Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-12-23
ALL EYES ON China.
China Accepts q Loan Of Rifles From
a Russian Bank.
UNCLE SANS oHINEsEINTEREsTs

A Vienna Newspaper Declares That
Our Government Would Not Consent
to Division of China without Hay
ing a Voice In the Matter.
London, Dec 23.-The Pekin CORE
spondent of The Times says: 1.-THE
Chinese are provisioning Port Arthur
and will reconstruct the forts there,
Russia supervising and furnishing the
money. In the face of this indication
of permanent occupation the necessity
of safeguarding our position in the
far east increases. The Russo Chinese
bank, which is the agent of the Rus
sian government, has offered to China
10000 Berdan rifles, with payment five
years hence. China has accepted the
proposal
According to dispatch to The Times
from Kobe, Japan, the news from Port
Arthur has greatly disturbed the Jap
anese ministers. Long cabinet coun-
ellis have been held, and the high mill
tary officials have attended. The Jap
anese newspapers, the dispatch says,
are nonplussed at the situation in the
far east, while the ministry is involved
in domestic troubles connected with
its taxation proposals, to which the
diet Is hostile.
The Times in an editorial on the sit
uation sarcastically asks whether the
German press in claiming a Russo
German entente in China, and Emperor
William, in his speech at Graudenz,
anticipated Russia's demand for the
removal of German drill sergeants from
the Chinese army. 1t adds, with ref
erence to the demand for the dismissal
of the English engineers: "Our Pekin
correspondent says China is hesitating
and possibly we may be able to appeal
to motives at Pekin which will
strengthen Chinas dissemination to
comply with the Russian request for
the dismissal of the Britishers."
With reference to the probability of
Russia advancing to China money to
pay the war indemnity to Japan and
thus compelling Japan to evacuate
Wei-Hai- Wei, The Times openly recog-
nizes the advisability of an Anglo
Japanese entente, arguing that the
combined British and Japanese fleets
would be well able to prevent dis
turbance of the balance of power in
China Other London papers express
the same opinion.
The Vienna Deutsche Zeitung says in
today's issue: 1.-THE United States.
which from its geographical position
has a greater interest in the opening
up of China than all European powers
together, cannot possibly consent to
it's partition or to a division into
spheres of influence without having a
voice in the matter. 1t would be a
great mistake to underestimate the
strength of the United States, and a
partition of China would be impossible
without Americas approval and par
ticipation. The European powers will
do well to give timely attention to the
just aspirations and interests of the
United States"
Some of the Russian papers are ironi-
cal at Germany's expense. The Bourse
Gazette, of Odessa, hints that by the
time Prince Henry and the German
squadron reach China they may find
the tsung-li-yamen has prepared an
unexpected reception for intrusive
guests. The Mirovige Otoloski reminds
Emperor William of Napoleon IT'S at
tempt to plant his power in Mexico.
A st. Petersburg dispatch says: The
GREATEST IGlACGACG Is Ildluldl4Gu here
in government circles. The censorship
has forbidden the press to attack Ger
many on account of the occupation of
Kiao-Chau. Emperor Nicholas presided
yesterday at a special meeting of the
council at Alexander Palace, including
the grand dukes and the chief mill
tary and naval authorities. The Chinese
situation was discussed, and it is ru-
mored that Grand Duke Alexander
Michaelovitch advised the immediate
strengthening of the Russian squadron
in China.
The Vienna correspondent of The
Standard says he has ascertained that
the first news of the occupation of Port
Arthur eliminated from Toxic, fact sig
nificant of Japanese vigilance. Dis
cussing Japan's position, the corre-
spondent says: "She cannot declare
war against either China or Russia, be-
cause if she did the ten large ironclads
that are being built for her in Europe
and America, and are nearly finished,
would be shut up till the war was over.
She will, therefore, risk nothing by her.
self"