April 22, 1905.]
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the pernicious character of Governments is 60-masked that we are all "in the most hopeless state of slavery, the slavery of slaves who do not understand that they are slaves" Then follows quite an anarchis- tic gem :
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"The fact is that every coercive Govern. ment is in its essence a great and unneces- sary evil, and that, therefore, the aim both of us Russians and of all men enslaved by Governments should not be to replace one form of Government by another, but to fres ourselves
from every Government-to abolish it." Imagine the contempt of the editor of the Tims for that itein, if it had been sent in by the aforesaid JOHN SMITH. Yet surely TOLSTOY'S mere signature does not make nonsense sense, or anarchy other than mischiev-
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ous? Of course he does not advise us to abolish our governments by force. "It is only necessary to abstain from par ticipating in them, from supporting them.' Ratepayers, slaves to the four governments mentioned, might not be unwilling to accept this advice. When summoned for non- payment of taxes they would have an excel- lent defence to offer the magistrate, TOLSTOY gave us that advice, and the Times published it."
K
But
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Count a lofty-minded, high-idealed, mascu- line angel immeasurably her superior. Still, each is but one human creature. When we hear of TOLSTOY applying the golden rule in his own establishment, we may feel the inclined to pay more respect to preachings and screechings to which the Times has just lent its great power of publicity.
LOCAL SHIPPING RISKS.
THE RUSSIAN OBJECTIVE:
(Daily Press, 20th April.)
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The intentions of Admiral RozЯD VENSKY and his officers are now as an open book to naval experts. The line of pro- posed action by the Baltic Fleet is, obviously, to take in stores, to clean ship, and to "stand easy as a preliminary to attempting a run to Vladivostock. It is thought that, besides filling their bunkers, the Russian ships will certainly take heavy (Daily Press, 19th April.)
deck cargoes of coal. This accumulation This state of uncertainty, of anxiety, of coal above, if properly stowed, is unlikely to be any hindrance to the efficient work- caused by the juxtaposition of the two belligerent fleets, almost at our doors, ing of the guns and ships. On the con- while may amuse the gossips, is far from trary, naval officers know that coal is one amusing the business community of Hong of the best "shot stoppers" that can be pro- kong. In shipping circles particularly vided; and so it serves the double purpose of there is a daily prayer that Tooo may, affording a certain amount of protection, and finding work to his hands, do it with all of extending the mobility of the fleet. his might, and get it over. It may be
latter is an important point, for it is prob noted that they are not quite neutral iuable that if the Armada once makes its their expressions of their present desires, dash for the northern port, Camranh Bay for it is the Baltic Fleet whose interference will have been its last voluntary halting with local shipping they mainly dread.
place. Provisions in Annam are both The Japanese ships have been about ever since the Russian ships scuttled from Port plentiful and cheap; and all that Admiral ROZADESTVENSKY should possibly require is to his hand. As the Americans express Arthur to the various ports where they are now interned; and shipping that was not
it, it is now 'up to him" to make the overtly interested in blockade running has
C
The
Towards the end of his long harangue, enjoyed complete immunity from inter- attempt, "hit or miss." The prospects of
the mad philosopher, whose ailment may be diagnosed as a blend of religious and ego mania, hits upon a discovery that should bave awakened him to the futility of his
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his enterprise cannot be made any rosier by ference. The only trouble until the arrival further delay. Some weakness is inevitable of the Balticers was the mines that strew in his fleet of forty-seven vessels, but it will some of the northern routes, a still present be set down to abnormally bad handling, danger, by the way, towards which the and to a total lack of naval" dash and go, British ships on the China station main-
if all of them fail to reach their objective¿ or, conversely, it will give to the Japanese tain an attitude strangely apathetic. Is it orders is still in force? If so, the new that the old red-tape system of awaiting
navy more kudos than ever if it should have the extraordinary luck to stop the arrangement, by which commanders on the whole of such a great Armada. Newspaper spot are to be permitted to think for them-readers have so often been told that the Baltic squadron consists of old or obsolete selves a little, instead of remaining mere cablegram-receiving automata, will be wel- craft that they may well fail to realise how comed. There is absolutely no valid reason not have been sent to destroy these mines, that remnants of it will not remain for the first engagement, it is not be assumed why some of the British war vessels should really formidable it is. Even if beaten in
considerable time to threaten immediately the blockade of Port Arthur ceased;
transport and
Some people think that the fact of feeling "at bay will endow the Russians with a better moral. than that which the easy confidence, born of past successes, is likely to give the Japanese. This we are not prepared to endorse, for we have seen how the Russian is more prone to count the cost than is the Japanese fighter. Certainly the Russians enjoy one benefit: they have learned to but they do not express it in terms of over- respect the enemy. So have the Japanese, respect. They have climbed from respect for the enemy to self-respect: the Russians began with contempt for the enemy, their exaggerated self-confidence must pow
and various reasons, in addition to the safety of commerce, could be adduced in favour. For instance, it would have been better target practice than the routine
allows.
