THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1911. ANGLO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10289, 18 July 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1911. ANGLO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE.

The announcement tlxat a ten years' Treaty has been effected between Britain and Japan, with a right of renewal, on terms which have been considerably modified, is of immense importance to every part of the British Empire. The Treaty of 1905 was mad® by Mr Balfour ifor a period of fifteen years. Under this Treaty, Britain was to assist in .the mainbsnance of Japanese supremacy in ihe newly-acquired Korea, while Japan was to proteat British interests in India and China. The effect of ibo alliance was that Gtreat Britain oouid concentrate her Chinese fleet in Unrish waters aiid thus remove the « ojessity for expending huge sunns of money in the construction of warships to beep pace with Germany. The withdrawal of the British Poet from the Par East had an important bearing upon Australasia, as it left this part of tihe Empire practicably at the of Japan. The Treaty of 1905 had another unexpected effect. It restricted the expenditure of British capital in the Chinese Empire, and prevented the exspainaibn of British, commercial interests in the Pay East. Thus, when China, proposed to construct internal railway a and procure the rolling-stock from

Great Britain, Japan protested, and this protest had io be respected. Indirectly, therefore, the British workman has he en robbed of employment by (the Treaty of 1905. The Treaty just completed, however, "withdraws the provisions in regard to India and Korea, and thus leaves each Power free to operate. Great Britain will, j in consequence, be compelled to pro- j tect her interests in, the Far East, I and in doing so will be assisting in i the protection of Australasia. Furthermore, Britain will bo free to extend her sphere of influence in China, whilst her alliance with Japan will strengthen her hands in this connection. The partition of China, or the development of China, is the one scheme in which the great Powers are interested. The United States and Gterimany have been making desperate efforts to capture the trade of the Far Fast, and it has only been by (the diplomacy and persistency of Japan that their efforts have been frustrated. The variation of it'll© terms of the Treaty between Britain, and Japan will give Britain a great opportunity in the Far East. Tliis variation could not possibly have been, insisted upon had not the naval position of Great Britain, been enormously strengthened. ißritaim is now beginning to feel that her interests in Australasia, are fairly isatfe. The construction of a fleet for ithe Pacific will remove th® necessity for Japanese protection, and will enable' the Overseas Dominions to deal effectively with the "yellow peril." At the same time the withdrawal of certain of the Treaty obligations will enable Great Britain to pursue a policy of development in the Far East without undue restriction. The Treaty jusit effected will have an important bearing upon the future of China, as it will upon the conservation of British interests.