The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-08
ANGLO-RUSSIAN WAR CLOUD
IT IS THE REIGNING sENsA-
TON OVER THE WATER
Popularity the Opinion Prevails That
the Gar Is Trying Game OF
Bluff, and That if Lord Salisbury
Political Storm at Home-The
Point at Issue.

LONDON, Aug. THE Anglo-Rus-
sian war cloud is today the reigning
sensation, replacing the waning interest
in the closing of the war between
Spain and the United States. Nor is
the interest entirely due to belief that
war Is imminent. In many quarters
such a view is secuted. The popular
belief is that Russia is blufhng, and
both political parties are eager to see
what course Lord Salisbury will adopt.
1t is probable that If the British pre-
mier maintains firm attitude there
will be serious International complica-
tons and possibly war. If Salisbury
weakens, it is certain there will be a
storm at home that may sweep the
present government out Of power and
restore the Liberals.
1t is an interesting commentary on
modern international relations that the
affair which has brought the govern
ment Of the czar and England to the
verge Of war is matter of franchise
for building a railway in Asia. The
question, Of course, is the consumma-
ton Of a long series OF British diplo-
matte defeats, but Lord Salisbury has
delivered an uItimatum which Russia
has promptly defied. Now 1t must be
>
arc trembling lest he ANONYMOUSLY
retreat from the position where he has
declared to the world he will stand or
fall. His words, uttered in the house
Of lords Monday, were as explicit as
the utterance of responsible minis
ter could possibly be. He said:
Her majesty's government will sup
port the Chinese government in resist
ing any power which commits any act
Of aggression in China, on account of
China having granted permission to
make any railway or public works to
British subjects"
This assurance, given by Sir Claude
Macdonald, the British envoy to the
Chinese government, on July 81, was at
loft appeared before the Yanen and
protested against the concession to the
British bank of the right to build q
railway in Shan Haikwan and Neuch-
wang. Already Russia has strained
every nerve to prevent the construc-
ton of the Neuchwang railway by the
British Hong Kong & Shanghai bank.
At first Pavloff threatened that, un-
less the contract were withdrawn, Rus
STA would seize the Chinese province
Of Kuldja. This act Of aggression
failed in it's object, and the threat was
withdrawn. Ostensibly. then, Pavloff
offered to sanction the railway on con-
lIldl lie lillS WOQlQ LOl NC iIiOl l.
gagged to the British bank or alienated
to any foreign power. He hoped that
thus the concession would be rendered
worthless to the bank and abandoned,
so he intimated that, if capital was not
found by the British company, the
Russo lChinese bank would supply it.
In other words, Russia unhesitatingly
makes the issue the supreme test of
the commanding influence and prestige
in Pekin. Salisbury's friends, the
press and the public unanimously de-
clare the stake of the most momentous
Importance, and it is difficult to believe
that the premier would care to risk
the effects of another retreat before
Russian aggression upon his supporters
at home He has been openly warned
by all sides in the past three or four
DAYS that any surrender or failure to
vigorously assert British interests
would speedily result In the disinte-
grafton OF the Conservative party and
a revolt against his leadership.
Paris has even been moro excited for
the past day or two over the assumed
inlnlnence of an Anglo Russian war
than London, and It may be added that
Frenchmen are quite delighted with the
prospect. Meantime, reports of Rus
sian preparations for all eventualities
are daily more numerous. Today's most
authentic rumor is that Russia has
seized naval base in the Red sea
from one Of Menelek's dependencies,
the Sultan Raheita.