The purchase of the two Chilean warships now under construction in England, by the London Government, has elicited journalistic comments here. A leading paper observes that England herself cannot, have any need of the vessels. They were first offered to Japan, but even she hesitate ed to purchase them as such a measure would bye beea a marked departure from her fixed plan of increment. Sapan, however, had not been pleased by hearing of the intended purchase of Russia. Zn the meantime, England, in effecting this purchase, has plainly been influenced by a desire to prevent the ships from falling into the hands of Russia. The paper goes 08,49 observe thst if Japan has to fight she will have only one Power to face and that. no other Power will step into the arena after Great Britai has unequivocally po shown what her estimate is of the duties of an ally. Another influential journal recommends the present case to the notice of certain partisans who have of Into been casting doubts on the value of the Anglo-'Tapanese Alliance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.