OCCASIONAL NOTE Sir Edward Grey's statement in regard to the Anglo-Russian "naval agreement" which has been mooted in some not very well-informed quarters bears out what has been maintained in the columns of The Statesman. A root principle of British policy, now as in the days of Bismarck, is the avoidance of any written agreement except when a definite and immediate end is in view. The obligations incurred by Great Britain to co-operate with other Powers in the use of armed force could be numbered on the fingers of one hand; and of these those guaranteeing the integrity of Portugal and Belgium date back respectively seven hundred years and over seventy years. The essence of the system of balance of power is the maintenance of friendly and even intimate relations with Powers which might need the assistance of Great Britain in the hour of crisis. But these friendly relations are never reduced to written agreement in so far as concerns future armed co-operation. It is indeed obvious that any general undertaking to co-operate in the naval sphere with Russia-and the same would be true of a general undertaking of any kind in the case of France-would limit Great Britain's freedom and militate against the prime object of her policy. AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS Strange Story Re-Called A peculiar incident which occurred at Howrah during the celebration of the Mohurrum of December, 1911, has just been re-called by the arrest of a man named Amulya Charan Das at Matiabruz on Monday. It is alleged that the accused when living in the Golmaree quarter of Howrah professed to be a sadhu who could by a certain form of worship, double any article. During the progress of the Mohurrum the accused is alleged to have induced three women to part with their ornaments in order that their number might be doubled. The accused having obtained the ornaments was seen worshipping in his room by another man. On observing the latter, the sadhu asked him to go and fetch some oil from his room. The man went as directed and on his return found that the sadhu had disappeared. On Monday last Nobin Chunder Bairagi recognised the alleged accused as he was passing Matiabruz thana. The man was at once arrested and the case is at present under enquiry. HEAVY FLOODS IN ASSAM Water Seven Feet Deep Exciting Rescues (From Our Correspondent) Sylhet, June 16 Intimation reached here, today, that owing to excessive rainfall in the hills to the northern side of Sunamganj sub-division, valleys have been suddenly submerged under water 7 feet deep in 24 hours. It is stated that about 15 hill-men were rescued while drifting with the floods. The extent of the damage has not yet been fully reported. The Deputy Commissioner has deputed a Sub-Deputy Collector to the affected locality. The downpour still continues. The sub-divisional town is likely to be under water soon. GAUHATI EXTENSION LINE BREACHED Interruption Of Traffic To Shillong The Traffic Manager of the Eastern Bengal State Railway states that serious breaches have occurred on the Gauhati extension, between Basugdon and Bongaigaon, rendering transhipment for three and a half miles extremely difficult and passengers may not be able to get through. All passengers for Shillong and stations beyond Basugdon will be well advised to postpone their journey. No information can be obtained at present as to when the line is likely to be repaired. The breaches have been caused by heavy floods.
