OUR LETTER BOX.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 57, 11 March 1904, Page 4

OUR LETTER BOX.

(We are at all times willing to publish correspondence on matters of public interest, but it must be distinctly understood that we are not identified with the letters of our correspondents.— Ed. Daily News.) THE COLONIES AND THEIR DEFENCE. (To the Editor.) Sir,— "Peace, the dream of the wise, though war is the history of men,'* Now "death seems almost standing ardent on the edge of war," whose "horrid- front" is possibly menacing England, Europe and the world. Some more special attention to colonial defence is becoming quite desirable, and it might be suggested with regard to it that any accumulation of discarded army rifles at Home be shipped out to Australian and New Zealand ports, together with plentiful supplies of ammunition so that, with well fortilied harbours, and efficient local volunteer forces, each settlement might be in a position to offer a warm salute ; to give, if need be, a colonial welcome to possible hostile intruders anxious to claim "land and water." That Jnpan singlehanded is likely ultimately jto prove a match for 1.u.-sinii power in Asia seems almost out of the question, and in the event of warlike complications ensuing among the European Powers, it would seem a paradox for France, who virtuallyled the way to constitutional government on the Continent, to side now .with Russia, and fight with terrorism and despotism against freedom, ju'stice and humanity. "Liberie, Egalite, ct Fraternite !" Perfidy appears to have been a common truit of all despotisms from time immemorial, and Russia may not be behindhand in ignoring the integrity of treaties, since the disaster to the forces of Napoleon in his fatal invasion of 1812, where, if he had waited, possibly with his army on the frontier, for Alexander to come on, he might have overthrown him in pitched battles, and at St. Helena he (Napoleon) seems to have mentioned having had such alternative, giving some reason for not adopting those tactics, further expressing his conviction that a time wouTd come for an universal alliance of nations against the aggressions and inroads of the ''Collosus of the North." Some hint that neither Russia nor Japan have too much right in Manchuria or Korea, either of them, and that they bo allowed to fight out the division of spoils themselves though it certainly might not be conducive to British and colonial interests to have a strong Russian force pernanently established at Port Arthur and the vicinity, which position, it would seem, should scarcely have been relinquished by the British. A Russian writer, Madame Movlkoll though the move seems "on'' not "off/' complains that if France or America colonise or annex territoiy nothing is said, but that if Russia absorbs only the slightest slice there is a howl. The writer seems to forget that Russia is a despotic Power, and that every inch she takes is only another stronghold for despotism. The advance of the liberal governments is more in the direction of freedom, civilisation and industry. If Russia were a limited monarchy or a republic less would be thought of her movements, but what seems the insiduous progress of a despotic power must over be looked on with some suspicion,—l am, etc., c.w.w.