The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-05
England and Germany.

tons between Great Britain and Ger
many are far from cordial. During the
past two or three years circumstances.
mostly commercial in character, have
contributed to bring this about.
One, for example, was the denuncia-
ton by Canada of the most favored
nation clause in the commercial treaty
between Germany ard Great Britain
Another was the open opposition of the
latter to the prolongation OF the Anato-
liam railways down the Euphrates val
ley to Bagdad and the Intervention
in the affair of the intended Koweit
terminus of the line.
In the Canadian matter, although
Germany has suffered in the diminution
of her exports TO Canada, the latter has
lost in her exports Of wheat and -four
to a probably greater extent, Germany
having Disseminated against Canadian
products, whether coming direct or
through another country. Tho ques-
ton of the Bagdad railway and Kowelt
was much more serious. The diplo-
matte and financial influence Of Great
Britain, with the threat of force behind
it, was employed both at Berlin and Con-
stantinople 10 block the German enter
prise, and the proposals of Germany
that Great Britain should participate
with other countries in the construction
and management of it were rejected.
The attitude of Great Britain through
out was of Incorporating hostility to
Germany.
Some light has been thrown on the
subject in a report OF a meeting held
the other day in London at the rooms of
the Central Asian Society, where it was
discussed The tone of the speakers,
who were mostly retired Anglo-Indian
military and civil officials, left no doubt
as to the causes OF tho British action,
or the nature of the demands made on
Germany that brought about the rupt-
ure of the negotiations for kind of
condominiun in the construction and
management of the railway. jealousy
of German influence in the country be-
tween Constantinople and the Persian
Gulf, in the first instance, and the desire
to exercise a dominating voice in the
control Of the line to Bagdad and the
exclusive possession of the last section
from there to the Gulf, in the second
place, we're at the bottom OF the trouble,
and the same conditions we're responsible
for the difficulties with Turkey in connec-
ton with Arabian and other matters.
The suggestions made were not such
as to conciliate either Germany or Tur-
key. Some Of the speakers expressed the
opinion that the British Government had
made a mistake in not coming to work.
ing understanding with Germany, but
since that now seemed out Of the ques-
ton, British capital and enterprise should
establish vested interests in that part OF
Turkey which Will refuse to be ignored
when the Ottoman Empire breaks up.
The only drawback to this line Of ao-
ton suggested was that it would prob
ably result in throwing Germany en-
tirely over to the Russian side in the
Near and Middle Eastern questions, and
thus more than counterbalance the adj
vantages of a Russian defeat in the Far
East by Japan. A coalition Of Germany,
Russia and Turkey, even in the present
disordered condition of the last two.
would be a formidable enough combi-
nation in itself without reckoning the
possibility that Austria, which has n
vital interest in the development Of the
Near Eastern trade, would be found on
the same side
A natural sequence to the suggestions
relating to the establishment of British
domination in the Euphrates valley and
the Persian Gulf was the proposal of
Sir LEPEL GRIFFIN that a large reserve
should be formed for the native army
in India, and that of Sir WEST RIDGwAY
to give free play to the plans of Lord
CURzoN and Lord KITCHENER. The
British Government itself, however, APP
pears to be of the opinion that the situa-
ton can be best dealt with by strong
naval forces in the German Ocean and
a good understanding with France