The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1909. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2513, 28 May 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1909. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

The cable news to tho effect that Roumania is to be admitted to a full partnership in the Triple Alliance is of ominous import in the existing state of European politics. Events are certainly making-history at a rapid rate amongst the world powers at the present time. Following upon the British naval scare came tho news that Austria was arranging for a fleet of Dreadnoughts, and in view of the intimate relations existent between that country and Germany—cemented still closer by Germany’s support of her junior ally in the Balkans “steal”—it can be counted for practical purposes that these new battleships will bo equivalent to a direct addition to the building programme of the German navy. Thus wo find the Empire of Austria, which has been gradually becoming more and more powerful during tho lengthy reign of the Emperor Francis Joseph, materially strengthened by the. annexation of Bosnia and Herznogovia and apparently banded together in an offensive and defensive alliance with Germany. There can be no disguising the fact that these two Powers constitute a tremendous force to be reckoned with in Europe, and tho fact was sufficiently evident, when Russia was humiliated over the Balkans question in her attempted defence of Servian rights, to cause some uneasiness among the other nations. It is less than a week ago that the Berlin “Post” taunted Britain with its certain inability to mamtan a two-Power standard, and with closely watching the North Sea, while tho real danger is in tho Mediterranean, where vital interests are being neglected. Mediterranean countries will soon bo powerful enough, the “Post” states, to make Britain feel that she has no Mediterranean power. On top of this aggressive warning comes the news that Roumania has also been taken "into full partnership in the Triple Alliance which also .includes Italy. Ever since 1896 Roumania has been a member of the Triple Alliance, which guaranteed her territorial integrity and the maintenance of J ,'nc status quo on the .Lower Danube, but it would seem that this smaller nation has now definitely become of a .part of the great expansion, scheme of tho pushful Germans. A glance at the map, coupled with a knowledge of the •.trengtK of tho countries concerned, will demonstrate, that the Triple Alliance, as it now exists, can, if it chooses, play a loading part in the Mediterranean. Of course it by no means follows that Italy is going to become an active force in supporting the Imperial dreams of German diplomatists. For many years lately Italy has /been on terms of close friendship with Britain, and the reasons which induced her to join tho Triple Alliance in the first place have long since vanished. Still, Germany has spared no pains to main-

tain cordial relations with the southern nation, and as recently as December, .1906, tho Italian Premier declared that the Triple Alliance was still the basis of Italy’s foregn policy, but was not inconsistent with an independent policy. However this attitude may work out in tho event of international cornplcations, it seems evident that Britain’s task to maintain command of the seas is likely to become of tremendous difficulty within tho noxt ten years. If Austria is to have a strong fleet in tho Adriatic and if Italy permits her alliance to become an aggressive one, England will need to keep an immense force in the Mediterranean to maintain tho balance of power there, whilst her responsibilities in the English Channel and the. North Sea arc becoming heavier year by year. Verily the. burden of Empire under modern conditions is hard to hear.