New-York tribune., 1895-10-26
A GREAT CRISIS IN THE EAST.

A GREAT CRISIS IN TIE EAST
The news from Eastern Asia Is startling. III
| II be true it's Importance can scarcely be exag-
| gerated 1t places the world on the brink or the
greatest international conflict since the Napo-
leonic wars China. the cause OF the trouble
| and the probable scene Of much Of the strife,
| needs not to be taken into account. But at least
| three frst-class Powers are Immediately con-
cerned. and two more only little less directly.
| II is a matter almost Of life or death to Great
Britain, Russia and Japan, and 1t is OF great I'M
| portance to France and Germany as well. Oh the
| three first named Great Britain and Japan are
of course natural allies, and Russia Is their zoe
| OF the others, France is Russla's ally and apart
| from that fact Is almost as deeply Interested III
the Russian side Of the case as Is Russia herself
| Germany is in curious position. She Is habit
| ually hostile to Great Britain, and has acted
with France and Russia in Asian affairs Ae'
| II seems incredible that she should continue so
| 10 act In such q case as this, in which she wouid
have little to gain, and in which her two most
| bitter enemies have so much to gain. one can
| not imagine Germany going to war FOR the az
grandizement Of France and Russia; yet should
war in the East come, she would either have 10
| do so or TO reverse her policy toward Great
| Britain.
| The case at present stands thus: France and
Russia have advanced China money to pay her
war indemnity to Japan; the first time CHINA
| has had such dealings with European Power.
| They have thus acquired a lien upon the Chinese
| Empire What France Is to get out OF 1t, in the
| SOUTH does not yet appear But Russia, II cur
| rent news be true has at last shown her hand
She IS TO have Chinas alleged title to suzerainty
over Corea She is to have Port Arthur the
| ..Gibraltar Of the East" for naval station, Civ
| ing her control Of the Gulf Of Pe-Chl-Li and
the approaches to Pekng She is to have the
right TO run her Siberian railroads thousand
| miles across Chinese soil. The main line from
| Lake Baikal, after leaving Nertchnsk, instead or
| keening TO the north of the Amoor, will strike
boldly across Manchuria, up the Kaar Valley
| TO Tstsihar and thence to Vladvostock. From
| Tsitsihar also branch line will run down
through LeaoTong TO Port Arthur, thus giving
the road two Pacific termini, one on the Sea or
Japan and one at the head OF the Yellow Sea-
| with Corea between them. Russia Is also ABOUT
! 10 seize Fu-San, one Of the chief Corean ports
and the one nearest to Japan, fully commanding
Corea Strait and 1t Is added that she Ia to enjoy
IN China other important privileges denied to
| the rest of the world. II such arrangements
| are indeed to be executed, the British press Is
well within bounds in saying that Russia has
| annexed China, the Pacific Ocean has become
a Franco Russian lake, and the map OF Asia Is
to be rolled up
| II IA not to be imagined for one moment that
either Japan or Great Britain will acquesce in
| such q monstrous grab by Russia. Should the
| former do SO, she would lose all she gained in
| her war with China, and much more Indeed,
her own national independence would be ser-
ously menaced As for the latter, her CONNER
| cial interests in China-which are enormous
are at stake; and there Is nothing for which She
Is more ready to fight. Moreover, such a stroke
| on Russia's part, and the corresponding one
on Frances, which would naturally follow,
would seriously threaten all of Great Britain's
Pacific trade and the integrity Of her Asian and
Australasan Empire. If, therefore, the Russian
fleet occupies Fu-San. we may expect to see the
British flag promptly run up again at Port Ham
ilton, and long before the Russians reach Port
Arthur British squadron will have Tien-Ts!n
under its guns An alliance between Great Brit
ain and Japan could drive every other Power
from the Pacific in short order, whatever the
result of the struggle elsewhere might be. And,
by the way the japanese have not yet evacll-
ated Port Arthur.
The United States could scarcely be drawn
into such war. II war there should be. But it
could not regard it with anything resembling
Indifference. It's sympathieS would. OF course,
be with Great Britain and Japan, and against
the Russian spoliator. That would be in part
because Of our very considerable commercial
interests In those regions. which under the pres
| ent system bid fair TO increase and prosper but
which under Russian domination would be al
most entirely destroyed. 1t would also be In part
| because Of sentiment-such sentiment Is
sometimes stronger than all other considerations.
1t was this country that opened Japan to the
world and started that nation on It's marvellous
modern development, and the relations between
the two have ever been peculiarly close and
strong Ii was this country, too, that opened
Coren. and, first Of all Western Powers, con
cluded treaty with her. dozen years ago we
recognized Corea's independence, and established
International relations with her on terms Of
equality We also formally pledged ourselves, IN
case any other Power should deal unjustly or
oppressvely with COrca, TO exert our good Offices
on being Informed Of the case. 10 bring ab0u'
an amicable arrangement. That does not, oil
course mean that we 10 rush uncnlled into
the quarrel, or TO take up arms In any event
But If Russia does thus Oppress Corea. ana
Corea appeals TO us for aid as she Is not unlikely
to do, we are in honor bound TO fulfil our treaty
obligations. IL such complications and wars
arise as are now threatened American diplomacy