The age-herald., 1898-01-04
But When the Proper Moment Arrives
 Will Take Active Part.
c0REAN QUESTION IS INTERESTING
Great Britain More Concerned In It at Present Than She is in the Occupation Of Port Arthur and Kiao
 Chau Bay.

in manufacturing news from the far east is remarkable. Five-sixths of the state ments can be safely labeled guesswork. The British and Russian foreign offices are as dumb as oysters and the German stream of conflicting communications in the semi-offcial press they do not know which foot they are standing on. France is apparently in the dark, while the mika- do has dissolved the Japanese diet in or der that opinions should not be expressed. In the circumstances 1t is not strange that accurate information is dfficult to secure.
 The known facts wholly corroborate the statement cabled to the Associated Press on Saturday last that Great Britain is carefully watching the situation, biding her time, and will certainly not fail to act promptly and vigorously at the proper moment It was pointed out in that des- patch that in well-informed circles the scare in the newspapers in regard to the far east was at least premature and that the members of the government were evil dently sincere in disclaiming the least ground for alarm.
 This view was practically reiterated by the Daily Graphic on Friday which as- serted that there was every reason to be- lieve the Russians would adhere to their pledge to evacuate Port Arthur at the end of the winter. and that therefore there were no grounds for complaint on the part of Great Britain. The Daily Graphic pointed out that the British government did not regard the occupation of Kiao Chou by the Germans as calling for action, be- cause British interests were not threat ened.
 nf1 f1,o IL. according to the Daily Graphic, were agreed on this point.
 Evidently, apart from the question of the
 The Corean Question,
 Chinese loan, the Corean question is more interesting for Great Britain at the present moment than the questions of Port Ar thur and Kiao Chou, principally because the Marquis of Salisbury sees in the att tempt to oust J. McLeavy Brown, the Brit 1sh superintendent of Corean customs, a more serious scheme to overturn Sir Rob- ert Hart. the British director of the Chi nese imperial maritime customs, which mas apparently been nipped in the bud The cabinets life would be short if it al- lowed Russia to force the Tung Ii Yamen Chinese foreign offlce) into dismissing the British head of the Chinese customs
 It is not known yet whether the British government will approve of the arrange ment arrived at according to cable dis patch from Pellin, by which MT McLeavy Brown and M. Alexieff, the Russian agent in Corea, will work the Corean customs to- gether. The British minister appears some what dstrustful, so the warships of Great Britain, which are at present off Chemulpo, the port of Seoule, in order to give moral support to MT. Brown, will remain there for the present.
 The Spectator publishes an interesting ar ticle on Japan's policy, in which the writer regards the Marquis Ito's return to power and Japan's offer to assist the officers at Pekin in drilling the Chinese army and her proposal to consent to postponement of the payment of the war indemnity as pos sibly foreshadowing a Chino-Japan al- ance. 4eoF The financial barometer does not show any trepidation consols even improving. There is not the slightest sign of the sell ing which always marks real clouds on the political horizon. The New Year honor list. is weak and decidedly partisan. It attracts little interest from the public outside of the kntghting of MT. Thomas J. Lipton, the millionaire provision merchant, whose knightage establishes the fact that titles, are purchasable, for the honor bestowed upon him was, of course, due to his gift of 9 900 pounds to the Princess of Wales ju-. blee fund for feeding the outcast poor of London.
 Dissatisfied With Her Allies.
 A diplomat talking over the alleged de- sire of Germany to arrive at an under
 
 eastern question, explains that the change might be due to Germany's dissatisfaction with her allies. Her faith in the Italian army has been shaken by the defeats in Erythrea, and the collapse of the cohstitu- tional government of Austria has made the efficacy of that empire in case of war doubtful.
 "In the meantime,' the diplomat contn- ued, Russia and France are allied and Emperor William is anxious to secure new friends Therefore, seeing the probability of an understanding between Great Britain and Japan. Emperor William is determined to array himself on their side. Hence his seizures of a port already hypothecated to Russia. thereby proclaiming rivalry with Russia and friendship with Great Britain"
 It is by no means clear that British inter- eSlS dIc StIlOuSiy tuTedlcueu ttl lnt pIcS- ent moment, and she can probably well afford to await the spring, when. unless the normal conditions are resumed. Great Britain will undoubtedly take the steps nec- essary to protect her interests and re-es- tablish the balance of power.
 The Paris police during the course of the week secured another of the organized gangs of murderers and robbers which have terrorized the suburbs of the French capital for months past. The new arrests number thirty-three, and the oldest pris- oner is only 21 years of age. Within three months the bodies of ffty-three murdered persons have been found in small section of the river Seine. and it is believed most of the murders are traceable to this gang