30 JUNE 1906, Page 32

THE BAGHDAD RAILWAY.

(To THY EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—Will you permit me through your columns to thank your correspondent " C. S. H." (Spectator, June 16th) for the sound view he takes of the Baghdad Railway, and for his excellent advice to us to have nothing whatever to do with its construction or financing? What Major K. von Bruchhausen stated in his pamphlet, "Der Kommende Krieg," as to Germany's ability " to reach us " without going " by ship "- i.e., India by the Chtral Asia railway system—i1 a matter Which for yeariLpast has been threshed git by the German radheral Staff; gal it is within my certain khowledge that the opinion arrived at. by some at least of its distinguished members is to the effect thht, were once the Baghdad line built and controlled by Germany, the "Kaiser as the friend of the Sultan at the Golden Horn, the Kaiser—in consequence of his visit to Tangier—acclaimed the Protector of Islam," then our Indian possessions, with or without active assistance from Russia, could be successfully attacked by a German army. Were his Majesty's Government to allow themselves to be hoodwinked into a partnership over this Baghdad Railway, it could only mean the resumption of the German yoke, which, thanks to King Edward and to a section of our Press, was believed to have been shaken off for ever. Were such a fatuous policy to belollowed, and were England to acknow- ledge the supremacy of Juggernaut, then good-bye to our entente with France and to the peace of Europe. Perfidious .Albion would become our well-merited sobriquet. —I am,