March 21, 1908.]
to
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
189
ant port of Macedonia, with a magnificent | harbour, so that this line, if once in working order, would, except for local traffic, entirely supersede the present very roundabout and inefficient lines through Hungary and Servia. At the Congress of Berlin, when Turkey after a life and death struggle lay helpless under the heel of Russia, amongst other arrangements to secure the balance of power in Europe, it was settled that Austro- Hungary, to prevent the utter disorganis- tion of the country, should occupy Bosnia. Bosnia at the period was in a worse condition than Macedonia at present; had no internal centre of union about which a state could be evolved, and the restoration | of the little more than nominal rule of Turkey was, owing to the erection of the intervening state of Servia, absolutely im- possible. Under the circumstances there was little choice, and the Congress took the only seemingly practical course restore order, and Landed the province over to Austro-Hungary. Events have proved the wisdom of the decision. The Govern- ment of the Dual-Monarchy accepted the trust, and Bosnia herself in common with the whole of Europe has had every reason to be satisfied with the result. Bosnia and Herzegovina, instead of being the despair of Europe, have now become one of the most advancing and well-administered | countries on the continent. It was of course of great advantage to Austria and Hungary to have the control of Bosnia and Herzego. vina placed in their hands, as it gave them direct access to their harbours on the Dalmatian coast hitherto practically iso lated, and this led to the complete opening up as soon as possible of the inte mal communications of the state, which has proved of immense advantage to the entire country, and has assisted Austria much in her establishment of a direct trade with the Orient. The increase of her trade with the Levant, which her possession of Bosnia has brought about, has naturally led to a desire to develop that with the Aegean, which the successful opening of the In consequence of the natural trend of Bosnian railways to Serajevo his shown ti the rilleys in the Balkan feninsula the be feasible, should the construction of the tendency of the railway lines has been to lines be practicable from an engineering run from north-east to south-west, and this point of view. Salonika is very much nearer will be seen on any good route map to be to the Suez Canal than Trieste, and if the equally natural trend of trade, which Salonika could be joined with Serajevo, has an equivalent tendency to flow in this Vienna and all Germany north and west of direction from Central Europe towards the Vienna would be brought in much closer Levant. The Austrian project is therefore contact with the Levant and the whole of an equally natural attempt to follow the southern and eastern Asia. More, it only lines of least resistance; and this, however requires the opening of a comparatively momentarily powerful may be the restrain short link between Salonika and Larissa toing interests, will in the long rua eusure its connect Vienon with Athens and the success, either in its present or an equi- Piraeus, and the Piraeus is within thirty valent form Any trustworthy railwar hours sail of Port Said, so that an alter-map of Europe will show that whatever native and considerably shorter line would may have been the immediate objects of be found than the present via Brindisi. To constructing any individual line, in the roake such a line, the control of the greater end the various lines have united along part of which would be in her own hands, is the principal trade routes, and we may be a not unworthy subject of Austriau ambi. certain that the same general rules will in tion, and one apparently that affords no the future prevail. Russian statesmen have just ground of offence to the other Powers, always professed to belittle these considera- Not unnaturally the scheme met with |tions, and many of the lines as first laid especial favour in Germany, especially as a out under autocratic instructions completely good share of the profi's would come direct-ignored them, with the result that in each ly to herself. But Germany's commendation case they have had to be supplemented by was hardly a recommendation with the others more wisely laid out. The course of the other nations whom Germany's policy had Russian lines has thus been directed to- estranged; and so it was hardly to be; wards the mouths of the great rivers,—the || woudered at that Russia should at once¦ Dniester, the Daieper, and the Don.-as have been in the field to oppose, and if being the great ports of shipment for her possible destroy the new project. Russia surplus agricultural products. With the has never forgiveu Germany her railway; Balkan Peninsula the few lines that exist projects in Asia Minor, which she chooses have been laid out for merely military to believe had the single object of eventually excluding her from what she fancifully imagines to be her prerogative,—namely the right of sitting astride Europe and Asia;
