LEGTURE BY MR REES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1482, 16 June 1905, Page 3

LEGTURE BY MR REES.

THE SITUATION IN THE FAR EAST.”

At His Majesty’s Theatre last evening Mr W. L. Rees delivered a very forcible aud instructive lecture on the situation in the Far East, and the ultimate result of Russia’s repression in Manchuria. The lecture was in aid of the funds of the Mangapapa school. His Worship the Mayor presided, and Captain Tucker (County Chairman) was also present on the platform. The speaker first dealt with the rise of Russia under Peter the Great, and that monarch’s inflnence on the future history of the Russian Empire. He contrasted the two great rulers who had made such ineffaceable impressions'upon their countries —William of Oraoge and Peter the Great. He showed the great similarity between them in many respects, and the greater contrast that existed in their habits and spiritual desires, the one striving for liberty, righteousness and justice, and the other placing the country under the thraldom of autocracy. The two Sovereigns had met and donbless talked upon the future of these two nations, which for the ast 200 years had been meeting each other face to face at various strategical stand points, and were to-day striving for the dominion of tho world. The will of Peter, setting out the aim of Russia in obtaining this supremacy, was handled by the lecturer. The Russian people had denied the will, but had followed it to the letter, and for tho last 150 years had, by bribery, corruption, and intrigue, endeavored to accomplish thisaim. He traced the history of Russia and England dnring the last two centuries. Russia desired to possess Palestine and India, and thus govern the world. Alter the death of William Franca had desired to become a universal power, as Spain and Holland had desired in their turn. During the 18th and 19th centuries Great Britain had filled the world with her possessions. They had lost the States, but had gained Canada, the greater part of Africa and the whole of- Australasia. The other nations, with the 1 exception of Germany, had lost their trade and power. Meanwhile Russia had conquered the whole of -northern Asia. She was perpetually grasping, then promising to retire, but never retiring. Her purposa had never changed. Bemg defeated at the Crimea she turned her attention from the countries of Europe and massed great forces in the East and on the Eastern seas. She had no market thero; it was tho political idea which forced her to the East. The speaker next referred to the awakening of Japan, tho opening of her ports by force to the commerce of tho world, and tho rapid strides that she had since made as a civilised nation. He touched briefly on tho war between China and Japan, aDd how Japan wa robbed of the fruits of her victory by the interposition of Russia, Germany, and France. Then the treaty between England and Japan electrified the courts of Europe, aud a new Power was brought into exietence which was fated to dominate the whole of the Eustorn world. Tho treaty provided that if either Japan or England went into conflict with more than one Power in tho East they would join together. This prevented other other nations assisting Russia in the present war. as joining Russia would bo tantamount to a declaration of war with England. A treaty also allowed England tq occupy Wei-bai-wei so long as Russia retained possession of Port Arthur. The lecturer cited the events leading up to the present war, and predicted disaster to tho Russian forces if the fighting continued. Rebellion in Russia would be crushed by despotism. Beaten in the Eats Russia, as soon as sho had recovered from tho war, would revert to the old object, tho possession of Constantinople, Palestine and India as surely as the night follows the day. Tho old unrest was still there, and the old will was still being carried out by bribery and intrigue; He referred to the bitter hatred shown to England during the Boer War by France and Germany. Each European nation was armed to

the teeth, and it only required some slight disturbance to .plunge them into war. The whole of Europe might combine against a common enemy, and if they did so that enemy would be England. She could not be attacked on the sea ; the only way would be by attempting to seize Constantinople, and marching through the battleground of the world to Egypt, and a determined effort to invade India. He believed that on this battleground of nations the last war of the world would be seen, and some of the young people thero that night would live to see it. But war would not cease until there was ono 1 power. Bio believed tho fight for .suprem-

aoy would bo between tho Anglo-Saxon and tho Slav. Tho coign of peaoo would bo brought about by Bupor-human intervention. .If thoy turned up their Biblos aud road frum tho 86th to tho 89th ohaptor of Ezekiel tboy would have this battlo described aud tho nations participating. Captain Tuokor proposed a hearty voto of thanks to Mr Roes for his maatorly leoturo, and regretted that the weather prevented four or five times thoir numbor enjoying with thorn Buoh a groat treat. Mr W. Morgan, in seconding tho vote of I thanks, referred to England’s unpro- I parednoss in the struggle for oommoroial I supromaoy. Her young rivals, Germany J und America, wore taking her plaoe. Ho | thanked tho lecturer on behalf of tho j Mangapapa School Committeo. I Tho motion was carried with acolama- | tion, Mr Roes briefly replying. |