NEWS OF THE WEEK.
WE publish in our leading columns an article on the revived rumours in connection with the Baghdad Railway. Shortly, these rumours are to the effect that the German Government is making a determined effort to induce our Government to co-operate in the creation of the line. The co-operation said to be asked for is, first, the promise that the Indian mails shall be sent by the Constantinople. 13aghdad-Koweit route as soon as the railway is ready ; and secondly, that the British Government shall in some way express its approval of the scheme, and so incline British financiers and investors to support the railway and find a portion of the money. This latter demand, that of official or semi-official approval for a financial scheme, strikes us, we confess, as utterly impossible. The Germans are, no doubt, the sturdy beggars of diplomacy, and ask very freely, but surely on this matter they must know that they would be at once met with the negative that does not invite discussion. We have stated elsewhere the overwhelming political case against letting Germany shelter herself behind us from Russian opposition over the Baghdad Railway scheme just as she sheltered herself behind us from American opposition to her Venezuelan policy ; but we may point out here that even if the impossible happened, and some sort of official sanction were to be obtained for the financial operations, it would not make the railway a sound investment. The scheme is one which wise men will leave entirely to Continental investors. If they like to put their money into the deserts of Asia Minor, no one has a right to say them nay.
