The record-union., 1897-12-28
PRINCE HENRY.
WHY EMPEROR WILLIAM
SENDS HIM TO CHINA. .
The Prince is Very Popular and the
Emperor Likes Him Best
at q Distance.

Emperor Williams action In oroer-
ing off to the Far East his only proth-
er-the sole member of MS lanliAy
qualified to assume the duties or Re-
gent of the empire in case OF the oea.h
or insanity of his najesty-taken IN
conjunction with Frances dlspatch ol
the most powerful squadron Ihat mas
ever borne her flag on the waters ol
the Pacific Ocean, and the quiet mass
ing of enormous bodies OF RUSSIAN
troops at Vladivostock, tends to con-
firm the impression that more serious
events are at hand than the mere oc-
cupation Of the port OF k1aochau or the
inlet of Samsah by Germany. Ihe Tor
mer is already in possession OF the
Germans, and according to the latest
dispatches received China has ex-
pressed her readiness to make regu-
lar cession of the Samsah inlet and OF
the surrounding districts to the Kai-
Ser.
It cannot be, therefore, altogether for
the sake of dealing with the Celestials
that William is sending into Chinese
waters cruisers and men which will
bring up the number of the latter to
a force of nearly 1000 sailors, marines
and regular soldiers, in addition to
which he has just called for 900 vol
untaers, summons to which response
is being made by young members of
the rrinCely and noble houses of Ger
many, all of them eager to follow the
popular scion of Teuton royalty to the
Orient. 1t is difficult TO believe that
such elaborate arrangements and so
much fuss would be made had Ger
many nothing else in view than the
providing of Kiaochau or SamSah with
a proper colonial administration, and
the so,emnity on the one hand and the
enthusiasm on the other which have
characterized the departure of Prince
Henry, his visit to FriedrichSruh for
the sake of obtaining old Prince Bis
marcn's parting blessing, the deputa-
tions of army officers under the lead
ership of Field Marshal Count Wal
dersae, at Altoona, to bid him farewell,
as Well as the great naval display or
last week at Kiel, are all of a nature
to lead to the belief that before he re-
turns to Europe he anticipates having
to fight some other enemy and some
much more dangerous foe than the
wretched and demoralized Chinese.
OF course it is difficult to speak with
any degree of certainty with regard to
the intentions of the Germans, En-
peror Williams servants. unlike their
master, being extremely guarded In
their utterances and reticent in their
speech, differing from the Russians in
this, that whereas the latter talk with
the object of leading their interlocutor
astray the Teuton officer and diplomat
keeps his mouth shut altogether. But
it must not be forgotten that Great
Britain. France, Japan and particularly
Russia have each of them had for a
considerable time past an eye upon the
port ard bay of Kiaochau, owing to the
fact that in the hands of a civilized
Power ii is capable of being trans
formed into the greatest and most pow
erful naval stronghold of the Orient, so
many are it's natural advantages. 1t
has bCen on the point of being seized
at various times by each of the four
Powers mentioned, who have invariably
been compelled at the last moment TO
abstain from their project by the most
determined opposition Of two, If not
three, of the other Governments. Rus
sia and England, in particular, have
been eager for this, the prize cherry OF
the Chinese cherry tree, the possibili-
ties Of Kiaochau being immeasurably
superior to Hongkong and Nladivo-
stock. 1t is, therefore, exasperating to
them in the extreme to see Germany,
which has until now always been re-
garded as an outsider in Asiatic and
more especially in Chinese and Japan
ese affairs, step in and by bold stroke
appropriate TO itself the choicest NOR
sci Of the Celestial pudding.
LORD SALISBURY ASKS AN EX-
PLANTATION.
hear from London that as soon as
Lord Salisbury received authentic in
formation of the occupation of Kiao-
chau by a German naval force he sent
for Count Hatzfeldt and asked for ex-
plantations as to the reasons for, as
we'll as the probable duration of, the
occupation of this magnificent bay and
port The information asked for was
given from Berlin, and, according to
rumors at the British Foreign Office
in London. ii was to the effect that
Germany intended to keep possession
of the bay and 10 fortify it unless press
ure was exercised by the great Pow
ers of Europe to prevent it. Now,
exercising this pressure there is not
the slightest doubt that Russia has
no such reluctance in the matter. and
that, sooner than see this bay. which
It considers as within its sphere of
influence in China and indispensable
for the safety of its Asiatic Empire in
the permanent possession OF Germany.
1T Will resort not merely to diplomatic
pressure. but TO the most extreme meas
ures. in which the Car is certain to
be backed up by France. The latter
country has analogous reasons for OBJ
jecting to Germany's occupation Of
Samsah Inlet and is likely to oppose
its acquisition by Germany with quite
as much vigor as Russia would be
ready to manifest in the case of Kiao-
chau Bay. Just what England would
do In the matter remains to be seen
although It is known that she would
strongly object to Germany's obtaining
a foothold at either of the two places
mentioned
Nor must Japan be forgotten in the
matter. She looks upon Russia as her
hereditary and most dangerous foe and
should the situation in the far
East become acute, and a
conflict between Russia and France