Sir Edward Grey, speaking at Reading on Monday, made a
most able and statesmanlike appeal for a better understanding with Russia. We have dealt with the matter as a whole else- where, and will only quote here his explanation of why we have hitherto failed in our efforts to come to such an understanding. The obstacle was, he declared," Russian distrust of our policy, --adistrust written large and very unpleasantly all over the last Blue-book on China affairs. We had created that distrust
in the mind of the Russian Government in past years, and to discover the cause we might go back even to the time of the Crimean War." That is, we believe, very near the truth. The fact is our whole diplomatic tradition for dealing with Russia is thoroughly bad. Did Sir E. Grey, we wonder, ever read the despatch in which Lord Rosebery allowed Relish% to tear up her engagements about Batoum, and yet threw a stone or two at her by way of encouragement to a friendly understanding P
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