The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-03
ENGLAND STILL WATCHING.
READY TO ACT WITH DECISION AS
SOON AS THERE is NECES-
SITY.
NOW CENTERs IN KOREA
Scheme to Dismiss McLeayy brown
Only Part of Russia's
Clever Game.

4 far East is remarkable. Five-siXths Of
; the statements can be safely labeled
guess work. The British and Russian
l foreign offices are as dumb as oysters
I and the German stream Of conflicting
communications in the semi-official
4 press shows they do not know what
foot they are standing on. France is
! apparently in the dark, while the MI
a kado has dissolved the Japanese diet in
| order that opinions should not be ex-
4 pressed. In the circumstances it is not
\ strange that accurate information Is
4 difficult to secure. The known facts
wholly corroborate the statements
| cab!ed to the Associated Press on Sat
urday last, that Great Britain is care
| fully watching, biding her time, and
4 will certainly not fail to act promptly
hand vigorously at the proper moment
\ ut was pointed out in that dispatch
that in well informed circles the scare
in the newspapers in regard to the far
4 East was at least premature and that
! the members of the government were
" evidently sincere in disclaiming the
sasleast alarm.
This view Of the case was practically
reiterated by the Daily Graphic on Fri
day, which asserted that there was
every reason to believe the Russians
would adhere to their pledge to evacu-
ate Port Arthur at the end Of the W in
ter and that therefore there were no
grounds for complaint on the part Of
Great Britain. The Daily Graphic
further pointed out that the British
government did not regard the occupa-
\, ton of Kiao-Chou by the Germans as
! calling for action, because British in
( terests were not threatened. Both the
|, foreign office and the admiralty, ac-
. cording to the Daily Graphic were
agreed on this point.
Evidently, apart from the question of
the Chinese loan, the Korean question
is more interesting for Great Britain at
the present moment than the questions
of Port Arthur and Kiao-Chou, prin-
cipally because the Marquis of Sails
bury sees in the attempt to GUST J. Nc
LeaVy Brown, the British superinten-
dent of Korean customs, a more serious
scheme to overturn Sir Robert Hart,
the British director of the Chinese inn
perial maritime customs, which has ap-
parently been nipped in the bud.
The cabinets existence would be
B short if it permitted Russia to coerce
II the Tsung Ii Yamen Chinese foreign
'iOffice) into Diminishing the British head
or the Chinese customs.
KOREAN QUESTION.
q. 1t is not known yet whether the Brit
dish government will approve of the ar
i 'rangement arrived at according to a
b cable dispatch from Picking, by which
/ Mr.. McLeavy Brown and M. AleXieff.
the Russian agent in Korea, will work
the Korean customs together.
The British ministers appear to be
somewhat distrustful, so the Warships
of Great Britain, which are at present
off Chemulpo the port of Seoul, in Or
der to give moral support to Mr..
Brown, will remain there for the pres
ent.
At present there is keen interest in
commercial circles over the outcome
of the effort of Russia to secure a
\ Chinese loan on the onerous terms, an
n Rcunced by the PeEing correspondent of
Sthe Times, that the Chinese govern
lsment place the Nikin Qnternal reVe-
nueS) under foreign control as security
for the loan. Unless the loan is procur-
able without this condition, arrange
ments will forthwith be made for a
Russian guaranteed 4 per cent loan of
100000 taels, to be issued at SO net The
security for this loan will be the land
tax which Will remain under Chinese
administration, and China, in return
will give Russia a monopoly Of the rail-
reads and mines north of the great
wall open port as a terminus of the
trans-Siberian railroad, and agree that
. a Russian should succeed Sir Robert
a Hart as director of the Chinese i'm
perlal maritime customs. The inter
est is Increased by the equally strenu-
GUS endeavors of the British in China
TO prevent Russia from obtaining the
- lean and the rich concessions which it
I seems go with it. 1t is improbable the
\ British government will see reason to
&c
guarantee China financial support, al
though offered territorial concessions,
apparently showing that Great Brit
AIMS policy is not territorial aggrand-
Element, but distinctly commercial.
diplomat, talking over the alleged
desire OF Germany to arrive at an I'M
outstanding with Great Britain on the
far Eastern question, explains that the
change might be due to Germany's dis
isatisfaction with her allies. Her faith
lin the Italian army has been shaken
iby the defeats in Erythres, and the
lccll2pse of the constitutional govern
'ment of Austria has made the efficiency
4of that empire in case of war doubtful.
AFTER NEW FRIENDS.
"In the meantime" the diplomat con-
tinued, Russia and France are allied.
ana Emperor William is anxious to Sc
cure new friends. Therefore, foresae
ing the probability of an understand
ing between Great Britain and japan.
Emperor William is determined to ar
ray himself on their side Hence his
seizure of port already hypotheaated
II to Russia, thereby proclaiming rivalry
II with Russia and friendship with Great
III Britain"
4 1t is by no means clear that British
81 interests are seriously threatened at
II the present moment, and she can prob
4 ably well afford to await the spring.
| when unless the normal conditions are
2 resumed she can take such action as
II may seem necessary.
The Spectator publishes an interest
ing article on Japan's policy, in which
(Athe writer regards the Marquis Ito's
return to power and Japan's offer to
assist the officers at Picking in drilling
the Chinese army and her proposal to
consent to a postponement of the pay
ment of the war indemnity as possibly
foreshadowing a China-Japan alliance.
The financial barometer does not
show any trepidatiOn. consoIs even i'm
proving. There is not the slightest
sign Of the selling which always marks
real clouds on the political horizon.
I and there are signs of reaction in the
: long continued depreciation in land.
The improvement is attributed partly