The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-13
GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.
A Notable Change in Sentiment Regard
Ing The Cars Government.
ITS ACGRESSIYENESS NOT RESENTED.
Nanchuria VIII Probably FAN Into hus-
sia's Hands-A Great hallway strike
verted-RomarkabIe Accuracy or
ArtiIierymen-Bailoon the Target
(copyrieht. 1896. by the Sun Printing
ttt.t.f...- A-eocfaffOn1

and Publishing Associaton.)
LONDON, Dec. l2.-rhe increasing ac-
tiyity in diplomatic circles throughout
Europe is sufficient indication that by the
time Parliament meets next month inter-
national politics will have acquired
highly interesting II not genuinely acute
phase. Tho present policy in Official
quarters In London Is to minimize tns
Importance OF pending events as .oHB a.
possible. There Is no douD1 tha' ""e"
the time FOR an official declaration does
arrive every effort viii DO Itade TO turn
the prospective settlement OF the IuInlsA
question into Il triumph Tor British llpiO-
macy in order TO Offset the great adNan-
faces ia the far East which Russia is
ON The point Of acquiring. AZ Is uouDtlul
If Lord Salisbury Government can pro
T.,c, thfa desired effect Ills organs II
the press are doing their best 70 prepare
the public mind lOr on autncnuc an
nouncernent that Russia has NlIIuahy
paiucd possession OF emma ilch llD-
vince. Manchuria. year ago. "heh 'A''
master stroke Of Russian clpioMa'y was
INST rumored, the Tory journals from
tho Tiues down. shouted war, and dis
cussed war, It's possibility as notnlns les'
than an inevitable call 10 arms since
tton MT. Arthur Ball0ur has declared
that he would welcome the news that
Russia had acquired an ice-iiee port III
the Pacific. Us a distant advance TO clVih-
zauOn.
SHARP CONTRAST.
There could be TO sharper contrast
than the attitude taken by the IliiieS
year ago, when IT first printed lhS re-
port of the Russo-Chinese treaty, idehti-
I'D
mild utterances OF the same paper yes
terday. Now it says;
1T seems highly credible, and, as II
Is. indeed, probable that Russia I'D hei
own way. and at her own time, Will seek
TO strengtheu her hold over Manchuila
and. perhaps even TO annex portions OK
tnat rrovfuce. She very naturally de-
eires the shortest and easiest route TO lhe
port she already possesses ht NI"ui'y-
stock. and also "a more auNantabeou5 port
with equally good land communications
somewhere on the Chinese coast on thal
basis 10 is simple and easy TO found
successive statements OF the kind we arc
now discussing with the comfortable con-
yictiou that some day or other one or
them will be more on less Juslhed IL is
even conceivable that the Rus San oAi-
c.als arc wiliiug fO hum0r the proper. ity
TO set such rumors aNoat. These things
accustom the public mind 10 the idea that
something of the kind will happen. SO
that when the forward stop ls really
taken. 1t may seem moderate ana Ied-
sOnablo in comparison with what mas beeh
apprehended.
IN the far East there IS abundance
OF room for a long time 20 come both Tor
Russia and ourselves. IL i5 our business
to strengthen our own position. 20 extend
our own markets. and 20 prepare with as
much foresight as VIC can muster Tor
changes evidently coming ln the not dis
taut future. Russia is tent upon develop
ING her vast As.atc empire ln doing 30
she must inevitably push eastward 70 tne
ocean, and not less inevitably VIII sne
obey the secular law Of human eiavltH-
ton towards tie South with treaties or
without 10y one arrangement or hy an-
other. These great movements VIII 30 on
from year 10 year. ana from generation
10 generation, and we may as well ace
ccpt the fact. once for al, allowing the
details 10 drop into their proper place
ana coasing 20 fret unduy about them.
IT, and when. our interests are directly
assaiiod, we must resist, IL necessary ia
arms"
NO LONGER RESENTED.
This. on tho whole. pnsilamimous lam
Fuaee, fairly represents English public
opinion, aud also the astonishing change
which has taken place IN Brlu % Gent-
ment during tho Cventful year just clos
ing IL IS fhe simple truth to-day that
the aggressive policy of rival nation,
which. year ago would have driven
Great Britain 20 arms, is now accepted
with q merely regretful sigh. and that
British pres tige IS no longer what it was.
This IS aside from the question OF the
truth or falsitv of the report that the
extraordinary treaty outlined q few days
ago has been virtually agreed upon be-
tween Russia and China. Opinion IN an
circles incinea 10 the belief that this
story Is substantially correct.
Even Sir Charles Dixie whose opinion
on the far Eastern situation and the out
look Is more valuable than that OF any
member Of the Government. accepts tine
substance Of the report. He pointed out
in "a speech on the subject Thursday n.eht
that tho proposed treaty goes much farther
than Mr.. Belfour indicates would be ace
ceptahle 10 England. Practically, be said.
10 placed northern China at the feet OF
Russia.
PARTITION OF CHINA
England had refused the invitations Of
France and Russia TO take part I'm u gem
eral scheme with regard to the Chinese
empire and he thought had rightly re-
fl cd. because such schemes meant In
the long run partition and partition was
contrary 10 English interests, whatever
mirht be said about it in one sense or
another upon grounds Of public principle.
IT, however. British cabinets were 20 re-
fuse to agree 10 tho Tartitioning or China
II ouch; 20 be with the settled intention
Of not allowing virtual partition hv other
powers to take place against England
country whero she had such considerable
interests, and which could exercise so
enormous an influence on the future of
the Pacific. IN which she had other in
tercsts still more overwhelming. Tie
present situation was vastly moro impor-
tant Sir Charles pointed out. than the
negotiations at tho close Of the Chinese
japanese war. which caused great ex-
element in England. and yet the c0nser-
yauye press IS almost silent on the sub
tect.
At all events Europe is not going 20
submit itself 70 the humiliation OF ano-
ther fiasco.
BIG STRIKE AVERTED.
The sudden danger Of q vast railway
strike. which confronted England this
week. was entirely unexpected by the
public. 1t appeared for day or two
that the management OF the London and
Northwestern Railway Company was de-
lberately forcing its union employees 70
a test Of strength. and some people are