Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-20
bR|TONS DISTURBED
Proposed New French Tariff
Bothers Traders.
BALTIC DEFENSE SCHEME
Russ Papers Favor Refortifying
Aland Islands.
IMPROVED TORPEDO FOR NAVY
Singular Sequence to Suitcase of
Tenements-Property Ownership
in London-Rare Writings.
IMPROVED TORPEDO FOR NAVY
CORRESPONDENCE ~ Tho Star

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, March 13. 1909.
The proposed new French tariff ia caus-
ing So much concern in British industrial
centers that 1t may be we'll to state pre-
cfsely the attitude at present maintained
by the foreign office on the subject. This
attitude is exclusively one of observa-
ton The yelled threats uttered against
France by Mr.. Winston Churchill have
no authority from the cabinet. and GER
tainly are not shared by the foreign office.
Sir Edward Grey's advisers feel that
any direct representa- tons OF an official
or sem!-of!ic:al character to the French
government at this juncture would do
more harm than good. The feeling OF this
country has been made abundantly clear
In the newspapers, and has found ad-
equate representation IN the French press.
especially in the influential Temps,
whose correspondents in this country have
interviewed very fully all the chief repre-
sentatives OF the interests involved.
Moreover. the strong opposition TO the
tariff manifested by the French chambers
of commerce. and very forcibly set forth
in the report Just drawn UP on behalf
of the Paris chamber by M. Charles Le-
grand. relieves Great Britain from taking
any action at this moment.
authoritative exponent OF the views of Sir
Edward Grey, may be safely lett to be
solved by the French as a question of
exclusively domestic politics. Meanwhile
the commercial department of the foreign
office and the board of trade are busy
collecting information in regard to the
possible incidence OF the proposed tariff.
In these circumstances il viii be under
stood that the idea of new commercial
treaty with France has not been pro-
ceeded with. No official overtures on
either side have been made. When NJ.
Cruppi, the French minister Of commerce,
came to London last year to visit the
Franco British exhibition there were
this subject at the foreign office but they
were not regarded as official, and nothing
came of them.
The proposals of France, as indicated
by NJ. Cruppi. were. indeed, regarded as
quite inadmissible by this country. Ii
was. however. intimated TO the French
minister that Great Britain was prepared
to enter upon formal negotiations as soon
as practical basis for them could be
found. In view of the possibility of a
fiscal reform government coming into
power at the next general election the
free traders in the present cabinet will
not be sorry to be able to present their
successors with a fat accompli In the
shape Of new edition of the famous
Golden treaty of 1850.
EcnO OF eastern Cr1SlS.
A serious effect of the near eastern
crisis is the proposal ventilated by sew
eral influential Russian newspapers to
refortify the Al I'D Island, as part OF a
great scheme of Baltic defense. compris-
ing Nargo. near Reval, Sveaborg and
Bjorko.
This scheme has been advocated in
view OF possible German invasion of the
Baltic provinces should war break out
netWeen Russia and Austria on the
Bosnian question. The proposed fortifi-
cations would. however be resisted by
Sweden. as they would place Stockholm
entirely at the mercy OF Russia, and they
would inevitably lead to the intervention
OF Great Britain, seeing that they would
constitute fragrant breach OF the con-
vention of March 20. 1883, annexed to the
treaty of Paris. by which Russia pledged
herself not to fortify the Aland Islands,
or place troops upon them.
Russia has long wished to free herself
from the restrictions of this convention
and last year. in negotiation with Sweden
she endeayored to carry her point. but
without success 4 further effort made
during the negotiation Of the Baltic agree
ment also met with failure. much to the
discomfort of the Russian people,
The question is complicated by the
problem of Anglo-German naval rivalry
as 1t is to the interest Of Great Britain
German naval power in the shape of a
strong Russia in the eastern Baltic. This
view. / understand. was strongly insisted
upon by Sir John Fisher when he visited
Reveal with the king last year. Great
Britain. however. would not care to have
this counterpoise at the expense of the
independence and friendship of Sweden.
All-Big-Gun Battery for Ships.
The advent into the British navy of al
improved torpedo. the invention Of En-
gineer Lieut. Hardcastle, supplies yet an.
other argument in favor of the all-big
gun battery for armored ships. The new
weapon which has been fitted in the bat.
tleship Bellerophon is capable OF travelling
1000 yards and maintaining a speed OF
thirty-one knots for that distance. where
as the older torpedoes now i'm general use
have a range of 5000 yards at about ter
knots less speed.
The point to be noted, however. is that
1000 yards is the distance which gunnery
experts contemplate as that at which
fleet actions will begin in future, blu,
when the new pattern torpedo becomes