .'.the". Dutch Minister in apparent bewilderment. '■-.":':■•'■ ■: ■■ up tho Rhine, of. course."' ■:: "Oh.'no, not up the Rhine," said the' Dutch Minister.' "The "mouths ;6f the Rhine belong to Holland, and her Majesty the Queen does' not intend: them- to'..' be disposed of without!her, leave." '

.;. There v waß' no.further' 1 tali about tor-: pe'dd boats, adds, the "Echo de' Paris," whioh' gives : . the story on the authority of a "distinguished Dutchman' at .The Hague. ■■' ''• '■..,.■■■■ .■;'.■.:■:. .->.-;,. .;:• .-',:■:-.. /■;