The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-19

east Asiatic ports would be virtually bloekaded, and, with small effort, Eng land could promote her Chinese and h. dian enterprises despite Russia's oppo- sitlon. Suppositously 1t was Russia's protest which caused England to desist when she was on the point of seizing Port Hamilton. At all events the op- perfume moment for taking possession Of the island was regarded by the Eng fish Cabinet as not yet at hand,
 Tt was to hasten this opportunity that England In 1894 egged China and Japan on to war, In August, after the war had broken out the world was sur prised by that treaty of commerce in which England, without apparent com pensation from Japan granted her such an important concession as the submission of Japan's resident English men to the laws of the land. That treaty indicated very close relations l between the two countries. It was then clear, even to persons not inti- mately acquainted with the circum- stances, that 1t was English diplomacy which had pushed Japan into the war With China in order that England, &C., cording to her cherished custom, might | fish in troubled waters to her own ad- vantage. For Russia the war was eX- ceedtngly inopportune, as before the completion of the trans Siberian rail- way it would be very difficult for her to l develop the needed strength in the 1 Yellow Sea. Therein, however lay England's opportunity in view, of her eagerness to secure Quelport, to push Japan at once to the decision of arms as regards the possession of Corea. 1 We see by this that the English policy in the far east was then substantially the same as the English policy in the 1 Orient. In 1894 England wished to throw Corea into Japan's hands, so as to gain from this secret ally the island of Quelport, with Port Hamilton; to- day, for exactly similar reasons, we see England advocating the annexation of Crete to Greece, or, still more to her liking, Crete's autonomy, in order that she might obtain Suda Bay, already assured to her by secret treaty, and thus be in a position to blockade the Russian Black Sea fleet in either the Black Sea or the Aegean.
 This consistency of diplomatic means and ends in the Orient and east Asia gives us the akey to the prsent sit uation as far as the English Cabinet is concerned. If anybody still doubts that England would involve the Conti- mental powers In war to serve her ends, let him be convinced by the spectacle of England melting Japan to war with China for the sake of the English inter- ests in east Asia.
 I Tt may rightfully be regarded as the retribution decreed by just Providence that England was condemned to lose the fruits of her mischievous and reck- less policy in east Asia. Since 1894 England's position in east Asia has grown substantially weaker. The war to which she melted Japan necessarily drove China into the arms of Russia. The understanding between these two great empires was all the easier in view of the fact that Russia always had been very considerate with China and once had even given back to her terri tory which had peen taken away by conquest Today there is an alliance between them. Russia may now build a railway through Manchuria, in con- nection with the trans Siberian rail- way and soon it will ba possible to go by rail directly from St. Petersburg to Pekin. That is an achievement of in1- measurable importance and terrible blow to England's ocean trade. Fur thermore, Russia already exercises a de facto protectorate over Corea, whose king is staying at the Russian Legation in Seoul, and it will not be long before Russian warships will be sailing from Port Lazareff without suffering any in- convenience from any English fleet at Quelport. Even Japan, thanks to the skill of the late Russian minister in Tokio--the celebrated Hitrovo-has not been able to escape Russian influence. It would not have been possible to fruS- trate thus completely the intrigues of the English tricksters if Russia, Ger many and France had not acted as a unit. May the same three powers act with the anne unanimity at Constanti- nopie and in the Orient generally, since there is now the region in which Eng land has last applied the methods used in east Asia in the hope of melting the nations to war and then securing the long desired booty. One has only to glance at the history of Europe to learn how often this British policy has been successful.
 Recently we have heard much of an understanding between Russia and England. One report was that they had agreed fully upon course of ac- tion regarding Crete. Such report indi- cates how earnestly certain circles of the English, Danish and Greek courts desire to lead Russian diplomacy into an unnatural channel. But Russian diplomacy has shown itself always too steadfast and purposeful to be guided by such intrigues. Water and fire will mingle before Russia and England come to an understanding in interna- tional politics. This is sufficiently evil dent from the foregoing sketch of the Anglo Russian conflict of interests.
 "As for common action between Rus sia and England against Turkey, there is absolutely no chance of such a thing. Turkey is regarded by Russia as a buff fer country. perhaps also as a. possible ally against England. Many persons are inclined to underestimate the vital ity and the importance of Islamite fa- naticism which easily could be famed into flame in a war against England. All that Turkey lacks, in case of war, is money, and money is just what Rus sia is able to give her. Russia certain ly will not try to break that sword which some day may be of the greatest use to her. Russia would be foolish, indeed, to consent to an English protec-