The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28
THE NEW BATTLE-GROUND
SCENE OF THE DISPUTES THAT MAY
PROVOKE A GREAT WAR.
Projected Railway Lines in China
That Have Strained the Relations
Between Britain and Russia.
Baltimore Sun.

and from Picking to Hankow. They are
connected by a link already buflt-that from
Picking to Shan-Hai-kwan. Should Russia
gain control Of the two projected lines, she
could divert the trade of China by way of
the transsiberia lire to her own territory.
which Great Britain seeks to prevent. Wei
Hai-Wei, the British stronghold recently ac-
quired from China. is opposite Port Arthur.
kiaochau, Germany's new possession is a
little south of Wei-Hai-Wei and Ta-Lien-
Wan an important Russian port, is on the
same peninsula as Port Arthur.
special dispatch to the Sun from Ocean
City. Md. gives an interview with Major
]. G. Pangborn, in which he discusses in an
interesting manner the Anglo Russian trou-
bies in China. AS a representative of the
Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, he
Gently made an exhaustive investigation of
railways in Asia and he is, therefore par
ticularly qualified to speak on the subject
Major Pangborn is a believer in the future
domination of Russia in Chinese affairs. He
said:
There are at this time so many conces-
sions for railways in China being claimed
as having been received and so great an ex-
tent of plans being exploited having for their
basis inside advantages through which sue
cess is asserted beyond peradventure
that it is difficult TO express an opinion as
to their value beyond that of the paper
upon which they are so glowingly set forth
'"rhe cupidity of the Chinese official has
not been ggerated-cannot be, in fact,
and in granting nothing for something he
is an adept scarcely possible to find the
equal of anywhere. He will agree to any
thing provided he considers the compensa-
ton is in proportion to what may be asked
of him, and with the cash in hand will inn
mediately forget that for which 1T has been
paid.
Il would not give nickel for concessions
for railways or anything else in China
matter how exalted that did not carry with
it Russia's approval This is the situation
to-day it appears to me.
Diplomacy with the Chinese official is to
be everything to everybody so long as it is
confined to voluabe assurances. AS long as
it is not the real thing, the definite delivery
or the conclusive action, there is no ire
concilable commitment in his way of think
ing.
ANOTHER RICHMOND.
England knows-or, at the least did
until comparatively recently-better than
any other country. that what we in this
country would call bull-dozing is positively
the only means of enforcing Chinas official
pledges for anything. There was a time
when England held the club, and she swung
it after u manner so convincing that she not
only acquired nine-tenths of the foreign
commerce of China, but held as well, abso
lutte control of the empires customs de-
partment that she might know all about the
remaining tenth. So it is hard for the Eng
lishman to realize that there is another
Richmond in the field, difficult for him to
believe that the locomotive seems about TO
suppiant the war ship and that it is the
army of Russia and not the navy of Great
Britain that constitutes the present club for
the enforcement Of respect upon the part of
Chinese OfiicialdOm.
NO man knew better the actual value of
the Chinese official assurances that Eng
lands railway plans would receive the con-
sideraton which their Importance merited
than Lord Salisbury himself when formally
conveying them to Parliament. He had to
go through the performance, though as cog
mitigation of the edict granting to Russia
what England sought. that without his club
he wasn't in 1t even @ little bit 1t was
another bluff of Engand's called by Russia,
and the spectacle presented of England
promptly laying down was a realization of
the strategical Importance of Russia's rail
England has unquestionably been aware
for long time that Russias plans encom-
peninsula which is Port Arthur. To have
and to hold Port Arthur and Tai-I.ien-Wan
at its southern extremity and to permit
England to secure a position at Newch-
wang. which is q potent port at the north
west corner of the peninsula, would be what
military men might term a piercing of CEN
ter-rather a usual bit of strategy, | should
say, and one to which of all people the Rus
slams would be the least likely to consent,
especiallyS, with a situation in their own
hands. The attempt to gain Newchwang
through an innocently appearing concession
to an English subject to build railway
thence. was characteristic diplomacy, as
also was Engiand's protest against the Pek-
ing-Hankow railway concession. nominally
Belgian, but in reality Russian, this COM
plicating the purpose for which another
English subject was the figure head.
Vain though it has proved England un-
doubtedly labored under the delusion that
Russia would be content with Manchuria
and Mongolia, and if the MuscovteS came
south war at at al Picking would be about
the limit. Whether or not the conviction
otherwise has been of any appreciate dura-
ton matters little in the stunning realiza-
ton which has recently been forced upon
and eventually annex China-not merely
northern China, but practically the entire
empire In my opinion 1t is the awakening
to the fact that she alone can no more pre-
vent the initiatory than she can the final
moves to this end that is now agitating
England so deeply, and although She as Of
old. instinctiveiy turns to her great navy
and prepares X through force of habit for
action it is more mechanical than inspired,
for its practical impotency in this emer-
gency seems palpable to my mind.
while of unquestioned importance stra-
tegically the Newchwang-Peking-II ankow
line is of greater import commercially
AN AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION.
Let us constitute an object-lesson vita
this continent as the basis. and make it so
comprehensive as to enable through ii an
understanding CT the situation as it exists
In the far East. The topography of the
two great sections of the earth is far from
similar, while the location of controlling
centers is also so unlike as to add to the
difficulties. Still in a number of respects
there are opportunities for bringing home
essential points for a general conception,
and at the risk of and then straning
parallels / will attempt 1t.
Say. as O starter, that the South. mid
die and far Western States of our country
embrace an expanse practically with no
other government than that comprised in
a combination Of men actuated by but two
impulseS-personal gain and fear-the lat
ter melted by dangers threatening the
former. They have no railways to speak of
merely a solitary system of less than a
couple OF hundred miles. For years. under
the domination of Germany 0et us say).
influence is exercised 10 control commerce,
and this efsectually eliminates in German
possession of all customs machinery and
the debating Of the levying of imports and
imposts. Meantime the strictly domestic
interests are undisturbed by Germany the
combination, dubbed the government MAX
ing them its spoils while Germany takes
comparatively all the outside. 1t is a
division maintained only by force of Ger
many's power as a great nation at home
and abroad, with vast means of command
ing respect and with q reputation for re-
sorting 10 powder and shot at the slightest
provocation.
"As time goes by other countries. for ap-
pearance sake. are permitted TO secure COM
mercial privileges, ports are opened 10