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July 1, 1995.]
upon another's friendliness to the extent | of forcing him into a false position, or inducing him to accede to unreasonable demands; but such action is unfortunately not unheard of; and exactly the same principle applies to a friendship between two nations, when it takes the form of com. pact, entente or definite alliance. In time of war, a door is opened to call upon an ally to observe what is speciously called a friendly neutrality. A good deal of irregu- larity, not to say absolute injustice, may easily be perpetrated upon this somewhat loose basis. Such an understanding being once arrived at, it is impossible exactly to limit the extent to which it may proceed. As long as the friendliness is confined to acts of a negative character, there is not much that can be urged against it. But it is apt to go very much further than this. The telescope may be placed to the blind eye in a way which becomes much more than purely negative action; and in addition to this it may happen that demands may be made upon the complacency of a friendly neutral nation with whom the one at war in another quarter is on terms of alliance, of a kind which it would not think of making in any other quarter, and thus the unpleasant result of general friendship is that the nation which is most friendly is precisely the one that is placed in a difficult and dangerous position.
own
Such, indeed, seems to have been the state of affairs between France and Russia, and, without throwing the blame unduly upon the latter, there seems hardly room to doubt that she presumed in a most un- justifiable manner upon the friendship and general alliance of France, and was supremely indifferent whether she involved that country in difficulties, if her ends might be served thereby. This is a kind of friendship which it is somewhat difficult to appreciate; aud it is a warning as to the danger of alliance in general terms with any nation which cannot be fully relied upon not to abuse the position. The entente between. France and Russia was always considered to be in connection merely with European politics and has not even been interpreted to extend to matters in the Far East.
This position was accepted when the war between Russia and Japan broke out; and it would be absurd to expect that France would be willing to depart from it at a time when the fortunes of war had placed Russia in a serious plight. An endeavour to force France into the trouble by making an improper use of her shores and dragging her into breaches of neutrality cannot but be regarded as a poor return for such acts of legitimate friendship as she has been willing to accord. If the entente between Russia and France was such that the latter was called upon to join in the war with Japan, she ought clearly to have been asked to do so at the outset and to have been consulted on the diplomatic steps to be taken and upon the desirability or other- wise of going to war at all. It requires a person to see things with truly Russian eyes to imagine that any compact can be construed in such a way as to throw upon either side the enormous responsibility of entering upon a war at the mere bidding of the other. Such, however, is apparently the idea of friendship on the part of Russia; like that of good King HENRY the Fifth who loved France so much that he would not lose a village of it," Russia was so much attached to her ally that she did not hesitate to announce that she would regard it as an unfriendly action if France did not continue to do what, upon every principle of international laws, was a distinct violation of neutrality.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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direction
It was very little likely that French states-dis inguished himself in the men would take long to estimate the value of those fine bread platitudes which of so plausible an argument; and it is,
often successful with the large indeed, marvellous that even Russia should section of the public at home who are have ventured to put forward so specious governed by catch words. The Chinese in a plea. It amounted to a definite hint the Transvaal are an offensive yellow that unless France were willing to stretch a blot on our Empire of Freedom, and a point in favour of Russia and against triumph for the capitalists." The blot be- Japan, the former would begin to considering yellow and the people benefiting by it whether she would not withdraw from the being capitalists is particularly forcible; entente with regard to political matters in but in what possible way Freedom-in the Europe. If friendly understandings are to sense in which the word is used by the bused in this manner it may well be sail: BISHOP-is interfered with by a labour "Save me from my friends." The incident, contract fairly entered into and justly however, is only one among many which carried out is possibly clearer to the Brauor must all have tended in the direction of than to the public at large. The ridiculous lessening the bonds between France aud part of the matter is that the amount of Russia which, in truth, must always have freedom that is really given up by the Chi- been felt to be of a somewhat doubtful nese is exactly the same as that which is character, seeing that Russia is quite as of necessity given up in entering upon any contract whatever the surrender (to take ready to lean towards Germany, and that it would be a pure matter of interest and Anson's definition) of a right for a cous expediency upon which side she would throw sideration. A man is free to walk over all her influences in any matters of disagree. his lands; but if he leases a por.im of ment which might arise between France them he gives up his freedom to walk over and that country. Of this the French that particular part. The employers can- must be fairly convinced by the preseut not engage labourers otherwise than for a time; and they can hardly be expected term and the Chinese are not disposed to to value Russian friendliness sufficiently leave their country without being cirtain of to be ready to rush into a war which employment for a fixed period, and it is could bring them advantage and surely no invasion of the freedom on might lead to serious disaster both abroad either side that the engagement should be made for such a time as will suit and at home.
