The San Francisco call., 1898-04-10
OPEN PORTS IN CHINA.

D ALFOUR'S speech in the Commons on Tues F day night the fullest and dearest utterance - that has yet been given by the British Ministry on the situation in China and the attitude taken by Great Britain toward the aggressions of Rus sia As was to have been. expected Bafour claims complete victory for British diplomacy, and after making every allowance for the inevitable exaggera- ton of party leader defending party achievements, 1t appears he has good reasons for his claim.
 According to Bafour Great Britain has obtained from China four important concessions The Chinese Government agrees that the vast and populous re zion of the Yang-tse- Kiang shall never be alenated 10 foreign power that the director Of the Chinese imperial customs shall be an Englishman. that access to the inland waters of China shall be free equal terms to the ships Of all nations and that three treaty ports-Funing, Yochau and Chin Wang-shall be open to commerce These concessions, ii main taned with rnness will constitute an effective bar rier against excessive Russian domination in China, and Mir Baiour justly pronounced them "a consider able harvest for two months negotiations
 All of these concessions, with the exception of that granting the control of imperial customs Eng lishman. oi much value to other nations to Great Britain herself They certainly oi value the United States. and particularly the Pacific Coast They secure to freedom of trade with China and give us chance to expand our commerce there on the same terms with other peoples and how impor- tant that may be IS now rapidly becoming understood throughout the country.
 In view of the fact that these concessions have been obtained avowedly an offset 10 Russian move rnents and may be regarded with hostility by that country 1t is interesting consider the prospects oi their maintenance It is thing to gain sdran- tages by diplomacy but quite different one to up- hold them at the risk and peril of war Accordingly
  firm if Russia should continue to advance under a threat of and should be joined in the threat by Germany.
 Baliour did not directly answer that question but certain portions oi his speech show what the will be when the time comes to make t. He stated .ha, the Russian Government having refused so ab- stain from taking Port Arthur. Grea, Britain hs. de- cded 10 take the port oi We;Eai-wei and iorsiy ii ss means oi preventing the Gulf of Pechiii from, falling under the maritime control 6; "one power Here then. an advanced position taken at the out set and the significance oi i, cannot fail to be under stood The British flag enee hoissed on strong for. siacatieas si Wei-Hai-Wei viii not be hauled down without battle.
 |. Is so be noted. moreover that Bafour does no, expect Great Britain will have to fight aIene the Wal for free eefts in China lie declared sn earnest con- yiesea that the great commercial powers will IeH h sn alliance ts prevent China falling prey to any es siasiss influence, and that by pursuing sn unssAsh policy sad eeenHg is all what she secures for heT- self Crest Britain would build un beth In Eafsee and ia AasEiss body ei international Pubs seaisa tha would be sufficiently powerful se supeeFt her ia the ssufss shs has taken. This view seems ia be sound fhs markets e China must be seea eH equal terms te si sad sa isRs 6Fsas Britain stands fer that polls, shs ~ii Ret lack fer friends sa either side ef ths essaa.