RUSSIA’S BAD FAITH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1545, 26 August 1886, Page 3

RUSSIA’S BAD FAITH.

The following extract from an article in the Daily Telegraph will be md with especial interest at the present time Russia has formally notified that Batoum is no longer a free port. She has thus can* celled by her mere will an important clause in the Treaty of Berlin, and given fresh proof, if any were needed, that, ts Colonel Kaulbars said twenty years ago, she regard* “ treaties as only made to be broken.” She has chosen on opportune moment for the latest exhibition of bad faith—the moment when Injlttd is in the midst of an internal oouvnliion. The choice of the occasion is characteristic of a Power which never changes its policy, and it ever on the look-out for territorial aggrandisement. It was in (he midst of the Franco German war that she denounced the stipulation in the treaty of 1858, eitablishlng the neutrality of the Black Sea; and we all know how easily she gained her point, and with what facility the Government of that day yielded to her imperious dictation, Mr Gladstone, no doubt, was always adverse to the neutrality clause, and being in power, it was easy for him to give effect to his own opinions. Then Russia made her dash on Mery, and refused to be bound by the line drawn in 1873 by Lord Granville to mark the boundary of Afghanistan. The incident of Pen job will bo fresh in everybody’s miod. Nobody will forget the brave speech made one Monday evening, and the practical surrender to Russia, which was effected within a week. At that time we were occupied in South Africa, and still more in Egypt and the Sondan, and Russia once more showed her aptitude in selecting the lime and in operating upan the mindt of British states* men. She hra again furnished a fresh instance of consummate adroitness by ohoos. ing the period of a general election, an hour of divided counsels, to pueh her foot through the clause of a treaty signed and ratified only eight years ago. It is obvious, therefore, that in agreeing, thus solemnly, to moke Batoum a free commercial port, she never intended to keep her word. It was on the “honor " of a C«ar that we were told to rely when General Kaufmann was actively preparing to march on and dominate Shiva. Over and over again we w ere told that there was no intention to lay hands on Merv. The English Government wore amused and deceived by astutely-worded professions, apparently frank, yet governed by mental reservations. Russia did intend to appropriate Khiva and carry her flag to Merv at the very time when she gave her word of honor and her assurances to the contrary. 80, we may be sure, she had not fche_ least notion of carrying out the provision in the Berlin Treaty which constituted Batoum a. free commercial port, although a due observance of that stipulation was really the condition on which she was allowed to retain her conquest. Thus, as we have repeatedly said, daring the last twenty years the pledges and promises of Russia are absolutely worthless ; they Are coiner’s money put in circulation to gain a present advantage, and positions whjoh wfij yield a future profit. The cynical declaration regarding Batoum is only one of a long series.