The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-26
CHINA STILL At THE TOP
rrERyTgING ELsESUBORDTNATED
TO DISCUSSION or THE SUBJECT
Kiao Chou Bay Said Not TO he SO Desira-
BILE After AlI--How Christmas was
Spent in Germany.

government
tinue reticent. even the occupation Oh
port Arthur having failed TO elicit any,
oe,cial statements with the exception Oh
denial OF extravagant utterances Dy the
Cologne Gazette and other usuaiiy III
spired papers. The reason Tor TINS en-
ceptional taciturnity lies IN the s,'npIS
fact that Germany herself does no' h,o"
where she stands or how far Nic 49,
Powers will permit her TO go. pei
Russia and France are sim heso"s,
and while there Is strong ptessuiV
bring about another joint acton Oh 'ieoo
three Powers I'm the far East. equahy Po-
tent influences are working 10 irus'ia a.
such plans. II depends largely upon the
on,come Of these negotiations "a TO what
instructions Prince Henry OF PRUSSIA
will find awaiting him when he arrives al
Hong Kong early I'm February. IN INC
J meantime the mission Of Prince hen's
may be characterized as mainly us
! play Of spread-eagleism.
A prominent diplomat in an interVie"
with the correspondent here OF the AS
ISOLATED Press said:
OCCUPATION PERMANENT.
"Rursia's occupation Of Port Arthur -
| nernanent. She thereby secures much-
! desired terminus for the Siberian railway
! which will forthwith he extended from
bVladIvistock TO Port Arthur. making Rus
/ STA the undisputcd mistress ot Manchu-
ria and the whole Of North China Ter
Interests in China in no way coilldc WIN
| these of France. whose Snhere or acIoh
Is IN South China. Petween them IS an
immense territory. which eventually may
he IN dispute between Great Britain
| Germ, Nv and Jaran. movement Is now
| on foot between Japan and Germany 10
| arrive At an understanding. rs Japan sees
| cloorl,. this course Is wiscst Russia VIII
not tolerate Japan I'm Corca. as II would
| unset I'll, the scenes she has been pre-
| nam, for the past two years. There
| fore Germany Is the only friend and ally
| Jarar can look for in the coming events.
| That IS. n she knows how to play her
cards and establish n basis Of mutual
| interests. for which. ! hear. there IS con-
| siderable prospect
NOT so DESIRABLE.
| From p missionary the spondent
| here OF the Associated Press learns that
the Bay Of Kiao Chou IS by no means 50
desirable as at first believed.
Part Of the harbor freezes during three
| months Of the winter and ice-breakers are
| required 10 keep II open. The Hinter-
| land Is barren ard treeless. and the ma
| ture OF the ground necessitatcs the cree
ton OF costly large fertilization in
! order 10 hold the bay and adjoining ter
| ritory against attacks. If Germany con-
cludes TO retain It she will have to spend
| large sums Of money
Phnce Honhanlohe. the Imperial Chan
celor is much distressed at the sudden
| death OF his wife on Thursday last. He
! spent the three previous days at her
| bedside without sleep and his octOgena-
| rian frame has been greatly enfeebled
| thereby. His physicians are urgently
| advising him to retire from public life.
| at any rate temporarily. The remains
! Of the Princess will be inferred on Sun
| day IN the family vault at Schillings-
| furest. The body was cOrsecrated on
| Friday in the presence of the ministers,
| military dignitaries etc. by the Prince
Bishop Of Breslau. DR.. Kopp, in the Con
| seryatOry Of the ChancellOrs Palace.
The Empress and the ex-empress Of Ger
| many sent floral wreaths.
| At the recOnvening of the ReiChstag the
IN mbers of the Opposition intend 10
make much of the fact. according TO Of
fetal figures just obtained. the Imperial
| Treasury receipts for the current year
show decrease of twenty million marks.
They will point out, that in view Of the
| naval Increase and reorganization of the
Held artillery. the large additional funds
needed can only be raised By new taxes
| contrary TO the promises of the govern
ment.
The government will introduce at the
recOnvening Of the Prussian Diet on
January llth, another anti-socialistic bill,
| but so comprehensive as The one rejected
last summer. The new bill will apply
10 private nteratures and universities
who viii be brought under government
supervision.
CHRISTMAS.
The Imperial family passed Christmas
at the new palace in the usual way. The
two eldest princes arrived there on Thurs
day from Plauen The Christmas trees
and the distribution Of gifts were more
lavish than ever This part of the celc-
bration took place in the Shell Hall.
Most OF the gifts were purchased by the
Empress personally at various Berlin
| stores. They included hundreds Of pres
cnts for the servants and court officials.
At secret session Of the Municipal
Council on Tuesday q New Years adj
dress 10 the Emperor was adopted for
The first time in many years. The ad-
dress deals largely with national politics.
and is couched In patriotic terms. when
referring TO the naval increase and the
recently adopted vigorous foreign policy.
| Voluntary contributions for naval pur-
chases are taking place among the pupils
OF many of the public schools.
| Influenza, in q severe form. has been
have been thousands OF cases especially
in the Weather districts. and the death
rate is rapidly increasing
| Negotiations are proceeding in Berlin
between Germany and Austria. with the
view 10 holding an international confer
ence at Brussels on the subject Of ahcii-
ton of sugar export bOunties. France
has intimated her willingness 10 join IN
the deliberations.
| The organ Of the Agrarians. the
| Deutscne Tarls-Zeitung. ncrccly attacks
| Baron Won Thielmau the Minister for
Foreign Affairs. for not declaring tariff
war with the United States The Nos-
sische Zeitung. however thinks that the
| present moment Is not proptiOus for
such demand. pointing out that France
and Great Britain alone would profit by a
tariff war of that kind.
| To the intense amazement Of the SUI
ferers from the food the SaXony govern
! ment has presented n claim for paymenf
| % all villages and individual owners who
| we're aided during the hoods by the mill
tary. The village of Piauen, near Dres
| ~. for instance, received a bill for 4ON
marks
| Mr. Clifton r. breckenridge the for
| mer United states Minister q st. Peters
| urC orriVod herc on Thursday 70 spend
the holidays with his family at Dresden.
Canadq'> Independence.
| OTTAWA. ONT, Dec. 25-When shown
the item published in the LoLdon Morn
ing Post, yesterday under a New York