The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1897.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 173, 21 August 1897, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1897.

IT is only a short time back that the Emperor William visited his brother Emperor of Russia, but no information has been allowed to leak out us to the object of the visit. Shortly aftor his departure it was stated that Russian officials had been instructed to arrange that the reception of President Faure should not be more cordial and demonstrative than that accorded to the Kaiser. The implication from this statement is that the Czar is anxious not to wound the sus ceptibilities of the German people, or excite their suspicion as to the understanding between the governments of the two countries. The visit was arranged at the time of the Czar's visit to France, who when parting from the President is reported to have said : "We hope that you will return our visit," and M. Faure assented. Visits between the heads of nations are usually paid for diplomatic reasons, and if we are to accept the statement of the celebrated Paris correspondent of the Times, that of M. Faure to Russia is of more than ordinary interest from an international point of view. So far back as June 12th, ho wrote : "I venture to affirm that during the trip there will be signed either in St. Petersburg or Moscow the definitive treaty of alliance between France and Russia—a treaty which is not as yet in existence, but will definitely exist in a form already determined upon after the approaching journey, a treaty at the bottom of which will figure the four signatures of the Emperor of Russia, the President of the French Republic, M. Hanotaux and Count Murdvieff, the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs." What the terms of this treaty may be will of course be considered State secrets, an<"t many years will probably pass before its provisions will become public. It may, however, be confidently predicted that it will contain provisions binding the two countries together in mutual common action against their common enemies. There has been an understanding between the two governments for some years, and the foundation of the treaty, which is now said to be so near completion, was laid more than eight years back, during the Presidency of M. Carnot and the reign of Alexander 111., and with short intervals negotiations have since been in progress. The Triple Alliance was the immediate cause of the negotiations, both Franco ond Russia recognised that the alliance would bo calculated to check their ambitions, the former to wreak vengeance upon Germany and the latter to avail of the first favourable opportunity to extend her frontier to the Bosphorous. But these aspirations have now receded into the background. The unity of the Powers in regard to the late war affords strong evidence that pence is the universal desire of Europe. This is so, tor the reason, mainly that every Power recognises that the risks of war are out of all proportion to the probable gains by victory. There is another check upon the ambition of rulers, and that is the awakening of the populations to the fact that actual war brings upon them acute misery, and that the excessive armaments maintained in order to keep the ambitions of others in check mean misery less acute but more lasting. There is always the danger that the people of one or other of the nations, finding themselves unable to check expenditure on armaments will force a war and take the risk that acute suffering for a time will relieve them of the prolonged agony of oppressive taxation. As regards Britain, she lias nothing to gain by war, and much to lose. All she asks is to be allowed to follow the pursuits of peace, she does not covet anything that any other nation possesses. Inasmuch as the equal balancing of power in Europe is calculated to prolong peace, the treaty between France and Russia is matter for congratulation.