The record-union., 1898-02-06
Unnecessary Alarm Over the fallen
Wan Incident.
Was Only TO checkmate a Scheme to Make
Port Arthur a Closed Port.


sition Which Has Been Off,
cial1y Taken Up by Balfour,
Chamberlain and Hicks-Beach.
LONDON, Feb. 5 Copyrighted 1898
by the Associated Pres9.-It is prob
able that but little further reliable infor-
nation regarding China will be obtained
until the Ministers have a chance to
sound their assailants during the course
of the debate in Parliament on the ad-
dress in reply to the speech from the
throne. The explicit statement of the
situation furnished to the Associated
Press on Thursday last is, however, suf-
ficient insight into the facts, and shows
that the press has wasted considerable
amount of hysterical alarm, which, Curl
ously 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 convince the Government
of the terrible earnestness of the coun-
try over the matter, and how it will re-
sent any weakness or bungling.
1t must be remembered that the whole
Talien Wan story never received
shadow of official sanction. AS cabled
ITO the Associated Press on Thursday
last, Great Britain has never demanded
that Taiien Wan be made treaty port
It was merely one of the suggested con-
stituents of the bargain, and if it should
be withdrawn it can only be because 1t
is barrier to the negotiations for the
loan. The object of the condition was to
checkmate any scheme for the transfer
nation of Port Arthur into a closed
Russian port, and the object was equally
secured BY exacting from China and
Russia together a pledge in regard to
Fort Arthur similar to the pledge eX-
acted from them in regard to Corea be-
fore the evacuation of Port Hamilton,
and this will probably be the upshot
The semi-official statements distinctly
point thereto, notably the specific assur-
ance early in the week in regard to tenn
porary nature of the Russian occupation
of Port Arthur. which was accompanied
by the friendly assurances that Great
Britain is not bound to Japan by any
Warlike alliance. In short, there is
every reason to believe that Great Brl-
tain does not intend to recede an inch
from the position which has been Off
cially taken UP by Messrs. Balfour,
Chamberlain and Hicks-Beach, in the
name of the Marquis of Salisbury.
In the course of an interesting address
at Bradford, before the Chamber OF
Commerce of that place on Thursday
last. the United States Consul, Erastus
S. Day, applauded the Marquis of Sails
burys doctrine of free trade in China.
TIe said that America had every SYM
pathy with it, and that the people OF
Great Britain and the United States
ought to lead in shaping the world s
thought and action. Continuing, he
said they sought the opportunity to
achieve great things; would they unite
to achieve lasting benefits to them
selves and to the world?
Speaking of the tariff, Mr.. Day said
the overwhelming preponderance of SEN
timent in the United States was in favor
Of the protective theory. The Wilson
bill, he added, had sickened the people
of the tariff for revenue only theory,
ana that it would not be wise for the
manufacturers of Bradford to hope for
the speedy enactment of another Wilson
bill, (which closed too many mills in the
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 added:
I'm this demand we are irresistible.
At last the people of the United States
have learned that we are not the land
grabbers, gold sellers or monopoly
hunters which some of the Western
Senator'S and Irish politicians represent
us. 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
commerce untrammeled by the jealous
les, military and political, of the con-
tinentai nations. That is precisely what
We are ready to fight for, to secure for
ourselves and for them. Japan, who
will fight Russia some day, as surely
as to-morrow's sun rises, is by neces-
sity on our side. The Germans, in spite
of the political intrigues of their Gov
eminent, are also with US, and sooner
or later France will give way, or we
must fight her The hour has arrived
ton with Russia The British were
never before SO aroused, and should we
yield we shall lose the chance Of at
least standing shoulder to shoulder with
other English-speaking great nations
We should wait quietly until Lord
Salisbury tells us how the game is go
ing, and when he has spoken the court
should know what to say and do
There will be an unusually determin-
ed attempt during the coming session
Of Parliament to carry the womens
suffrage bill. 1t has no prospect of
success, however, until the question as
sumes the form of a Government bill.
The .'Statist' says that the wheat
crop of India promises splendidly. The
cutting will begin during the present
month, and it will be shipped at the
end of March or early in April, thus
immensely benefiting Europe at the
time American supplies are low
The .'Statist" further remarks that it
is expected Australia will be in a POI
sition to export a great deal more wheat
than expected.
Lady Violet Greville, whose tips on
the fashions are always accepted as
gospel writes from Paris saying that
velvet will reign supreme in the fash
ionable world this spring. She says:
Velvet, in every style, shape and color,
black, cornfiower, blue, sapphire, silver
gray, shot with gold and a host of
other startling shades" Continuing,
Lady GreviIle describes a number of
yal.yaf opc4,1YunS which aya ho;,,o mo n O