The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23

the departure of her fleet from Yokohama
to-day for Chinese waters may prove TO
pc the striking of the match which may
lead to a dreaded confiagration.
Leaving out the possibility of war, the
diplomatic game is most interesting. The
Marquis of Salisbury is slow in playing his
trumpS; but unless Russia and France have
something up their sleeves it would appear
that he has a decided advantage for the
British premier has forced Russia to show
her hand. She no longer conceals the fact
that she regards the whole of Manchuria
and the Liao-Iung peninsula as being her
exclusive exc; % prey; but. by insisting that Ia
quis of Salisbury has countered the Mus
covite designs on Port Arthur, for the lat
ter Is of little stragetic value without Ia
France, of course, resents the proposal to
open Nan-King, which would clash with her
exclusive interests in Tonquin, While both
Russia and France are deeply concerned in
Great Britain's claim to extend the Burmese
Railroad into the Chinese province OF Yum
Nan. France has secured privileges Ia Yum
Nan which would be seriously discommoded
by the British railroad dlverting TO the
While a railroad from Rangoon to Shanghai
(Which would be the natural outcome of
Great Britains demands) would be a disas-s
trous competitor of the great transaSlatic.
line from Samarcard to Port Arthur,
which Russia is so laboriously constructing +
AS the Associated Press has indicateds
throughout, there seems to be an UNDER
standing between Germany and Great Britt
ain, but Germany at the same time has so
caressing ST. Petersburg and London that
the relations between both capitals are bet
ter than for a long time past. The nrm,
confident tone of the British ministerial ut-
teraIceS merely notice Russia and France,
emphasizing that Great Britain does .nOtsin-
tend to reeede from the main points of the
position she has taken up and the Cabinet
ministers are merely voicing the determiha-
ton of the country, which recognizes that
If Great Britain gives way now she Will
only have to fight the battle in the future,
when the completion of the Siberian Rail-
road will render it more difficult to count
on a bloodless triumph. While, therefore,
the present situation is admittedly pregnant
that, peace is endangered and war will not
follow If Great Britain maintains The
ground she has taken up.
AS usual, there is every explanation Of
the sudden rush of British troops 70 Egypt
except the right one. What really seems
to have happened is that Colonel PaTs9iaSs
while en- route to take over KasSala from
the Italians. found King Menelek, of
Abyssinia, in the greatest stage of wrath
at the surrender of the town (which his
to the Egyptians, and he was mobilzng
an army with the intention 81
authority. If King Menelek should be act
ing, as suspected, in concert with the Nah
di. the danger of the situation is greatly
enhanced.
A great deal of exception is taken to the
proposition of secretary of state for the coll
onies Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain to grant aid
name for a bounty. 1t is evident that
should the European government insist
upon retaining their bounties Mr.. Cham
berain has prepared to make the bounty
ponderance of opinion seems to favor coun-
tervailing duties similar to those of the
United States in the event Of the failure of
the Brussels conference.