Is War With Russia Expected by Britain?

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 234, 11 October 1901, Page 4

Is War With Russia Expected by Britain?

London. Aug. ill. “ Wo must strive for a final settlement with Russia or gird ourselves for a fight," bluntly declares Sir Rowland Bicnnerhasset, a Government official.

In language less startling, but equally signiticant, the Times says Great Britain must "decide whether it is compatible with our interests, commercial and political, to allow a foreign power like Russia to establish itself on the Persian Gulf. Possibly it may be expedient to purchase political peace by the surrender of commercial interests which might cost too much to defend. But if we are resolved to defend them we must not wait until it is too late to declare our intentions and take action."

Synchronous publications examining Russian and British relations at widely separated standpoints are interpreted as indicating that the public .is being prepared for the announcement by the Government of a firm policy toward Russia.

Frederick Greenwood, an acute, farseeing observer of foreign affairs, analyses in the Daily Mail to day some recent Blue Books on Chinese affairs, particularly the facts concerning the Russian seizuie of the Peking-Sbanhaikwan Railroad. "Count Lamsdorff," he says, "finds no difficulty in telling our Government in the plainast language permitted by diplomacy that if it does not like the Russian arrangements in Manchuria, for example, it is at liberty to resent them in any way it pleases. Russia is not disposed to explain, but is quite prepared to fight."

The simultaneous publication of these Blue Books and Lord Kitchener's despatches showing the unfitness of many ol the recruits will throw light each on the other, Mr Greenwood thinks, the Government "deliberately desiring to let the patient know how he stood in relation to Russia and his state of military unpreparedness, so that he may prepare, not to die, but to rouse and help the doctors in his own behalf." (; i, - gailv In,- U«. .. .. .wen trying to get up a scare on the subject of Great Britain's overwhelming deficiency in submarine boats. Among the alleged sins it attributes to the Admiralty is that of allowing the United States to secure this week a submarine invention which the Admiralty declined even to examine, and which is likely to revolutionise that method of warfare. The invention was examined and declined by the Admiralty, was submitted to the United .States Naval Attache. Commander Clover, and forwarded by him, in the usual routine, to Washington. The endorsement accompanying it and the-opinion of other naval experts render it highly improbable that the invention will receive any more consideration from the Navy Department at Washington than from the British Admiralty, which is getting Holland boats ready for launch- ! ing. It is probable that five Holland j boats will be ready for launching before | crews are secured for them.