Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-03
TIE EASTERN VAR
A Long Way Off From Settle
 ment, It Seems.
JAPAH SHOWS CUNNING
And Indicates Having a Weather Eye on the CeleS-
 tiaIs-WilI Foster SuCceed2

WAsIIISoroS, Jan. 2.-Danger threat ensthe peace negotiations between China and Japan, and from indications it is ex- ceedingly probable that hostilities may be renewed with even greater vi2or and the cry of ''Oa to Pekin' once more become the slogan of the Japanese forces. Despite prevailing belief to the contrary, 1t is not unlikely that the Japanese government will decline to make a further postpone ment of the actual commencement of negb- tiations in order to await the arrival of MT. John w. Foster, the Chinese advisory counsel, and it is improbab ble that arrange ments for the settlement of the dispute will have been completed before Mr. Foster reaches Hiroshima, where the representa- tives-o: both the warning powers are. Mir. Foster will sail from Vancouver on Janu- ary 6, providing he is not snow bound, and is due in Yokohama January 19 or 20. Two days will give him ample tune to reach Hiroshima, go thae the Chinese cannot ask for postponement after the 22d instant. The two Chinese mbassadors of peace are due in Shanghai ou January and expect 10 reach Hiroshima on the 9th instant, and the probabilities are that they will be asked to begin negotiations without delay.
 The danger that threatens the settlement
 
 arise at this point, for the Japanese gov ernment will refuse without doubt to agree to any temporiZing on the plea that MT. Foster has not arrived and that the Chinese ambassadors cannot proceed without his assistance. It may be stated with some degree of positiveness that direct decina- tion by the Chinese ambassadors to begin the negotiations until Mir. Foster reaches Hiroshima will result in positive disagree ment and the breaking off of overtures, xs-t. tt.tt iiaa ffNrv further away than ever and cause the Japa- nese forces to push their way with greater vigor toward the Chinese capital. In that event nothing short of the fall of Pekin is likely to put an end 10 hostilities.
 It has been known for some time that the Japanese government is suspicious of the good faith of their enemies Of the overtures for suspension of the war. First came the Detring affair, in which MT. Detring was sent to Japan ostensibly for the pur- pose of making terms of peace, but really armed only with "letter from the Chi nese court, !" to use his own expression ,di- recting him to make 'inquiry' into the prospects for settlement. When De- trng's mission failed the overtures on which the present negotiations are bound
 Bre made by China to Japan through MT.
 enby, the American minister at Pekin,
 "a MT. Dun, the American minister at Tdkio, Japan, expressed willingness to treat with China if the present government
 
 and armed with full power to negotiate a peace treaty. To this the Chinese govern ment sent answer that it could hardly agree to such proposition until it knew the basis on which the Japs nese wished the arrangement for peace 10 be made.
 All are inclined to look with suspicion upon the Chinese professions of good faith. The Japanese government found in this an- sWer ample con tirmatiou of its belief that the Chinese government was attem pting to ascertain what their enemies would seek to exact from hem as indemnity in order to be prepared with arguments to secure inodi- fcation, and 1t was for this reason that Niscount N utsu, the Japanese minister of foreign affairs, declined to have further dealings with Peking on the subject until the present ambassador was appointed. After some delay China appointed not one, but two envoys, and it was thought that the negotiations would begin in very short time. But a few days ago the ap- pointmeut of MT. Foster was announced as counsel to the Chinese ambassadors, and 1t is believed that the Chinese envoys will ask Viscount Mutsu to suspend the com mence- ment of actual negotiations until MT. Eos Ter has arrived at lhe place of meeting.
 The Japanese peace commissioners are not likely to give any formal recognition to Mr. Foster. He will certainly not be allowed to attend the sittings of the com mission, provided he arrives at Hiroshima before its business is concluded, and If fre- quont requests for adjournment are made by the two Chinese envoys in lorder that they may consult with him, the Japanese commissioners will probably refuse to pro- ceed further until these requests Cease.
 MORE INVESTIGATION WANTED OF NEW YORK CITY oFFIcIALs--aREATER
 NEW YORK BILL OFFERED.
 ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 2.-Iu the aesem- Afr