June 30, 1906.]
THE TRIPLACE.
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(Daily Press, 27th June.) Three is a not unnatural feeling that the occasion for the Triple Alliance bas passed, and that the Alliance is under present cir. cumstances rather an anachronism. Once upon a time the military power of Russia loomed upon the eastern horizon of Europe as a very real terror. In 1849, Austria, whether she desired it or not, was drive. by the armed force of Russia into a reaction- ary policy, from which with difficulty she emerged in 1860; but ever since the im- pending force of her gigantic neighbour has been felt as a benumbing check on her own internal progress. Italy, though forther removed from the direct pressure, could not but feel that the danger impending over her near neighbours might any day, in the event of their being forced to give way, react on herself, and had therefore the strongest grounds for lending her back to the resisting structure. Under existing circumstances it cannot be said that the militarism of Russin materially troubles the central and southeru Power, who are much more concerned in her recent political developments. The EMPEROR of Germany, accustomed all his life to think in battalious finds some difficulty in understanding this prosaic position, yet there is no doubt that in Vieuna and Budapesth, as well as in Roine, the political aspect of affairs in Russia is really the cause of great anxiety. All-would be pleased did he result of the present troubles prove to be some form of modified rule which might prove satisfactory to people and Crown; but this they fear is now impracticable. On the other hand the success of the revolutionists, and its too prob- able sequence, the horrors of a Jaquerie cannot be looked on with indifference. Nei- ther, both feel, can the return to power of the reactionatý bureaucracy, and a recapitulation of the massacres and iniquities of the past ten years, be viewed with feelings other than those of apprehension. Even in social life it is not pleasant, and is sometimes dangerous to have for next door neigh. bours a household engaged in perpetual discords io political households the danger is the worst and most obvious of the drawbacks of an ill-regulated household.
Now both Austro-Hungary and Italy have reason from his avowed opinions on divine right to fear that in these things the German EMPEROR's point of view does not quite coincide with their own. Besides, from a practical point of view, where is the present need of emphasising the Triple Alliance? It had its uses, and they were consistent in their support; but if not against Russia what is its utility? Neither have anything to urge against the Western Powers: France and Spain certainly have no ambitious projects likely to interfere with the development of either Austro-Hungary or Italy; and if Great Britain, the only Power with whom they are likely to come in contact, be content, it is difficult to see why the other two should take exception. All these are reasons, not for abolishing the Alliance, but for not. seeking to emphasise its continuance. The Alliance, has done good work for Europe at large when it was coutent with appearing as simply defensive; but it is not the work of a statesman of the first rank to cast discredit on this feature of itsexistence, and by undue profestation seek to make it assume what savours of the offensive. This, and not any desire to withdraw from the old and well tried understanding, is evidently the reason why the two other Powers have seemingly required to be urged to keep up the show of the old bond of sunion: Some
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
people pray daily for the good estate of the Church Militant, but it is in its sempiternal strife with the powers of darkness. The ill. effects of turning its militancy in other directions could not be better displayel than in the unseemly strife raging about the new Education Act in England. Europe surely does not need such another quarrel to centre about the eminently peace assuring Triple Alliance.
Unfortunately nations as individuals are ever prone to let their momentary sensations usurp the place of reason. In this very affair of Russia we see something of the result. Three months ago, persuaded by the good words of France, the British came forward to assist the financial necessities of Russin; the reason why tliey interested themselves in this affair, against their ordinary practice; was evidently a passing fit of benevolence. Serious inen are not generally pre- sumed to let their impulses get the better of their judgment, yet in this instance the whole nation coincided in the action. Russian finnuces are to-day neither better nor worse than they were six months ago, yet the very people who three months. before were all for giving, at the moment are loud in their outery against any dealings whatever with Russix; the reason assigned being that Russia has in cold blood murdered a few Jews. Now we do not desire to be sup. posed in the slightest degree to minimise the enormity of the deed, but to point out that Jew-baiting and Jew murder normal in Russia; and we were not many mouths prior to this last exbibition of savagery made unpleasantly aware of the fact. In the face of all this there were sentimentalists in Great Britain quite ready to enter into an alliance which at any moment threatened to make them accessories before the fact of similar whole sale massacres. Now that Russia has again shown them a little bit of her natural disposition, they seek ostrich-like to cover their honds, thinking doubtless that that will conceal them from the jibes of their fellowmen, yet it is quite likely that had it not been for the very substantial monetary aid that in a fit of misplacel sentimentality they banded to Russia, the Government of that country would not have found itself in a position to repeat its former crime.
