LORD PALMERSTON ON RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 25, 27 June 1885, Page 2

LORD PALMERSTON ON RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY.

- The following' exitrict from the pubIjslved. "Life of Lord Palraerston " shows ' what his views were m .respect to the enr croachment policy of Russia : — "The policy and practice of .the Russian jGotverndient has always heetn to piwh fforr r ■■-ward- IU encroachments, us fast and as far : as- the apathy or want of firmness of other Governments would allow it to go, but always to stop and retire when it was met with decided resLsrinoe, thd then to wait for the next favorable opportunity tb thake another spring on its intended • I; ij^in. In. furtherance of this policy,; \ «the Russian Government has always had' •two strings to its b.>w— moderate language and disinterested professions at St. Petersburg and at London ; active aggression by its agents on the scene of operations. If the aggressions succeed locally, the Petersburg Goremment adopts them as a fait accompli, which it did not intend, but cannot m honour recede from. If the loca! agents fail they -are disavowed »nd recalled, and the language previously held is appealed to as a proof-that the agent* have over-stepped their in^actions. This was exemplified m the- Treaty of Unkiar Skelewij and m the exploits of Sirnpnivitch and Vikovitch m Persia. Orlbff succeeded m extorting the-Tieaty of Unkiar-Skelessi from the Turks, and it was represented as a ; gudv ' den thought, suggested by the circumstances of the time: and place, and. not the result of any previous instructions ; but having been done it could not be undone. On the other hand, Simonivitch and Vikovitch failed m getting possession of Herat, m consequence of our vigorous measures of resistance ; and ,&i they failed, and when they had failed, they were disavowed and recalled, and thelangnage previously held at Petersburg was appealed to as a proof of the of the disavowal, although no •human being with two ideas m his head could for a moment doubt that they had acted under specific instructions."