both parties, in precisely the same manner 23 is the case
made in engagements in all directions for employment or a term. Mercantile and professional men and even public servants constantly make contracts for their "labour'
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CHINESE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
on this basis; and the only point at which it could be said there is an invasion of the Chinese labourers' freedom would be if, in the place where he has to carry out his contract, he was unduly deprived of the rights of protection and of the justice which everyone is entitled to look for who is under the British day. Hitherto there has not been the slightest indication of anything of this kind." The Chinese certainly enjoy as much free lor in- South Africa as they would have in any other British Colony and much more than they would have in their own country. What, therefore, is there to be said, in support of this repeated ery of “ slavery and of the terrible yellow blot which troub od: the BISHOP OF HEREFORD?
Daily Press, 29th June. Although some of the more thoughtful of British politicians have of late taken more than one occasion to point out the impropriety of attempts on the part of their Parliament to interfere with purely Colonial questions, there would seem to be but little improve ment in this respect. The opportunities of making party capital in this manner are too tempting; and it is not surprising that an occasion was agaiu seized to air all the well worn complaints against Chinese labour in South Africa. The wire-pullers, however, cannot be highly congratulated on their success in this particular direction. Indeed, the last debate which took place in the House of Lords on this favourite subject is The remarks little short of depressing. made by the noble lords who undertook to dogmatise on this subject display a com-
Itis some consolation to find thatarguments plate ignorance of the true state of matters
of this kind did not commend themselves both in China and in South Africa and an equal ignorance of facts familiar to every-to all the Prelates in the House of Lords one who has any practical knowledge of and that the ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury the matter. That it is possible to make frankly admitted that every precaution party capital out of a question of this had been taken to safeguard the welfare
the Chinese; but expressed surprise, that kind is a serious matter, and this con- sideration may, indeed, be regarded as the the Blue Book did not mention the influence most important bearing of the debate. It of the Chinese on the morality of the com. The reason would probably be is assumed that the Chinese are greatly munity. oppressed; but no single complaint has easily apparent to him if he were in any been made by them, which can by anyway acquainted with the state of matters in the Transvaal or had any knowledge of the plausibility be stretched beyond the kind of grumbling that is certain from time to time extent to which the Chinamen abroad form to be indulged in by any persons against a community of their own and keep clear of the people. So far as the European popala. their employers. Even such minor com- plaints have been very few, but it will be tion is concerned their influence may be astonishing if the lesson which these indis considered as a very negligible quantity, creet persons are constantly teaching the and as to the natives, there are few Chimene Chinese be not taken to heart by them and who would think of associating with theen if they do not better the instruction by on familiar terms, any more than EuropeanNS raising difficulties and finding grounds for would; and even if they did so, it is quite a never question whether the average morality of discontent which would otherwise have occurred to them. This, no doubt, the African native is net in reality lower would be precisely what would best suit than that of the worst Chiness. those who are pulling the wires in this matter and are setting a number of well meaning but ill-informed people in England to do an amount of mischief of the extent of which they have little idea. oF HEREFORD seems
It is not very surprising that "the subject dropped," but "unfortunately, this is not the end of the matter,
not fail to a debate could The Bissor direct encouragement to the Chine to have specially endeavour to get up grievancer: and,
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