THE WIDE WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 307, 23 December 1908, Page 4

THE WIDE WORLD.

NEWS AND VIEWS FKOM THE PRESS. GERMANY'S DILEMMA. ' WHAT THE KAISER DID TO-WARDS IT, MERCHANTS WRING THEIR HANDS DISCREDITED DIPLOMACY. BERLIN, October 30.

It appears that the Kaiser gave his interview entirely on his own initiative and his own respousibilty, without consulting the Imperial Chancellor regarding the advisibilify of such a course. Having made the statements contained in the interview, and having granted permission to publish it, the Kaiser informed Prince Bnohnv of what he had done, without, however, giving the unfortunate Chancellor any opportunity to interfere with bis fixed resolve to | make bis attempt to inllnence British , public opinion of German policy. Once more Prince Hueloiv must assume responsibility before the Reichstag and the whole German nation for mi imperial act over which lie had no control, and which, undoubtedly, he would have prevented had lie been able to do so. Prince liuclow, it is stated, regards the publication of the diplomatic revelaiions contained in the interview wilh the Kaiser as a grave indiscretion, which is extremely embarrassing to the German Government.

The manager of one of the greatest German eomiucreial concerns has stated to the liundscliau : . "We are all wringing our hands. The Emperor's remarks will have the worst possible results for us. What can one do when such disturbing factors have to be reckoned with V One loses all zeal for one's work. Our Eastern business, as well as Germanv's position in the East will suffer frightfully. With evidence like this interview, the English will not hare much difficulty in convincing the. Turks that they cannot depend on us for everything. German trade will have to pay the piper," Paris, October 30. The press is unanimous ia the opinion that no harm lias been done to AngloFrench relation-! by the Kaiser's interview, but severe comment is made on the action he describes of reporting by private letter to England the most confidential .communications of France and Russia with regard to intervention in the Boer war.

It is said with much force that if foreign chancellors cannot be sure of their 'negotiations with Berlin .Ifchnj kept secret they will of necessity enter into us few confidential transactions as possible, and that even now an uncomfortable feeling must 'exist in many a capital—Vienna, for example—as to how far their past dealings with Germany remain really private.

DID NOT COME OFF. HUMILIATING ENGLAND TO THE DUST. RUSSIA'S HEI>LY TO THE KAISER'S CHARGES.

ST. PETERSBURG, October 30. The following is an authorative Russian reply to the statement made by the Kaiser in the interview published in Loudon that lie prevented Russia and France from humbling Great Britain in the dust at the time of the Boer war:— ''The relations of Russia and England in IS'J'J were very different from those which now exist on account of the Anglo-Russian Convention. Certain proposals were made by Russia at the time of the Boer war, but Russia's pail was no more than a sincere desire to spare bloodshed on'humanitarian grounds. ••There is nothing unusual in such proposals ; indeed, it is customary nowadays at certain stages in wars for one nation or other to proffer services to attain a satisfactory peace. " Russia had no part in anything beyond this, which is very different from technical intervention, and least of all was anything done aimed at humiliation for either party in the conflict. Finally, it was not Germany, but France, which put a stop to the proposals. " It is undeniable Unit Russia then universally sympathised with the little nation fighting for freedom, and tlhe Russian standpoint towards England was wholly different then from what it is now, " England understands better than •most nations that an honest foe makes the best friend, and has proved this hi the case of the very jteople who were then in arms against her. "Therefore there is no fear that Anglo-Russian relations will in the slightest degree be affected by the interview."

a soLmiars prelate. IiESIOXATION OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF YOUK." .SOME GOOD STORIES. LONDON, November ]. Dr. Maelagan, who has just resigned tlie Archbishopric of York, is the only soldier-Archbishop of recent times. He was bom on Waterloo-day 182U, unci in 1847..entered the Indian' Army. Five, years Inter be sold out ami exchanged bis lieutenant's uniform for the cassock. His career as parish priest and bishop way be summarised as follows : Curate of «. Saviour's, Paddinglon, 1S50; Hector of Ncwington, HjO'J; Vicar of Kensington, 1875 ; Bishop of Lichfield, 1818 ; Archbishop of York, with a stipend of £IO,OOO u year, 1891. Dr. Maelagan is a broad-minded ecclesiastic. When rector of St. Mary's, Xcwingtou, lie ivas a neighbour of the famous Baptist preacher, Charles Hadilon Spurgeon, and he used to slop the bells of his own church so the worshippers at Mr Sturgeon's chapel should mot lie disturbed.

I (,>ucen Alexander was crowned tiv Dr. Maelagan, who successfully claimed the uut.y as an ancient privilege of Hie Archbishop of York. Several good stories are told of the Archbishop of York. A witty vicar of a sleepy Yorkshire hamlet, whom his grace had asked to lend his church for the purpose of giving the clergy of his district a " quiet day" for meditation replied : My dear Lord Archbishop,—Your very kind letter to hand. But what the people in this village most want, is their spiritual life is not a "quiet dav," but an earthquake. The Archbishop one dav found himself m a railway carriage with two drunken kuen, one of whom complained that he had been robbed of a live pound note, and was determined to search the pockets of his fellow passengers. "I began to feci very uncomfortable," said Or. Maelagan, '•„« 1 happened to nave a live pound not in mv pocket However, 1 determined to sit quietly and feign sleep.

" Presently canie the challenge : ' X say, neighbour.' but I made'no answr Then the man grabbed me by the arm and shook me violently ; but I did not wake up. "Hi! kept on shaking, but slid 1 re . •named impassive. Then his friend interposed with. <i say. Bin, leave him v!""'- •™"' t •'""' " l 'lintikei- than I Or. Maelagan has been twice marri»d, and has three sons .„„] 0; , 0 daughter. His Inst wife died two years after their marriage. In lsili, and 111 years lat«r he married a .laughter of Viscount Bar-vinglon-u gified hidv ami excellent speaker who had taken a practical part in the Archbishop's philanthropic work

mil's EXVOY AItttKSTKD. KKKP IN A CELL AU, XKillT FOK I'AISSJXti HAD .MO.VKV. VIKXXA. Xovenihor 5. f.aroa licitsel. a Russian Court mesW'lijjer on a -penal mission from SI. J olerslmi- ,„ Constantinople, was aripted yesterday „t llmlapest on the (lliuue of passing false coin. Il'o llaron broke ),i, journey In stav all injjlit in the Hungarian capital, anil visited „ manner of places 0 f ;i, mu , >'i™l under the guidance of an otlicial <>t tile Consulate. During (.1,,, oycniu" ""'"'"'"l'oiMvas „!„.,, ~.,,.,„., |k ., o t , - he llaron had pass,,] bad money, and 'c was an-sted The Uar,,, declared, t he luui rcceivcdthe money just be- 1 f«re from a waiter in a collVc house, l„il was kept all nigh! j„ ~ lio( , ( , ( ,„ , spite of the tact ll W f ]„, ~,.<.,.„,.,, ||is identity, and was wearing a inaofiiificviil. court iniilorm. This morning his identity was admitled. and he was released. The llaron is ■'.member ot (he Czar's household, and "« mission t„ Constnnlinopl,. is .aidlo '•' very imporlanl Whether or not the I<-<I. Iml Hie iiicidciit in nolirealilo coming so soon after the arrest of Montenegrin hnvoy (~ Scrvia.at Agvam.