The Butler weekly times., 1893-07-27

from the first be a match for the en-
tire Chinese navy, combined with
the small sea forces of Siam. In two
months the ships of Russia and
France could be sent to the seat of
war from distant waters. After that
the defeat of the As:atic alliance
would be al easy matter; and to ac-
complish it the European stations of
the Russian and French navies
would scarcely have to be drawn
upon.
The naval strength of China is not
here underestimated. The ships of
the Chinese Empire are large, pow
erful and of modern pattern. Their
guns are of the best. Their navy is
new, having been built in Germany
within the past ten years. It's only
weakness is the lack of training and
the inherent inability of Chinese
sailors to manage great ships and to
fight, The government has kept the
navy in home harbors since it's con-
struction. Such a thing as a cruise
around the world, of having foreign
station, is not known in the naval
circles of the Empire. Warships
whose crews are inexperienced and
untaught in the methods of modern
marine warfare will stand little
chance of success in contest with
the trained fighters of Russia and
France. It is for these reasons that
the assertion is here so positively
made that the Chinese navy will be
a weakling when opposed to the
ships of European countries.
The only hope of success that the
empire can reasonably have must lie
in the German officers who are in
charg" of the Chinese ships for the
purpose of training the natives If
these men cling to the red flag and
dragons of the Orient the war in
Siamese waters will be longer and
more desperate than otherwise.
But tue most interesting phase of
the entire situation is the attitude
of England. That conservative gov
ernment declared against the inva-
sion of Siam by the French. An En-
glish feet has been ordered to Siam
ese waters ''to protect the British
residents and their interests" Lord
Dufferin, the English ambassador to
France, has had special instructions
sent to him and his leave of absence
has been withdrawn. The English
Ministry has met for the considera-
ton of the eastern question, and the
foreign Office refuses to say what
will be done It will be seen from
this that England must either back
down or contend against France and
Russia in favor Of the Siamese. Such
an alliance as this would be unnat
ural and is hardly to be looked for;
but the fact remains England has
declared against the Siamese inva.
sion. It will take all of the diplo-
macy of Downing street to get out
of difficulty without fighting with
the Asiatic against two of the most
powerful Of civilized nations
In the event of such many sided
war, Germany might join with En-
gland. The outcome would be ex-
}remely uncertain. Without the
assistance Of Germrny for England,
the Franco Russian alliance would
probably be victorious, because the
interests of Great Britain are such
that with all its splendid navy it
could not amass force in Slamese
waters sufficiently strong to win and
at the same time look after it's world.
wide possessions. Continental union
lists in this country would hasten the
Canadian annexation movement to a
elimination. In Egypt the restless
Khedive would endeayor to take
from England the comparatively
newly-assumed power that that gov
ernment has in Northern Africa, the
Southern African possessions would
pass to the Dutch or become re-
publics, Australia might develop a
revolution and India would soon
become disputed ground.