D URING the week a great deal of public anxiety has
been felt about the outcome of the controversy with Russia in regard to the seizure of British ships, not only in the Red Sea, but in the Pacific, where the sinking of the Knight Commander' has immensely aggravated the situa- tion. Happily, as we write on Friday the signs are distinctly more favourable, and point to a pacific solution of the problems at issue. We can best set forth the actual situation by sum- marising the statement made by Mr. Balfour in the House of Commons on Thursday night, prefacing it, however, by the statement that the Malacca' was released by the Russians at Algiers on Wednesday evening, and that the Ardova ' and 'Formosa,' which were captured in the Red Sea subsequent to the capture of the Malacca,' were also released at Suez. Mr. Balfour began his statement by declaring that our Govern- ment had informed the Russians that, in our judgment. " the members of the Volunteer Fleet, if they issued from the Black Sea, and then took belligerent action, either had no right to issue, or no right to take that action." The Russian Government had met us in this matter, " I will not say upon the general principle, but as regards the particular incident." The Malacca' had been released as soon as orders could reach her, and the Russians promised also to release subsequent captures by the volunteer cruisers, and that, " pending the discussion of general principles, action should not be taken, and that those captures should be regarded as not having taken place." Mr. Balfour went on to say that the volunteer ships were to be withdrawn from the Red Sea, and he added that he had little doubt " that there will be no further desire on the part of the Russians to employ them as cruisers." As far, then, as these ships were concerned, the controversy had passed out of the acute stage.