a
ideals. He discovers the callousness of Nature, and the actual “disunion" of man. It may be terrible to think there is no real bond between men, but it is true, and it is natural, and it cannot be helped.
Yes, the essence of the matter is that there is something which disunites people, and that there is no connexion between them. The whole matter consists in that one should remove that which disunites people and substitute that which unites them. People are disunited by every external coercive form of government." TOLSTOY merely makes an assertion in the last ten words, and it is Man is "disunited" by wrong, as usual. Nature: an egoist: there is no such thing as universal brotherhood, never was,
and never will be. It is contrary to nature.
Beverting to the arrival of the Baltic Love of parents? Yes, but whose? It is always my parents. Of children ? Again ships, and its effect upon local trade, it whose? Always mine; the everlasting appears to have caused something like a pronoun, first person singular, subjective panic, which, if allowed to continue much onger, will bring about a stagnation of the or possessive. These horrors in Manchuria, business of the port. Russian cruisers have what of them? We are sorry if it sounds already begun the Red Sea business, in brutal, but who, who had no son, brother, mild, tentative manner, but with sufficient or friend in peril, really cared? We took obviousness of intention to give shippers our battle and our bacon together each morning; and it would be hard to say with pause. Already the insurance rate has gone what different gusto. Fifty thousand up about one per cent on cargoes travelling in the supposed direction of the traffic over- killed! Isn't it shocking, dear ?" And even haulers; and we are informed there is a the shocked lady, against whose natural
disinclination to make any shipments that tenderness of heart, and mildness of dis
can conveniently be postponed. A firm position, TOLSTOY could say nothing, helped wishing to send a few tons of lead in the herself to another piece of bacon. Change most innocent manner for bona-fide trade the news, reduce the fifty thousand to one single unit. "Our little son, our darling purposes, and the shipowners who would boy." The lady does not remark that that carry it, have to stop and consider pos was shocking. It was not necessary. She sibilities as to what the Russians might do left the bacon untasted. Is TOLSTOY right? manifest. Their view of such consignments if they overhauled the ship and saw the Is our typical lady of the breakfast table has been neither sympathetic nor indulgent wicked, because she cannot feel the same regret for fifty thousand strangers that she in the past; and few hope for better things doss for one puny child who is her own? of them in the present. Altogether, there Must we quarrel with human nature at the fore, news of their hasty departure, of their bidding of TOLSTOr and bis hysterical sinking or capture, of anything that will take them well away from their present followers? Or may we not put up with it a little longer, grateful for the good that is unpleasant location, will cause relief and,
pleasure in Hongkong. in man, nor weeping because be is not better than he was made. There is a report that TOLSTOY and his wife, the mother of his children, do not agree, do not live together. Doubtless she is a worldly woman, and the
藏宝
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A Japanese, after a six weeks tour in Shan tang, denies that the Germans interfere with the natives. They were in peaceful business. He saw no garrisons at railway stations.
some
commerce,
be tinctured with a little self-distrust.
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and
It
is, however, mainly shooting that counts; and these psychological factors may be credited with greater importance than they deserve. Russians are not good sailors: Japanese are. Russian officers are aristo- crats, with a constitutional regard for their
own value: Japanese officers are pro- fessionals, and they make their country's behind the gun quarrel a personal matter. Thus the " man on the Japanese side: has a better brain to control and direct him. Skill, experience, enthusiasm, sobriety, love of and aptitude for the sea, all preponderate with Admiral ToGo's side; but the Japanese are human, after all, and the Russian ad- miral seems to have the advantage in ¡num- bers, so that we must not attempt to mini-
mise the hardness of the nut which Togo has now to crack. That he will give a good account of himself when the time. absolutely sure; and as the just quarrel is supposed to be thrice de
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