The herald., 1898-02-06
Exists Only in Editorial
Imagination
ORIENTAL TRADE is WANTED
FOR 1T ENGLAND Is WILLING TO
FIGHT
Parliament Assemblies This Week
and the Session Has Matters of
Importance on Hand

Associated Press Special Wire
LONDON, Feb. 5.-(Copyright. 1881
IT is probable that but little further re-
liable information regarding China Will
be obtained until the ministers have
chance to sound their assailants dur
ing the course Of the debate in parlia-
ment on the address in reply to the
speech from the throne. The explicit
statement Of the situation furnished
TO the Associated Press on Thursday
last is, however, sufficient insight into
the facts. and shows that the press has
wasted a considerable amount of hyster-
lcal alarm which. curiously enough, is
more prevalent among the government
supporters than among the opposition
papers. After ALL the perturbation will
not have been wasted if it serves to con-
vince the government of the terrible
earnestness of the country over the mat
ter and how it will resent any weakness
or bungling.
1t must be remembered that the whole
Talen Wan story never received
shadow of official sanction AS cabled to
the Associated fTtSS VII iui sNAS ioos
Great Britain has never demanded that
Talien Wan be made treaty port. 1t
was merely one of the suggested con-
stituents of the bargain and If 1t should
be withdrawn it can only be because 1t
is a barrier to the negotiations for the
loan.
The object of the condition was to
checkmate any scheme for the trans
formation of Port Arthur into closed
Russian port, and the object was equal
| ly secured by exacting' from China and
Russia together pledge in regard to
Port Arthur similar to the pledge eX-
acted from them in regard to Korea be-
fore the evacuation of Port Hamilton,
and. THIS VIII probably be the upshot
The semi official statements distinctly
point, thereto, notably the specific as
surance early in the week in regard to
the temporary nature of the Russian oc-
cupation of Fort Arthur, which was ac-
companied by the friendly assurance
that Great Britain is not bound to Japan
by any warlilke alliance. In short, there
is every reason to believe that Great
Britain does not intend to recede an inch
from the position which has been official
ly taken up by Messrs. Balfour Cham
berlain and Hicks-Beach in the name
of the marquis of Salisbury.
| Henry Norman, bitter opponent OF
the government writes in the Daily
Chronicle that it would be unfair to
criticise the marquis Of Salisbury so long
as he maintains the treaty of Tien Tsin
of 1856, and adds:
'In this demand we are irresistible.
A ha nf the V'nitp1 States
have learned that we are not the land
grabbers, gold seizers or monopoly
hunters which some Of the western SEN
ators and Irish politicians represent us
to be. They have realized that our aims
are theirs. What we want they want
free access to the great untouched mar
kets of the far east. They desire COM
merce untrammeled by the jealousies
military and political, Of the continental
nations. That is precisely what we are
ready to fight for, to secure for our
selves and them. Japan, who will fight
Russia some day, as surely as tomorrow
sun rises, is, by necessity, on our side
The Germans, in spite of the political
intrigues of their government, are also
with us: and sooner or later France will
give way, or we must fight her The
hour has arrived to permanently settle
the Chinese question with Russia. The
British were never before so aroused
and should we yield we shall lose the
chance of at least standing shoulder tc
shoulder with other English-speakine
great nations. We should wait quietly
until Lord Salisbury tells US how the
game is going and when he has spoken
tha court should know what to say anC
do"