The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-05
ENGLANDS POLICY FIXED.
GERALD BALFoUR SAYS THERE HAS
BEEN No RETREAT.

CnfAktuK - NuO ~ YIN
THAT they Have Not Departed In the small
eat Particle from tho Policy Outlined
so Bravely by Their Cabinet ministers.
Special Cable Despatch to The Sun.
LONDON. Feb. 4.-Tho Government has broken
,ts silence with the Wow of allaying tho ferment
caused By its supposed backdown in the matter
of Tallenwan, although 1t has not divulged any
thing TO throw light on the true position In tho
far East. Mr.. Gerald Baifour. Chief Secretary
for ireland. happening to BIO the first member of
tho Government TO make a public speech since
Tho outbreak, was authorized by Lord Salisbury
70 make q statement ct Leeds this evening. Tho
following are tho principal passages OF Mr..
Balfour's speech:
"Rumors and suspicious have boon given cur
rency to the effect that the Government 10
hinching from the firm position 1t had taken on
the Chinese question; that 1t was abandoning
the principles to which 1t had given public
utterance, and that the brave words Of the
Ministers were only o preparation for sur
render or retreat. / can say with conf
dence that these rumors. which even
have been accepted In quarters where one
might have thought moro confidence would
have been placed in the wisdom and courage of
her Majesty's advisers. are without foundation.
uoud cheers.l 1t is not true that the Govern
ment have In the smallest particular departed
from their declared policy in the far East, or
that they have, in consequence Of pressure from
any other power, yielded any of our just claims.
The considerations which govern that policy
have been stated clearly to the public by more
than one Cabinet Minister. To those DECLARE
tions the Government adhere"
Mr.. Balfour recalled the statements made by
his brother, Mr.. Arthur j. Balfour, First Lord
Of the Treasury, in his recent speech at Manches.
ter, and these statements he reasserted with en-
phasis. He declared that the Government did not
desire to possess any of China's territory except
such points as might be necessary for strategical
purposes. the reason being that they did not de-
sire to have q second India on their hands,
To annex Chinese territory would simply
be to accept an immense additional burden,
without corresponding advantage. Great Brit.
aims treaty rights secured equality of oppor-
tunity for trade. and she could not secure more
II she assumed charge of n hundred million
Cinnamon. Continuing, Mr.. Balfour said:
$50 long as our treaty rights are protected,
and so long as the Government make no condi-
lions by which these rights would be leopard.
lied, 30 long tho Government are entitled to
the confidence of the nation. and so long. I be-
lieve, they will retain that confidence.
tCheers.l
A to the negotiations going on in connection
with the proposed loan to China am not in pos.
session of any secrets and l cannot impart any,
but I hope the public will realize that the effect
Of impatience and premature criticism is only to
embarrass the Minister Of Foreign Affairs and
Increase the difficulty of his task"
Nj. Balfour urged the public to cultivate a
Wholesale scepticism Of any unauthorized state
ments with reference to the negotiations, and.
above all, not to make any differences from the
fact that the statements made by newspapers
are neither denied nor affirmed by the Minis
tiers. 49,
Negotiations Of this kind. he declared. are
necessarily Of a delicate and critical character,
and to either affirm or deny unauthorized
statements that may appear would necessarily
produce q false impression. Tho silence,
therefore. Of the Ministers on this subject
is not to be taken either as affirming or deny
ing what is said. The time has not yet come for
statements concerning the negotiations which
have taken place and which are still taking
place. In the meantime / am sure you will rest
satisfied with the assurance. which ] now repeat,
that 1t is not the intention of the Ministers to
Seceie in any way from the declarations of pol
r. they have made.
The Daily NelrS (LiberaD, commenting on Mr..
Balfour's speech. says it doubts whether the
lecture. which was delivered in the tones of q
Bchoolmaster speaking more in sorrow than in
anger, will be successful in allaying the discon-
tent of tho Governments supporters. although
on its merits 1t was sensible enough. The paper
adds:
THE distrust of the Tories of their heaven
sent Foreign Secretary seems too firmly planted
% be shaken by mere scoldings."
The Standard TORY is not appeased by Mr..
Balfours speech. 1t again appeals to Lord Sal.
tsbury to take the nation into his confidence,
and declares 1t is convinced that good rather
than harm will result therefrom. The paper
contends that when Parliament meets the Gov
eminent will DO pressed for the facts. and says
that more hindrance will be caused the negotia-
tons by piecemeal Interrogation and official
evasion than by o business-like description of
the position.
The Standard evidently fears that the Gov
eminent is hedging with the different interpre.
tations that can be placed upon its declared
What the nation wants is not SO much a
minute narrative of what has passed at the
knreercornered conferences with the Tsung-Ii-
hamen as a precise, intelligible explanation OF
me sense in which Lord Salisbury understands
She principle formulated by the members of the
The Times dismisses the speech with q brief
eiluslon, declaring that Mr.. Balfour does not
Throw much new light on the subject.