"I AM A BRITON."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 166, 4 July 1908, Page 4

"I AM A BRITON."

HOW OCR SUBJECT*? ABROAD ARK PROTECTH). Xo sooner hal Sir Edward Grey and the Russian Government amicable settled the case of Mr. Luxenbcrg, the London merchant arrested hi Russia, than the sympathies of newspaper-read-ers were aroused by reports as to four young Britons languishing iu an Antwerp gad. Jt is too early at the lime of writing to eoinmtut on the rights and wrongs of this case; but John Bull generally has a short way with foreigners who lay unlawful bands upon his sons abroad. ; One need make no apology for ([noting' in this connection, the peroration of the greatest speech ever delivered bv a great Foreign Secretary. Here it is:" "As the Roman, in days of old, felt himself safe from inligiiitv when lie could say, 'Civis Romamis sum' el am a Roman citizeta'i, , 0 nhv a British subject, in whatsoever land lie may be, sjhall feel confident that the watchful eye and strong arm of England will protect him against injustice and wr»ng." These words, which ought to he written up in letters of gold, were spoken bv I/ml Palmerstou in the House »f Commons while defending life action iu llm Padlieo .a-e. 11. Pacilico was a u*dfleiii of AMien>: but be was a native i.f Gibraltar, and therefore a Briti-di -object. One day an Athenian b. licajlcl bv JMsoji-; oi me Creek War Minister, Jacked his house iu open day and did great damage. All his claims for compensation were treated with contempt. A,t the same time a Briton, Mr. Finla\. was appealing for redress, some of Inland ill Greece having been appropriate! by the Crown.

Our Government took up the ease of the sons of Britain in no uncertain fashion. Admiral IMrker. with the British Mediterranean Fleet, swonped down upon the harbour of the Piraeus, and block--aid it.' The French and Russian Ambassadors appealed to .Great. Britain to withdraw the blockade; bii/i» vain. Ultimately the large sum of XHI.IHHI drachmas, iu settlement of all claims, was wrung out of the reluctant Greeks.

Krskine Mather, k young Englishman, travelling for pleasure in Italy, liatl an ear for music, and. seeing a regiment marching through the streets of l'loreiice, hearted hy a very fine band, kept pace with it. Happening to step a foot or fewo within the line of march lietween [ the hand and the regiment, he was struck, l.y an officer with the llat of his i sword. .Mr. Mather turned round to remonstrate, when he. was savagely cut down liy another officer, sustaining a severe cut on the head. The result was that he lav for some time in the hospital of Santa Maria Xnofa in a dangerous condition. explicated "\vr;A the nrsu^JH -which follow c,l.(j and many times in the House of CrmTmons. Kvcntiiall..Mr. Mather receive.! .C 230 and an apo-

■Ratifying', Bdered two "rHratiqrd, f a political Ltlr.il was the incident of -four years ■rwards to be one of the leaders of

F.e abortive Jameson raid—arrived at the Pungwe, willi the two boats Agnes and Shark, large party of prospectors. Their object was to open up Mashonaland. However, the Portuguese officials at.Beira did not see it in thai light, and refused to allow the parly to proceed. Two days were wasted in fruitless negotiations, and at last Sir John Willonghby decided to proceed at once, and to yield only to Joree. The party pushed on, and were immediately fired upon by the Portuguese warships.

More than that, the boats were boarded, tile captains and crews arrested, and the rest of the party sent back to ISritish territory under escort. The cables speedily got to work, three llritish'warships were ordered to Ijeira. and an ultimatum presented. Naturally, the Portuguese Government proinpllv repudiated the action of their Africaii'ollbials, ami in less than a week Uml Salisbury was able to tell the House of Lords -and lliroiejli them an expectant euuntrvllul Portugal had acceded to all Ihe Ibilish demands, ;ind that a new Anglo l'iiilii,';ii"se eiinveutiuii on South Africa was in train.

We were once oil the verge of war with Greece over the murder of lour Englishmen by Greek brigands. The circumstances were noteworthy alike for Hie rank of the victims and the curious action of Hie Greek (loveriuuent. Lord and Lady Miincastrr, Sir Edward Herbert, secretary to the British Legation, and a cousin of Lord Carnarvon, Mr. Llo.ml, a barrister, and Mr. Vyner, an independent gentleman, were travelling ill Greece, near -Marathon, when they were captured, and held to ransom, by a band of mountain robbers, under the brothel's Arvanitakj.

The ransom demanded was AIJO,OOO reduced to half that sum. Hut it soon transpired that the brigands were not out for money entirely, and Lord Muncaster was sent to Athens to treat with the Greek Government for an amnesty. In the interval the brigandl were visited secretly by several members of the Opposition in the Greek Parliament. Then the political side of the affair came out. These politicians were cynically using the deadly peril of inoffensive Englishmen for their own ends. Their object was to force the Government into doing an unconstitutional act, and then turn them out of power. The unconstitutional act in question was to lie the granting of an amnesty to the brigands. The leaders caused it to be known that their prisoners were perfectly safe so long as troops were not sent out against, the band, and the Government at Athens solemnly pledged itself to make no military movement. But in this game of battledore and shuttlecock which two political parties .were playing with the lives of Englishmen these pledges were easily disregarded, and soldiers .were silently moved up to the mountains. The brigands protested, lint the cordon was drawn tighter, and the robbers shot all their prisoners in cold blood.

A cry for vengeance arose from all over tlie United Kingdom. Sir Henry Tiulwer. from his place in the House of Commons, denounced the Greek Government as '• murderers." Hut Hie Government then in power was not of the temper of l/.ird I'almerston. The (Ireek Government, after tlie mischief was done, arrested the murderers, who were ciuidem'.i.'il to (Tenth; so no British fleet appeared off the Piraeus.