The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1904. BRITAIN'S POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 42, 23 February 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1904. BRITAIN'S POSITION.

Mr Wyalt, the secretary of the British Navy Jxsigne, is ut present in Dunud'in, ami Ims favoured the people there with his opmion upon Britain's i>osit'ion in regard to the war between Japan ami Russia. He says •that thu'puMk' is not alive to the danger in which the Empire at present stands. It lias yet nowhere been observed that Germany has the power, if she has the will, to force the hands of France and put her in a position in which she will have the alternative of either joining Germany and Russia in a war against Britain ami .Japan, or else abandoning that alliance with Russia which has hitherto been the pivot oi her policy, l''or, says Mr NVyatt, if Germany weru to ally herself with Russia against Japan, Great Britain would under the terms ot her delimite treaty with Japan, be immediately compelled to take up arms, while iu that event it would appear that the case contempletevl under the French treaty with Russia would have occurred, and that France would be compelled to enter the arena, Possibly if Germany were at war with us the Unite*! States might, for their own sake, throw in their lot on our side. Attor the despatch of the famous "Kiuger" telegram iu the beginning of 18410, it is known that the Em-jK-ror -of Ge; - in;wiy cInJ h:i,s utmost to induce Russia and France to join an alliance against the British Empire. The German Emperor has never Ifefore had in his hands the cards ] which he can play on this occasion, for, if France decided to remain neutral she will not only have broken her treaty with the Russians, but Russia will become her deadliest enemy. That Germany is endeavouring to di.aw closer to Russia is Jioi'nted out by several small indications, such as by the friendly telegram reported to have been despatched by I hi- Kaiser to the Czar after the Russian defeat at Port Arthur, and by the fact that a German cruiser shadowed the Japanese fleet until eom|n'lled to go away by what must have been very strong representations. Tlu-re is also the obvious strong fabrication by Admiral Alexielf to the effect that the Japanese had lired on a German cruiser. From whatever point of view the present situation is contemplated the very life of the British Empire depends on the strength of its effect, and now is the time lor New Zealand to take up the formation of a naval reserve.