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of former days. There have even heen temerarious fellows who have quoted experts with an air of ribaldry, but these belonged to the low prolessioual humourist class, like Mr. DooLEY, for instance, who actually jeered at the evidence of expert analysts in a New York poisoning case. Such examples are not for us to follow, in any comments we may feel obliged to make on expert testimony given in Hongkong. The recent example of the CHIEF JUSTICE, however, who, armed only with native commonsense and about twelve months' experience of Hongkong, was able to discount the evidence of a Chinese expert on Chinese writing, emboldens us to take up a more independent attitude towards all experts than we should otherwise have presunied to do. Not, perhaps, towards that particular Chinese expert, because we have gleaned sufficient about the complexities of Chinese caligraphy to make us hesitate. On the one point which his LORDSHIP pointed out was espe- cially worthy of the expert's attention, for instance, we should be at a loss what view to take. The learned JUDGE remarked with obvious justice that there is no telling what will result from the application of a pen the ink of which is at the point of being expended. We paraphrase rather than quote, in order to avoid seeming to quibble with the phrase a drv pen", which means. of course, a pen or brush that is nearly dry.] For while his LORDSHIP doubted whether a writing instrument in such exhausted condition would. "correctly produce in the way of loops and flourishes all that is required of it". we under stuud that this is precisely the feat which all the Chinese caligraphists who affect style at all do most assiduously essay. What they call the "style of force", or strong style of penmanship, demands that as much as possible be written with one “dip" of ink, and the fainter, more 'spidery often split flourishes that terminate characters, and phrases in the running hand, made with the now almost dry pen, are regarded as the beautiful and wholly satisfactory evidences of high esthetic endeavour A glance at any specimen of admittedly good Chinese writing will. explain this better than columus of verbal description.
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As we have already said, however, and repeat even in face of the digression to which we have been tempted, Toe reasonable conclusion to be drawn these matters are too deep to warrant our from all this is that Europe practically has immediate adoption, vis à vis experts, of the the whole thing in her hands. If she be bolder attitude we expressed our intention sensible enough to keep the money in her to take. We prefer to flesh our maideri own pockets, there is little occasion for rashuess on the expert testimony given at Triple Alliances or anything else. Russia the last meeting of the Sanitary Board. left to herself will sufficiently early perform When Mr. HENRY HUMPHREYS suggested the feat of getting rid of herself. The interrogatively that "size", the viscous KAISER has only to see that his subjects substance used by painters and paper. button up their breeches pockets, and will hangers, was a possible culture for bacilli; 8 on discover a more effectual way of curb. we thought it a very good point to make, ing his neighbour's misdeeds than all the The expert answer was a bare negative, efforts of the Alliance.
however; and the impression given was that the plaguey bits of protoplasm could not erist in that familiar medium. It occurs to us, however, that if Mr. HUMPHREYS (Daily Press, 28th June.) -
had worded his question differently, the The phrase expert evidence
conta'ns reply might have been less decisive. He within itself a suggestion of more than asked if "size" were not "one of the finest ordinary value. When we are asked to cultures, and on reflection, we could have hearken to the testimony of an expert, we said "no" to that ourselves, sincs “ size” is are fain to comply with a respect a little only "analogous" to gelatine. He e might more pronounced than that with which we profitably put his question again, in this ordinarily listen to a mere layman. And form, Is
size in any degree hospitable having heard, we have to be very bold men to germs? Then, if he gets another indeed to presume offhand to combat the pegative, we will throw discretion to the statements made. It is true that within winds and assail expertiam in its own late years the race of experts of all kinds lair. These germs, spores, diatoms, bacilli, has multiplied, and it is perhaps the case or whatever they be called for such that familiarity has bred in us something small people they have a big endowment that savours less of the awe and reverence i of nomenclature )
are supposed to
ON EXPERTS.
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