The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-01
RUSSIA,S THREAT TO ENGLAND
II Great Britain Opposes Her East
ern Policy War Must Come.

II Great Britain Opposes Her Edst-
ern Policy War Must Come.
New York. Feb. 1.-The Herald's l. n
don correspondent sends the following
important news: There is a startling
dispatch in the Daily Telegraph today.
1t comes from st. Petersburg. This
papers correspondent there has had in
terviews with a Russian admiral, now
chief of a squadron. and with an emf
nent Russian diplomatist. Their dec
laTations, therefore. if true. have semi
official weight You must remember
that the Daily Telegraph is not given
in general to taking. This is what
makes the St Petersburg dispatch so
serious. Practically, the declarations
IL contains amount to menace on the
part of Russia toward England that
unless England chooses to acquieSce in
the policy beng pursued by Russia in
the far East war is inevitable. IL this
dispatch is not a fake, Russia has
thrown down the gage. 1t remains to
be seen whether England will take il
up or back down. The dispatch is, if
true, SO important that | send il to you
in full:
st. Petersburg. Saturday. have had
conversation with a Russian admiral
who has been appointed to the post of
chief of a squadron, concerning the sit
uation in the far East. The officer, in
the course OF his remarks. said
Nearly the whole of the marine
forces of Russia will be dispatched to
the far East, for it is necessary for
Russia to place herself in a position of
naval strength in Chinese waters equal
10 that of Great Britain. Russia will
not permit the opening of a new port
either at Port Arthur or at Ta-Lien-
Wan. We shall soon see that Germany
will say the same thing with regard
to Kiao Chou and the Bay of Samsah,
while France will prevent the opening
Of the Siam Gulf and Nankin as free
ports. Russia, France and Germany
will permit no European power to carry
out any such attempt against their in
terests, upon the preteXt of eucourag-
ing Chino European trade. for under
that condition the power in question
would become the real mistress of
China, directing both her politics and
her finances.
also called upon celebrated Rus
sian diplomatist. who said:
The conditions of the loan of E12,-
GOO 600. which Great Britain has offered
to the Chinese government. are direct
Ell principally against the interests Of
Russia and France, and for this reason
our Ambassador at Pekin Will. together
with his French colleague, struggle to
prevent China from accepting the Grit
ish oVertures. By opening of Ia Lien
Wan as a free port, the value Of Port
Arthur as a naval station would be di-
unfinished. In the spring Great Britain
will no longer occupy herself with the
Chinese question. and will certainly not
take the offensive finding. as she WILL
the necessity Of devoting her strength
and her energy to India, where a re-
volt infinitely more serious than the
Sepuy mutiny is about To break out
There Russia will be able, without diff
fculty To- penetrate through AfghaniS-
tan and the Pamirs to the Indian pos
sessions IF Great Britain. to whom she
will dictate terms. We have enough
troops and We'll fortified frontiers, with
outposts well connected in the rear
with our reserves by railways and tele-
graphs. and we could i'm the course of
few daVs place upon the Afghan front
Ter an army of 10.0o0 men. You per
ceive that all the chances are on our
side. and We do not fear the threats Of
England.