The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
CHINA AND THE POWERS.
,reIlyD TARDILY AWlKES 10
PROTECT Hen INTERESTS

Is,,., Her-HnEiaud viii NEVER Agree "
inclusive German Expiettatisn sr Any Psrt
=, Ch,sa-Ne LiEht Upeu Russ,au Attitude
Ara Piaus-TaiE or the loudsn Cluhs,
Special Cable Ds,potcA to Tue SUE.
Yoxpos. Jan. e.-The far Eastern crisis still
.,,,badows all other public questions through
AMI Europe. There 10 the widest variety Of
.,r,Iops OF the latest diplomatic situation, all
equally lacking in official authority. The only
so,D, that is clear 10 that Great Britain, after
,,,,ipg several opportunities 70 protect her
,,,sr,sts. is now anxious to do 90 at q cost many
times multiplied snce the inception Of the
present crisis.
,,.,encc is to the effect that Germany and Great
pritain have reached an understanding TO the
acct that Germany shall have o FREQ hand at
Ki.o Chou, and England shall deal az che likes
With the Transvaal. But there 10 strong In
herept improbability in this story. Another
perlIn piece OF information is moro interesting.
This is to the effect that the Emperor. on his
own responsibility, gave an order. more than
three months ago. to Krupp for the armament
Of s~hipyards for vessels called for In tho naval
proeramme, which has not yet been voted upon
by tho Reichstag. This story will probably b
dlQicO. DVb ~ tVA SANdSbSe 81
usually well informed. 1t fully explains the
necessity for Germany's h~igh-handed policy in
China and Hayti. for such action By the Elm
peror Is q gross violation Of the Constitution
ana he was compelled TO produce . sltuation
which will practically force the Reiohstag TO
vote the naval programme which no demands.
Otherwise he would be left in q fatal dilemma.
The report also suggests significant specula-
tons regarding tho roa0ons for tho Emperor's
great haste TO push forward naval construction
before being authorized TO do 90 BY the country.
Asensational report 10 current tonight 10 the
effect that England 10 about to send out another
flying squadron. stronger even than the one
equipped. at q few days notice, just two years
ego, for Emperor williams contemplation.
This suggests su efficient reason for the imperial
anxiety at Berlin. When the Germans seiSed
Kiao Chou Bay, England protested. al. 10 already
known, but It was not known until to-day that
the German Government gave certain assur-
hnoes which ordinary persons would call
extremely vague, but which in the language Of
diplomacy would DO described as satisfactory.
To-day II is learned that those assurances by
no means square with the terms oEthe bargain
secured BY Germany. A fresh protest, therefore.
will have 70 be made from London, and 1t 10
doubtless for the purpose Of hearing Lord Sails
bury's new note and of, discussing tho scheme
for guaranteeing the Chinese loan that the
Ministers met to-day.
It Is likely that tho German Foreign Once has
armed itself with presidents for "the lease Of
royerelgnty Z" which forms the basis Of the Chi
nese arrangement, but. a. far as aSceRtainod.
Lord Salisbury is unable to ind one, and this
will stifren his hack, for he 10 essentially ortho-
dox In diplomatic methods. Foreign Once ex-
perts arc agreed that the lease 10 elastic enough
10 enable Germany to exploit tho whole Of the
denbsly populated ishantune peninsula. ana
German exploitation means keeping every
body else out To this, 1t 10 necessary
70 repeat, upon undisputabie authority. England
viii never agree. That 10 why preparations
have been made for calling out the naval re-
serve It 10 nearly . fortnight since the an
nouncement that such preparations had been
made. and IL rename uncontradicted for the
reason thatit was virtually made at the request
Of the Government itself. THE Sun is now able
to complement the original statement by the
announcement that the mobilization ~plans'have
been sent to the naval commanders at Chatham,
sheerness. Portsmouth. and Davenport. Doubt
less the British ~stations abroad have beenisimi-
Afly Instructed. but TIE SuN's informant can
answer only for the homo stations.
The fullest confirmation comes to-day, from
Rome Of Italy's determination to show that she
10 interested in any political or commercial deal
In the far East. Two italian warships are under
dsrstood 10 DO already on the way TO Chinese
waters. and, according u the Corriere della
6srG. the cruisers Marco Polo. BauSan, and
Etna are under orders 10 start eastward at short
notice. The opinions Of the Popolo Romano
and other newspaper1. some Of which are well
known to BIO in the confidence Of the italian
Premier, agree that tho situation In the far East
10 full Of grave possibilities, and that the
powers concerned are at skies and sevens. Tho
Popolo Romano declares hat the position is 90
dangerous that . oonnagration may break out
tany moment, and It therefore behooves Italy
TO exercise unoeasinR watehfulness and prepare
herself for any eventually.
The probability 10 that the irst authoritative
announcement by a member OF the British Gov
ernment will be made on Monday evening, when
Nj. Balfour will make q speech to his con-
satuents at Manchester. The only official state
ment since tho crisis began was issued By tho
Admiralty o week ago respecting the position Of
some British ships on the China station. That
communication accounted for only nino Of the
thlfty.four warships then on the China station.
The positionS Of the others may possibly bo
Guessed after Mr.. Balfour has made h 0 speech.
There 10 an unconnrmed rumor to-day that Mr..
hLfour has just cancelled his Manchester on
segment. II this were true It would DO porten-
teas, for It would tell tho country that tho
situation 10 90 grave that 1t 10 unwtse for .
Minister TO discuss II publicly.
VI all tho curious rumors which have been
current this week In connection with the Chi
hese business the Qneerest 10 surely the one
which declared that Prince Henry's tiny squad
ron Of two ships 10 being secretly followed all
through its long voyage to Kiao Chou by three
British warships. The rumor has not found Its
way into the newspapers. but has taken posses
MON OF the West End clubs. social, naval and
military, and any man refusing to believe II
lays himself open to a suspicion Of treason. Tho
suggestion. OF course, is that the position Is 80
ETHICAL that before Prince Henry gets TO China
nere will be war between England and Ger
many, In which event the Deutschland and
eshon would forthwith b gobbled up BY those
MYSTERIOUS, shadowing warships.
There Is no light as yet upon the Russian atti-
.eae and plans in the far East. and. as long as
'ais feature continues mysterious, there can be
no real knowledge Of the Eastern situation. A
berlin correspondent sends a version of the
origin OF The Kiao Chou affair. which confirms
se eHrrent story. II said that whom Emperor