The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-07
Prospects Of international Peace.

Prospects Of international Peace.
II begins to look as II the next Hague
Congress. unlike the last, may make
some definite progress toward the full
flment of the Cars original purpose,
which was to bring about a material
reduction Of ornaments and a consid-
cradle extension of the field within
which arbitration should by interna-
tional consent be substituted for war.
The treaty between England and
France was epoch making. because each
Of the parties wa allied with a Power of
the first magnitude. The league between
France and Russia has existed for some
years, and its continuance seems guar
anteed by the strongest motives of self
interest, the armies of the Gar being
as indispensable TO France as have been
the %pecuniary resources of France to
Russia. Under all the circumstances, a
dissolution of their partnership is scarce
ly conceivable.
No less useful to both ~signatories, and
therefore no less likely to be durable,
is the close alliance between Great
Britain and Japan. SO long as Japan can
rely on the cooperation of the British
navy she will be able to defy ever such
a triple combination as wrenched from
her a part OF the spoils of her war with
China; and so long as she can secure
financial aid from London she may look
forward to a long and prosperous period
OF internal acknowledgment. The GER
.a.-.x - ~ A. Io,I .Ln. tL1 l,-l.
Indian army may be reinforced by a
hundred thousand soldiers, who may more
quickly be transported by sea from Japan
than an equivalent Russian force could be
brought by single track railways to the
northern slopes of the Himalayas, has
relegated SKOBELEFF'S plan for the in
vasion of India to the limbo of dreams.
Having absolutely nothing to gain In
the Far East or in the Indian Peninsula
from enmity to England, the Russian For
eign Office was driven to inquire whether
some profit might not be derivable else
where from contracting friendly rela-
lions with her. The answer suggested
itself. Obviously, the benefits accrJ-
ing from a combination with Great
Britain would be of two kinds, 1t would
be practicable in the first place for the
parties to such an agreement to delimit
their respective spheres of influence and
exploitation in Persia. A like process
of adjustment of Russian and British
claims or wishes could be applied to the
Ottoman dominions. In a word, the
projects long entertained by Russia of
territorial expansion in southwestern
Asia and southeastern Europe might
expect no longer to encounter insur-
mountable obstruction on the part of
Great Britain. OF vital moment, also,
TO the Russian Treasury, which for years
to come will have to bear the strain Of
a vast outlay for tine furtherance of
agrarian, industrial and commercial
evolution, would be the privilege of
access to the British purse; the ability
to place future loans in London instead
of in Paris, the lending capacity of
which has been severely taxed.
What has Great Britain to gain by
becoming an active or silent partner in
the Franco-Russian firm? She would
have in the first place, so soon az the
political transformation Of Russia shall
have been effected and placed on a stable
footing. that which her capitalists are
always seeking, a large and highly re-
munerative field for Investment. Of
eve greater importance from a fiscal
point of view would be the practic1bility
of curtailing signally the annual appro-
priations for the British army, and prob
ably those for the British navy as well,
for manifestly a %quadruple alliance of
Great Britain, France, Russia and Japan
would he irresistible on land and sea,
and Germany, recognizing the futility
of confronting such a coalition with her
relatively puny resources in men and
money, would perceive no profit in
carrying further her schemes of naval
expansion, but on the contrary would
welcome a proposal for a general pro-
portionate reduction Of military and
naval armaments.
1t is true that a representative Of the
British Foreign Office in the House of
Commons said not long ago that no
definite agreement had been reached
With Russia in regard to Persia
or other matters. He acknowledged,
however, that negotiations aiming at
the attainment Of a cordial understand
inc with Russia wera poiuo m and that