The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-30
CONDITION is REMOTE.
wfrE GREAT EMPIRE CAN BE ABB
soRBED LIKE POLAND.
THIS NOT ANTICIPATED BY DIPLOMATS.
A Chinese Diplomat Minimzes Germany's IN
tention, and Japanese Diplomat
Thinks his Country will act lnde-
pendentIy-China may Resist.


pendently-China may Resist.
washington, Dec. 29.-The RAPID
.,oyament of events in the far east con-
snues to be an absorbing topic IN dlAo-
matte circles here, particularly at tae
embassies and legations et the po"s.S
which are aligning for an apparent strus
~la for Chinese territory. There IS no
further talk of the United States as a.
nossihle factor in the contest, as the re-
conf understanding at Cabinet meetin2
Il accented as removing this government
from the field of controversy. AZ 'Ae
same time an eminent authority on iu-
tarnafionaI aIIairs SAID to-day lAat = SIT
nation might develop when the Onlleu
STATES would be called to 80 much LUZ ~
or than nrotect American interests at
fbs. treaty ports OF China. Inns sltua-
tion would come, he said, II the scramble
for Chinese territory went 10 the extent
of the extinction OF China ana tue com
nlafe absorption of the OLD empire ~
foreign nations. Such was the appdIenl
drift of tue present movement lie s1id'
and if it became a reality, tAen con
dition would arise slInlIar 10 the SAtNi
mination of Poland.
Poland had established a preceueht III
international affairs he SAID, ana IolioW-
ing that precedent il China was 70 De
absorbed then it was a question Wnieh
the United States in common with an
the nations of the world must take cog
nizance of. Until this final movement
occurred however, it was plain that the
i4lra
fencing of European nations and Japan
for coaling stations and ports on the
Asiatic coast -,
III The meantime, however, the dlplo-
mats are much concerned in the move
ments OF their respective governments.
lending Japanese diplomat SAID to-day:
81 do not look at the question as IN
volyine the partition of China and no
event has occurred thus far to Indicate
that China is about to be divided among
the powers.
sThe only tangible fact is that Ger
many has occupied kiao Chou Bay anu
Russia has a fleet at Port Arthur. bdt
Germany's action was taken to colIecC
an indemnity for an indlgnlty Oh Ger
man missionaries just as she ehLofeeu
indemnity from Hayti. Beyond TINS
Germany may seek to establish nayai
station at kiao Chou and thus nave
naval base of operations on the racine.
Rut that does not involve the taxing
of any considerable portion OF Chlnese
territory and it is yet to be shown tnat
Germany will take more than coast
mort and such land Immediately adJd-
cent as TO give the port proper faclIilies.
If it comes to taking territory TUG
course of China must not be oyerlooKeu'
While China is weak from military
and naval standpoint, yet she mas An
anormous number of men ready 10 TAKE
the field while the entire force or Ger
mans at Kiao Chou cannot exceed rev
Thousand men. Even weak nation ls
strong in defending its own territory.
Inere are reports that Japan would aid
Cnina in an extremity but there is moth
ing in that. Japan doubtless will act
alone il there is any Feason for acting
at all. Thus far, however, know OF NO
steps that Japan has taken or conIem'
plates. toward taking part IN the con,
troyersy. My impression is tnat sne VIII
remain an independent and neutrai oD-
~ server. Her position WIN De much
stronger by such policy than II wouiu
be by an alliance at the outset AS an
observer if she sees that tne partitloa
of China is at hand, doubtless sne "oulu
have some part to take but Tor tne pre-
sent there is no evidence 0haI suSn "n
emergency is near"
A Chinese diplomat said:
"The alleged official statements COM
in.- from the Chinese legation have been
unwarranted, as the legation has not
received word from Peking since the
first notice was sent that German
force had landed at klao Chou without
previous notice to the chinese govern
ment. 1t is felt however, that many OF
the reports as to the seriousness Oh the
situation, particularly those from Shah-
ghai. are oyerdrawp. Judging from the
press dispatches there appears TO De Ut
tla doubt that the original purpose of
Germany to enforce an indemnity mas
NOW developed into securing a naval sta
ton at Kiao Chau and possibly more ter
rltory. on the ground that Germany Is
entitled to a return for her services DUR
inc the China-Japan war. But it ap-
pears to be overlooked that Germany
has received distinct returns for those
services, in the granting of large con-
cessions which, at the time of the
grant, were considered as most valuable
TO Germany"
The German officials here take the
view that there are but two actual steps
on the part Of Germany, namely, the Oc-
cupation OF Kiao Chou Bay and the
dispatch Of Prince Henry's feet to Chin
ese waters Beyond this, they say oil
Is conjecture a. to what Germany Will
do and they convey the idea that these
conjectures as to the absorption Of ter