Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-04-06
England Claims to Have
Reaped Good Harvest.
Her Acquisitions Considered
Equal to Those of Russia.
The Car Having Put His I'M
periaI Seal on Port Arthur,
The Queen Balances Matters by
Promptly Securing Wei-Hai-We.
Mr. BaIfour Explains EngIand's Policy
to House of Commons.
China May 0isintegrate But Great Britain
Will Watch the Process

London. April THE House of Com
mons was crowded. today, with people
anxious to hear the statement of Mr..
Balfour, acting secretary of state for for
eign affairs, on the situation in the Far
East. The galleries were filed and in
the distinguished strangers gallery were
many diplomats inclu ling United States
Ambassador Hay. Mr.. Balfour, who was
loudly cheercd on rising, enumerated the
concessions obtained by Great Britain
namely that the region of the Yang-Tsc-
kianc should not be alienated by aDy
foreign power, that the successor of Sir
Robert as director of the Chinese imperial
maritime customs is to be an English
man. and that access to the inland wa
ters is to be had by ships of all nations
fourth concession. Mr.. Balfour con-
unued, was received only a day or two
ago, namely the opening of three new
treaty ports, Funing, Yochau and Chin
Wang. This, according to Mr.. Balfour
was considerable harvest for two months
negotiations.
Relative 10 the German acquisitions of
railroads. Mr. BaIfour said that wherever
they Were constructed they must be a
'''ttlit ~ I'illiSH tbUlHttlct. lie preferred
railroads and dfferential duties to no
railroads and no duties. Later Mr. Bal
tour sail he believed neither Germany nor
Russia had any intention of depriving
Great Britain of any of her treaty rights
in China.
Mr. Balfour said that Russia having
secured lort Arthur. on the maritime ap-
preach 70 Pekin. Great Britain had Sc
cured Wei-Hai-Wei to balance matters.
Said he:
We offered, if they would abstain from
taking Port Arthur. to ourselves give Il
corresponding pledge to take no port on
the gulf of Pc Chilli. But our offer was
not accepted. 50. on March %, we in
formed Russia that we should hold our
selves free to take the necessary steps to
safeguard our interests. and Great Bri-
lain has since obtained q lease of Wal
Ha1-Nf fi on the same terms as those by
which Russia secured Port Arthur. Wei
Hai-Wci is the only port on the gulf of
Pc Chilli which might balance the posses
sion Of Port Arthur. The negotiations
have already borne rich fruit in the in
tercst of our commerce and the mainte-
nance of our prestige at Pekin.''
Relative to the security of the future
Mir Raifour said it could not he denied
that the indications were that China
might collapse and with further decay.
fragments might he snapped up by vari-
uus powers, but ii would he a mistake to
allow Great Britains policy to be gov
erned by remote contingencies. adding
We desire to maintain the integrity of
I nina 50 far as possible. but it must be
recollected that the future will probably
have strange surprises in store ] be-
H@Ne the time may come when the great
commercial powers will join in an alliance
to prevent China falling d prey to any
exclusive influence, and / am convinced
that Great Britain. by continuing her
present uns"l1ish policy of opening to all
which it secures for herself. will build up
in Europe and not the least in America
2 body of public international opinion
which will be more powerful than any
hasty action Great Britain might take at
the present moment"
Sir VIM. Vernon Harcourt, the Liberal
leader in the House, replied to Mr.. Bal
four. He spoke satirically of the policy
of the open door and asked the reason
for the change of policy He said the
reaty of Ten Tsin gave British ships the
right to use any port in China and he
expressed the desire to know specifically
y Ahether that right was to be infringed.
The Liberal leader concluded with call
nG for information regarding the inten-
ions of Russia, Germany and France,
md as to the relations between Great
Britain and Japan in view of the formers
ease of Wei-Ilai-Wei.