Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-10-25

1920 - @san40 AAus8B >&As.@
Russian Activity Conbstants VIII He
Left Alone for the Present.
struwsle In ths Orient.
AS the war between China and Japan
progresses. tho situation becomes more
interesting and more critical. Auairs
have now reached pass whore some
of the European govern nents would
like to interfere, but their mutual
iealousies and conflicting interests and
the possiblel result OF general inter-
continental struggle limit int rference
thus far to pic matte talks. 1t would
be manifesly to Great Britain's com
mercial interest to have The truggle
come to u 81 cedy ond, and with such
object in view she ha, sounded other
governments intentions. Germany Is
averse to any interference, Russia
Is PROBES .ly pro- Japanese, and
will brook no interference to
the injury OF japan; france,
which secretly rejoices Whenever tue
Bri ish lion gets kink in it's tail and
which i the ally OF /. uss O, has no &c
sire to mednle in the matter, and Aus
tria, followi & the example of Ger
many, does not seek to embrCil herself
in matter that does not directly CON
Germ her. Italy alone of the greut
powers hearkens to England wishes,
for she Is anxious to divert the atten-
tlou of her enslayed millions fl, m
maladministrati n at home TO some
possibly brilliant exploits abroad But
Italy would be frail reed for England
to rely on in any interference in orien-
tai affairs, aiN thus the combatants in
the far east will be left alone for the
present to settle their difficulties.
Russian Activity.
In the expected final defeat of China
and the possible dismem berment OF her
territory there doubtless will be
European interference. The nations
most Intimately affected outside japan
are Russia and England, and their in
terests are as antagonist; as thew we'll
can be. Russia will unique tionably
endeayor to secure an increase OF
Manchurian territory, with the object
of establishing new sea port on the
Pacific. several years ago she
asked such a grant from China,
but was refused and now it seems
as though the present war turned
up most OPPORTUNITY for her pur-
pose. For some reason she is now busy
mobilizing troops in eastern Siberia
She has a powerful fleet OF war vessels
at her Pacific port of Vladivostock, and
has there collected an army of 10000
men. At lrkutsk Is another army OF
10000 and all along the line of tho
Amur River are the Cossack settle
ments, which are bound to contribute
a large number of men on any demand
made on them by the Gar. Thus with
out moving ton Of freight or single
man from her western depar; ments,
RUSSIA has strong available army and
ieet in the east, and when the time
comes that it suits Russia to declai Q
herself she will be ready to strike
strong blow in carrying opt
fishing the vast empire on a
broader and grander basis on the
shores of the Pacific. How soon that
time may arrive can only be coniec-
turej. 1t probably will not lie before
spring. One thing is certain, that the
Muscovite will not allow the present
opportunity to pass without availing Of
1t to establ sh his power permanently
Ia the Pacific. Such action by Russia
England would resent. Long ago she
threatened that il Russia would ac-
lufre any port in Corea she would
seize Port Hamilton, which commands
the entrance to the Japanese Sea. 1t
Is altogether probable that tho two
nations may begin their long threat
ened quarrel over India not in Afghan
istan after all, but in the seas that
wash the coast of sluggish China.
Japan's Successes.
Meantime Japan is making strenu-
Gus efforts to force the war to finish
Since the beginning o. hostilities she
has maintained the upper hand by
land and sea, and is now concentrating
her efforts to invade China and march
upon Pekin, the capital OF the empire.
Her Corean army, after having driven
the Chinese out OF the peninsula, IS
marching rapidly on Moukden, capital
of the Chinese province of Manchuria,
apd after the capture of that city OF
difficult. this army is to march on Pc
kin. Meantime another Japanese
army is ready for the invasion Of
China and if successful landing can
be made on the Cult of Pechili Doth
armies will unite under the walls of
F'ekin.
This is believed to be the Japane @
programme; but in war programmes
cannot always be carried out a. drawn
up and something may yet occur TO
mar Japanese plans and prot: act the
struggle beyond the present year.
While Japan Is thus prosecuting the
war with vigor, China is divided aud
distracted. The government itself is
in disunion, one faction contending for
war to finish, the other for peace.
Among the masses disc abstraction ex-
lists and petty rebellions are cropping
up. The navy. defeated by the Japan
csc at the mouth of the Yalu River,
has lost its courage; the army is badly
organized aud equipped, and among
high and low there is corruption and
distrust. Relying on its boundless re-
sources the government, however,
hopes to be able to overcome the al
vantages hitherto gained by its adver-
sary. but it will be many months be-
fore the work of organizing war mate
rial can be carried out, and meantime
Japan has ample time to deal deadly
blows at China and even capture Fekin