Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-10-30
WAR SCARE rs ON.
Powers Sure to Protest Against
Russian Aggression in
China

SIlLlos
London, Oct. 25.-The dispatch from
Shanghai yesterday afternoon announc-
ing the departure of a feet of nineteen
Russian warships from V~ladivostock for
Chemulpo and Fusan, Corea, and the
Times dispatch from Hong Kong an
nOuncing that Russia has obtained the
right to ancho her feet at Port Arthur
and construct railroads on the Lila lung
peninsula (both of which were cabled
exclusively to the Associated press,
have caused intense excitement in official
circles here as well as in those having
commercial relations with the far East.
These most important statements are
looked upon generally as being
reOpening in an unexpected quarter OF
the far Eastern question in its widest
sense.
The Shanghai dispatch added that the
been recalled, that several British war
ships had been ordered to Corea u
that preparations for a struggle were
visible on all SIDES.
Great Powers Cannot RemaIn Indifferent.
The Hong Kong cable message to the
Times caused that paper to remark ed1-
t~orially today: Russia cannot possibly
imagine that the great powers will! view
with Indifference such a destruction OF
lit dldIC I'll pONS1 WAISA - OAAAOoS
unparalleled in it's audacity. China's
option to purchase the railways is a jest
almost too cynical to find a place in any
serious diplomatic transaction. Under
the indicated conditions Manchuria
would practically become a Russian prov
ince, while Pekin would be within Rus
sia's grip"
It is admitted here that the situation
presented is SO grave that, should the
news prove true, it would make a war
in which several nations will take part.
1t should be added that there is every
reason to believe that the story from
Hong Kong is authentic and all sources
Of information agree that the powers
interested in the far East will find them
selves confronted by a condition OF ser1-
business which cannot be oyer-estlmated:
The afternoon papers of this city all
ish intervention in the far East is neces-
sary. The St. James Gazette says:
Even war with Russia would be less
disastrous than to allow her, without a
blow, to get such a grip upon China.
She could throttle all the other W
and choke off their commerce. Unless
Russia and China give the necessary as
surances, it is q case for an ultimatum
and perhaps the most serious step our
diplomacy has had since the Crimean
war;"
The impression is general in the official
WOIlu, anu II lS IS-GCLOcQ ny lAc pASSS,
that neither America nor Germany can
allow the Pacific to become "a Franco
Prussian lake." as the Globe puts it,
and it is generally thought that the
diplomats would be sufficiently strong
to combine to resist Russian aggression.
The Pail Mall Gazette sums up the
startling news from the far East with
the statement that Russia has annexed
China" and that in the our of a long
article on the subject adds: eff this
treaty is to stand, roll up the map of
of Asia" In conclusion the Pail Mall
Gazette urges the reoccupation of Port
Hamilton by the British and the i'm
mediate strengthening of the British
fleet in Chinese waters 'lest Japan lose
her fleet at the first blow"
Great Activity in Official Circles.
Since this important news has circu-
lated, the greatest activity has been
displayed in the government offices here,
particularly at the foreign office and the
admiralty, and the coming and going OF
messengers was continuous throughout
the morning and the business hours of
the afternoon.
At the different clubs the "war scare
in the East is eagerly discussed, the
grave situation of affairs in Venezuela
having almost completely dropped out of
recollection in the alarm of the moment
Nobody seems to doubt the report that
ny IIiS 11N&AANNJ oS1NNU dpC11 kboSO OhI11d
treaty Russia has obtained rights to
which the most favored nation clause is
not applicable and which may cause a
great war. The correspondent of the
Times at Hong Kong who sent the sem
sational news is described by his news
paper as being sin close relations with
men who are able to penetrate beneath
the surface of things" and it is there
fore concluded that the news he has lust
sent cannot be ~disregarded.
Naturally the public mind will be in a
state of great unrest until some official
utterance either denies or confirms the
important announcement which would
leave Great Britain with her hands full
of trouble, large and small, including the
dispute with Brazil regarding Trinidad;
the serious misunderstanding with Vene-
zuela on the subject of boundary lines;
the expedition preparing to reduce the
King of Ashantee to submission; the still
serious state of affairs in Armenia: the
unsettled state of the Egyptian question,
and now the most grave condition of af-
fairs in the far East
DFHlTT NTH r0UTDOnD