New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17
ENGLAND AND CHINA.
poL1CY-HAS THE WAITING GAME
BEEN PLAYED TOO LONG,
London. March so.


,,., enables Mr.. Morley 20 define Liberalism
:, something which carries byc-electiors. Maid
s,one is a Conservative stronghold which the
,,bsraIs did not venture to contest in the gen
,,al elections. and they have come dangerously
near carrying it during the last week The cause
- Conservative apathy there. as everywhere
o,se Is the dishoartening effect of miscalculated
failures in foreign policy. Lord Salisburys
eminence and skill in diplomacy are not 10 he
disnuted but he has had continuous run OF
had luck since his return to the Foreign Office.
HIS varmest partisan cannot point to single
Automatic success. Even on the morning when
- left London behind him in his quest for
,orvalescence and health in the Riviera ne
-ie5 With him copy of The Times with an
old-time. ringing leader warning him that ne
orcht 70 hand over the work of the Foreign
Office n one Of his colleagues Polite the
nhrasinc may bo. that undoubtedly is the opin-
,on Of the majority Of the Conservative party in
ard out ~ Parliament
The results OF four months Of diplomacy and
aggression in the Far Fast have justified the
conclusion that England has been out
-nanpuVred and dupod by rival Powers, which
ere act'ng by rreconcerted Arrangement The
game opened about the middle of November.
when German marines We're landed on the
chinese seaboard FOR the purpose OF demanding
satisfaction for the murder of miss onary.
Germany now has Kiao-Chau cooling and
naval station on A long lease. a monopoly OF
railway construction in ShantunS. and sphere
Of influence which virtually includes the entre
nroy,nce Russia during the same period has
obtained Port Arthur and Talien-"an or similar
terms. with sphere Of influence N Manchuria
snd the right Of constructing railways and oc-
cupvlnr the district with troops. France has
Teic rOaIinC station and
marked out as a sphere or influence a series Of
sour rroyinces: and Il is probable that these con-
osssions will be Yielded by the helpless Chinese
Government During the same period tnGiand
fas obtained the reinstatement of a British Gus
toms adviser in Corea: partnership In bank
ins syndicate for loan which has failed IN
London after being subscribed four times over IN
Berlin and a series Of paper assurances from
TWO Powers that the ports seized shall remain
free and open.
Lord Salisbury's account ~ these transactions
G. the opening Of Parliament was highly optim-
ist'- The Russian Government had agreed IN
writing that any port which they might ontaln
should be free to the commerce Of the world
As similar assurances had been received from
Germany respecting Cts new territories in China
1o-d SALISBURY took little interest in the foreign
e6ve,+ures Of those Governments. Subsequently
the Russian assurance turned out 70 ne memo
rardu-1 Of Count Muravieff to the effect that
CIV Chinese port occupied by his Government
would be- not exactly free like Hong Mons pul
e+ least open like treaty port with no DIS
elimination against any fes. over IN" German
rle6ee that any port seized shall 20 free there
has been no ouibbne Tn French Govern
-os,. Ia. rot committed itselr on This question
re- the Oman door" Tbs the principle for
,yhsc, the Chancellor Of the Exche1uer was
,,,i,,ne n Hrht I'VE do not regard China h'
,at5 AZ Bristol as place for conquest or acqu'-
.+,o,, hv, arv European or other Power. The
Government are absolutely determined, Al what
sve- cost even = necessary a. tho cost o1 Wal
that that door shall not.he shut Furthermore.
vr. Curzon has eH-iair.ed tho underlying pr'h-
eip,es OF the Governments polio" as inc man
-enance Of the integrity and indep'ndencH o'
CHINA and the preservation - treaty rights oi
1883 in general and lhe characterization
ri, ilAgez in particular
1MPATIENCEtlN ENGLAND
There are signs ~ sceptioisrn and irpauNno'
everywhere I'm England respecting 'he'rHsu's
., foreign policy conducted on these lines Ihsf'
e genera sense of humiUa ton and resent
-n3rt that England. which has the h"h'I"ol'
,eco-e % preventing tho dissolution Of inc
.-b,,es. Frrire p, timely assistance IN rho sup
-rAss,on ~ +ne Taipi1g rebellion. and also OF
sharing With al N. world equal terms m"
commercial privileges gained in that quarter
,,o,,ld row have nothing hut discontinue ana
,a,lu-. IN the Far Eas:. With the most power
-ul Fer r. Chinese waters and with incornpar
able facilities for making use Of coallng s'a'ionS
3, naval warfare. the English people ma 'n'''-
selves in the possessio OF a conJur'ng pnras''
'tne open door" put without DEFINITE pono''
whereas Germany. Russia. France. and POSSIBLY
lana, az urAll are prov ling bout ana op'sl0"s
commanding positions in various provinces anu
Cores These rival Powers respect INC fns'ls"
rhras. sufficiently 10 play with H. or IN an
even, ~ avoid a quarrel over Il. The open
6cor vii ron be closed. ~ east for me prNsen''
o. until II IS convenient II bar It securely- They
s-s dirlora-ic IN their own phrasi1r NY
e.. not seizing either terr.tory or ports 1nNy
pa on1,, obtaining equitable indemnities ana
arranging "te1-,orsrv leases But there tn'F
Ell are or the ground commanding me ep-
r-oscbes - the heart of China. extending fnelr
spheres of influence and preparing ~ o'''''
the spoils IN future. and England gets no'h'hs
'Beau poss'dentes'' was considered by Prince
Pisrrarck ~ he good phrase. and it IA one
which cannot he played With.
Naturally there are ontcr1es IN England 'or
an alternative policy 10 That of the open
door" which is not regarded as wholly acequa'
Cor The protection ~ British interests. The
most outspoken critics Of the Government con
tend that the maintenance OF the integrity ana
Independence Of China Is already impractcahe'
tecause there is neither cohesive force nor mill
tary spirit IN an empire honeycombed with DC
cay The Turks could always fight. and even
the Eurorean Powers had not been rent asuh-
der by jealousies and resentments. there was
sufficient internal force to bind the provinces "l
the Ottoman Empire together. China since Inc
war with Japan has been helpless 70 protect
itself II was saved from dissolution by q d!plo-
rnatic combination in which England had no
part; and II Is now without resources for resist
Demands ron