BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 174, 25 July 1903, Page 3

BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION, Received 25, 01 a.m. London, July 24. In the Commons Sir Charhs Dilke, Sir Edward Grsy, arid Mr Gibson Bowles criticised the foreign policy, especially with regard to Germany.

Lord Oranborne said that Britain recognised Jtpin's special interest in Kot-'is, a':d that Russia ic,-upi*d a rather spoci-d po ition in Mmcburia. If Germany would admit Biitiin's colonies to !ic;l relation j our domescic imatcfrs did no!; c -nrorn the other j j puweiv. Britain's attitude with regard [to thi Anglo-German commercial [treaty would bo pmfectlyconciliatory, j Mr Asquith said the c<*sa for retaliaition against Germany was flimsy. Sir JET. Campbell - Bannerman dejelated it would probably recoil on the retaliatory. r Mr Chamberlain said ho was anxious to ba on good terms with everybody, but to put our relations with the colonieg before those of anybody else. It had been made clear to Germany that Britain would not allow the coercion of the colonies, and this resolve, which the vast mass of the country supportsd, exasporated the G' rman newspapsrc, but induced the Government to exhibit a willingness to negotiate, and the r. sulrs would probably be more sitisfactory than when we were weiponlo-s.

Mr. B ilfour challenged the Opposition to s»y whather, when a Colony I was discriminated against for giving I the Motherland preference, the latter's attitude ought to be absolutely passive. That was not the Government's view.