THE YOUNG AUSTRALIAN BLONDINS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5295, 15 March 1878, Page 3

THE YOUNG AUSTRALIAN BLONDINS.

The Sydney Mail , in noticing the performance of two aspirants for rope-walking honors, called “The Young Australian Blondin Brothers,” aged respectively fifteen and twenty, makes the following observations : “ The usual tight-rope tricks were gone through in the usual fashion. For those people who have somewhat of a morbid appetite, the sensational ‘ trick ’ of feigning to slip, or rather to miss the rope, was provided ; and moreover there was this further contingency awaiting them, that if an accident should unfortunately occur, they would have a ghastly spectacle before their eyes. There is, however, little variation in these performances ; that these youths are clever is undeniable, aud that they do their peculiar business in a workmanlike manner, and as well as any of their predecessors, may "ue admitted. But cui bono 9 Allowing that this description of entertainment is perfectly legitimate, what necessity is there that these youths should nightly risk breaking their necks 1 It may be answered that they have their living to get. Granted, hut would it not be equally clever to carry on their performances on a rope, say, a couple of feet from the ground ? There would then be no risk or at all events, it would be reduced to a minimum. To this it maybe replied that such a plan would not pay—that all excitement and sensation being gone, people would have nothing to amuse them. If this is actually the true state of the case, there; is not much . difficulty in meeting it; it is merely a question of £ s. d. Let a net be placed a few feet under the rope along its, entire, length, so that in case of any accident the fall Would be harmless instead of fatal. No other result 1 than the latter could happen under present conditions. Without in the least desiring to deprive the youths of such credit as this description: of performance entitles them, to, still, 1 until precautions are taken to prevent any horrible calamity Occurring, it is'not an exhibition that can be recommended.*" ''

—RUSSIAN.ENCROACHMENT, QJL„. \ CHINESE TERRITORY. -; - (From the Uongkortg Press.) Russia has long been regarded by the Government of Peking as an aggressive and encroaching neighbor, and with good, cause. It is hot so long Since the Czar annexed a large strip of territory on the Amoor, extending his frontier considerably further south at the expense of his Imperial Majesty of China; The Moukdeu correspondent of our Shanghai evening contemporary now gives publicity to a rumor, which he says is current in that city, to the effect that the Russians removed the boundary stone between themselves and China in Mongol territory for 600 li inland without saying by your leave, and that the officials entrusted with looking after the boundaries have not dared report the matter in Peking.” Now, if true, this is a fact that should be remembered and inquired into by the Chinese Government. It is possible, of course, that it has been done by understanding. A short time ago the Russians supplied the Chinese army iu Central Asia with grain when they . were hard pushed for supplies, and although this has, we believe, ; since been paid for in cash, an obligation remained. Perhaps that has been wiped off by; permission being given to the Russians to rectify their boundaries in Mongolia. It is Muscovite policy never to lend assistance without adequate recompense, and when remarking on the fact of Tso Tsungtang’o braves being provisioned by the Russians we expressed our conviction that the service was not rendered for nothing. It is quite iu consouauce with Russian practice that the Chinese should not be asked to cede any territory openly, while it would equally suit the Government of Peking to make such a cession suh rasa. On the one hand, the Russian Government does not care to attract the attention of other European Powers to its schemes for aggrandisement in Asia, and, on the other, the Chinese Govermeut would much prefer to keep quiet any concession it might feel compelled to make to its northern neighbor. It is very plain that Russia is not content with her present boundaries in the Far East. Her latest move was the annexation of Southern Saghalien. It is true that this territory,was acquired with some show of decency. It was, indeed, called an exchange of territory, and exchange is popularly considered to be no robbery. But the barren rooky islets which were handed over to the Mikado in lieu of Saghalien, with its valuable mineral deposits, cannot be looked upon as a quid pro quo ; it was a mere apology for it; and the tansaction can only be compared to a big shoolboy taking away a junior’s new cricket bat and handing him a tin whistle as compensation. The Japanese have not ceased to regret the loss of Saghalien, and regard it as having been virtually wrested from them by oopulsion. If the Kuriles had been accompanied by a sum of money, there would not have been so much room for comment, but the bargain was so manifestly oue-sided that it was impossible not to be struck with the fact. In all their dealings with China and Japan, the Russians are pretty sure to get the best of it, and both the former nations are well aware of this, and regard the St. Petersburg Government with uatural distrust. They are haunted by a suspicion that Russia is crouching, tiger-like, on their confines waiting and watching for au opportunity to spring. The Japanese papers have not hesitated to express this belief and their regret that the Mikado’s Government allowed Saghalien to be i icorporated in the Russian dominions. In China there is no public opinion, and, practically, no Press ; but we know that an uneasy feeling prevails among official circles concerning the designs of Russia. The restraining influence of outside opinion has hitherto kept the Russian Government somewhat in check iu theFarEast. Foreign trading interestsinChina are so large that any attempt at unjustifiable aggression ou China for the sake of territorial aggrandisement by one Western nation would speedily be resented and resisted by the rest. The tortuous windings of Russian intrigue are, however, not easily followed ; and we may be sure that the Muscovite statesmen will let slip no opportunity, and lose no chance of making such opportunity for the extension of their territory southward. The Chinese do well to be suspicious of their great and powerful neighbor ; it is from the north that all danger from foreign sources menace. It is their policy to cement close and friendly relations with England, Germany, France, and America, none of which Powers desire to enrich themselves by despoiling China of territory, and who simply wish for the privilege of unrestricted trade. By giving facilities for the extension of commerce the Chinese Government will not only enrich its people and fill the Imperial Treasury, but it will knit more firmly the ties which unite foreign interests with its own, and thus obtain greater security from aggression.