The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-04

and Russian Foreign Odices Dumb
Germany Uncor saAn rs te Her Position
The ksrenH Situation Of Moro Int~rss
to Engi.nd than the .himese-Hints Of /.
Chino-yApaness Alliance Against Eu
rope.
copyrighted by The Associated Press.
London, January 1.-The ingenuity
displayed in manufacturing news from
the Tar east is remarkable. Five-sixths
OF the statements can be safely labelled
Guess Work" The British land Rus
sian foreign offices are as dumb as oys-
ters and the German stream of con-
ficting communications in the semi
official press shows they do not know
there on which foot they are standing.
France is apparently in the dark.
While the mikado has dissolved the
japanese diet in order that opinions
should not be expressed. In the cir
cumstances 1t is not strange that ac-
curate information is difficult to secure
The known facts wholly corroIborate
the statements cabled the Associated
Press on Saturday last, that Great
Britain is carefully watching the situ-
ation 'biding her time and will certain
ly not fail to act promptly and vigor-
ously at the proper moment 1t was
pointed cut in that dispatch that in we'll
Informed circles the scare in the news
papers in regard to the far east was at
least premature and that the members
cf the government were evidently sin
cere in disclaiming the least alarm.
n, + coll
reiterated by The nail" Graphic on Fri
day, which asserted that there was
every reason to believe the Russians
would adhere to their pledge to evacu-
ate Port Arthur at the end of the win
ter, and that, therefore, there were no
grounds for complaint on the part of
Great Britain. The Daily Graphic
further pointed cut that the British
government did not regard the occupa-
ton Of Kiao Chou by the Germans as
calling for action, because British in
terests were not threatened. Both the
foreign office and the admiralty, ac-
cordirg to The Daily Graphic were
agreed on this point.
Evidently, apart from the question
~ -. "a Chinese loan, the Korean ques-
Ilcii Is 1iiv-~ interesting for Great
Dll.1!i dt tne present moment than the
questions Of Port Arthur and Kiao
Ghsa R555nsigaa1ly gaey nj because the marquis
J, McLeavy Brown, the British supefln-
tendent of Korean customs, more Sc
rious scheme to overturn Sir Robert
Hart. the British director Of the
Chinese imperial maritime customs
which has apparently been nipped in
the bud The cabinets existence would
be short if it permitted Russia to coefce
the Tsung-L-Yamen (Chinese foreign
office) into dismissing the British head
Of the Chinese customs
1t is not known yet whether the Brit
ish government will approve of the ar
rangement arrived at, according to
cable despatch from Pekin by which
McLeavy Brown and M. Alexleff, tine
Russian agent, in Korea, will work the
Korean customs together. The BRUSH
ministers appear to 'be somewhat ulS-
trustful, so the war ships or Great
Britain which are at present off Che
mulpo, the port OF Seoul, in order TO
give moral support to Mr.. Brown, VIII
remain there for the present.
| 1T is by no means clear that the
! British interests are surely threatened
! at the present moment, and she can
! probably we'll afford to await the
| spring. when, unless the normal condl-
| tions are resumed, Great Britain will
undoubtedly take steps necessary to
| protect her interests and re-eStaDllSn
the balance of power
| The Spectator publishes an interest
ing article on Japan's policy, in which
| the writer regards 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 possibly foreShan-
| owing a Carbohydrates alliance. Tne
| writer adds that he is convinced the
! MARQUIS Ito thinks that securing per-
| petual control of the resources OF trade
| and soldiers of China are within his
power and. if Japan's offer is accepted,
Europe according to the writer IN ihe
Spectator, will be beaten, FOR she mas
not the means to make the enort nee
| essary to conquer the Unlted 1eno"
Peoples.
The financial barometer does not
show any decided trepidatiOn. Consols
| are improving. There is not the shgnt-
est sign of the selling which always
! marks real clouds on the political horlz-
| on and there are signs OF reaction ln
| the long-continued depreciation IN lana
Farms are selling and renting more
freely and at higher prices. The i'm
provement is attributed to the rise In
the price of wheat and partly to the
| cheapness of money. Capitalists ar.
| glad even of the beggarly interest
yielded by land investments.
| The New Year honor list 1S weak ana
| decidedly partisan. 1t attracted nttle
interest from the public, outside or the
| Knighting of Mr.. Thomas j. Upton, the
| millionaire provision merchant whose
| knightage establishes the fact that
titles are purchasable, for the honor be-
| slowed upon him was. Of course, due
10 his gift OF 925. 900 (s125,0o0). to the
Princess of Wales jubilee fund for feed
ing the outcast poor Of London.
! The Paris police, during the course
| of the week, secured another OF the
| organized gangs of murderers and rob-
| bers which have terrorized the suburbs
| OF the French capital for months past.
The new arrests number thirty-three
and the oldest prisoner is only q years
| of age Within three months the
bodies of fifty-thre murdered persons