“WORRYING AUSTRALIA."

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 885, 26 April 1877, Page 3

“WORRYING AUSTRALIA."

As bearing on the subject of the Russian Pacific (loot and its possible work in Pacific waters, the New Zealand Herald, quotes an article from flic Melbourne Argus, which touches on the points raised, and especially replies to some rather weak observations of the London Spectator. The Argus says: — “ After pointing out that the development of the Russian naval service has not been so great as many people believe, the writer in the Spectator affirms that even the force the Emperor has at Ins disposal is not. so used as to have any very great effect on the issues of a European war. The fleet, lie says, is to a very great extent employed in ‘hoveringabout the mouth of the Amoor and the coast of the far East, where it could do nothing except worry Australia —a proceeding which, in a war with England, would be equivalent to the Chinese practice of making faces at. your enemy.’ Now, we all know that the Spectator is an eminently philosophical journal, but the philosophical indifference with which it appears to contemplate the harrying of these colonics is rather too much for our feelings, and is, moreover, wo venture to submit, by no means in accordance with those Imperial longings to which we have alluded. ‘ Nothing except worry Australia!’ May we, without offence, point out that this 1 nothing’ would be a very important ‘ something,’ and that if a feeling in favor of Imperial federation is to be encouraged it must be made plain to ns that a raid on the Australian seaboard would be viewed by the people of England in the same light as a descent upon any part of the British coast, differing only in its degree of importance. In the event of war Great Britain must take care that her naval force in these waters is so strengthened that her opponent has no chance of ‘making faces’ at her in the way mentioned.”