Russia, too, has a considerable trade along [ in her efforts to block the Austrian line, the cast of the Balkan Peninsula, and with Russia now appears as the promoter of ous her usual misconstruction of perspective of her own in which she appears in con. would fain behteve that an interest meant a nection with Servia, and now demands, monopoly, so that any attempt of Austria seemingly as an imaginary counterpoise "to to seek an outlet on the Aegean was in her Austrin, a line from the lower 'Danube eyes flat treason. With more good reason through Servia and communicating with certain folk in England saw or thought the Adriatic. It is easy enough to see that they saw in the new project a deep laid such a line might serve to develop a certain scheme to injure British trade in the amount of trade from Servia, which at East by providing readier means tbau present has to send all her spare products at present exist for exporting central intended for western Europe down to the European commodities without reference mouth of the Danube, and thence round to England; and some would se in it Turkey and Greece to the Mediterranean, the ruin of our trade with Servia and and, if Servia could get her neighbours to other countries in the Balkan Peninsula. finance such an undertaking, her profit It may be that injury may be done to our would be great. It is not so easy to see trade by the greater facilities offered by the how Russia eist of the Pruth could have new route, but that is hardly sufficient any commercial interest in such a line, reason for complaining, and certainly none which would only substitute a long and at all for raising obstructions. We, owing profitless railway journey, for a not much to circumstances, have for long enjoyed a longer sea voyag. The whole is good lion's share of the European trade with the evidence, however, that the lessons of the Est, but we were favoured by accidental past have made no impression on Russia, circumstances which our people were quick and that the barbarian instinct of invasion to take advantage of. Natural conditions simply for the sake of territory is still as have of late been returning, and our con- rampant as ever. In fact Europe is at the tinental neighbours have been equally ready moment in apparently as restless & con- to take advantage of them. This may be a dition as in the latter half of the eighteenth subject for regret, but is certainly not one century, and equally without any settled for complaint. After all, though our pro- plan, and just as ignorant of the causes of portionate share may diminish, it is hardly her malady. The most curious part of the likely that in the long run our trade with whole is that the two Western Powers, the countries of the Balkan Peninsula will France and England, who have nost to in actual amount be diminished by the lose by any unsettlement, are in a vain new facilities. As well grumble at the pursuit of peace, while ignorautly inter- meteorological office because while our
meddling with everything in which they rival's ship has passed scatheless, ours, a have no concern, actually doing their best few hours later passing over the same to bring nearer the inevitable. ground, has been caught in the gale aud wrecked. We can see how in the case of others the incessant snarling that has been a marked feature of the last few years is deserving of no sympathy, and has been one of the chief reasons for the prevailing spirit of uneasiness that has been rampant, It is at best inconsistent to encourage it in ourselves.
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THE NEW LEGISLATIVE
COUNCILLOR.
(Daily Press, March 19th.
In his
The elected representative of the Chamber of Commerce on the Legislative Council, Mr. MURRAY STEWART, takes the place vacated for six months by the Hon. Mr. E. A. H&WETT, but we note from his very clear statements to the ninete a members who met to unanimously elect him, that he does not take with him anything like the opinions of the gentleman whom he succeeds, Ou the only matter of outstanding public importance with which the Legislature is expected to be likely to deal during his term of office, it seems that his predilection is diametrically opposed to that known to be possessed by his able predecessor. capacity as delegate from the Chamber of Commerce, we have no doubt that he will give his constituents the utmost satisfaction in expounding the ascertamed views of the Chamber "on purely commercial matters." la the direction of giving attentive consideration to all legislative proposals affecting the community as a whole," he unlikely to disappoint either his predecessor or those other members of the community who are in sympathy with the well known views of Mr. Hɛwser, for he has in his speech to his constituents frankly admitted that he goes to the legislative chamber with settled convictions on the subject and the Bill affecting the vitality of the Sanitary Board and its administration of sanitary affairs. The nature of those convictions hê has not left in doubt.
purposes, while no main line exists leading westwards from the Pruth. This it will be seen was in conformity with the natural trend of the country. Apparently balked'
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The Hon. MA HEWITT believed that the powers previously granted to the Sanitary Board had been, so to speak, filched from it. He (and others) believed that it ought to have its full powers restored to it. He disagreed that the only permissible function of the Sanitary Board should be, what Mr. Murray STEWART, with his mind biassed by his appreciation of
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