The herald., 1898-01-09
No Longer Scares the
British Public
THE BAY HAS NO GREAT VALUE
GERMAN POSSESSION NOT TO BE
EXCLUSIVE
Silver Agitation Frightens the Eng-
lish Investors Away-old World
Political and Personal Gossip
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
LONDON, Jan. S.-(Copyright 1889
The disclosure of the details and terms
Of the acquisition Of Kiao Chau bay by
Germany momentarily scared the Brit
ish public, which. however, now re-
CARDS Germany's move with all the more
equanimity as, in the opinion of persons
intimately acquainted with China, Kiao
Chau bay is of little commercial value
pense for the German Jamesoners."
If the harbor had been commercially
valuable, it is pointed out, 1t would long
ago have been a treaty port, but 1t Is
said to be completely overshadowed by
the close proximity of f1ourishing Che
Foo. The province of Shan Tung, it Is
added, Is entirely agricultural and
hardly able to support its population,
while the strategic value of Kiao Chau
bay can be inferred by the fact that
Russia, In spite of the Casini treaty, al
lowed Germany to occupy it. Alto
gether Kiao Chau bay is not likely to
prove bed of roses.
The British government maintains a
sphinx-like reserve regarding Chinese
affairs, and there are no further reve-
lations of it's intentions since the state
ment made by the Manchester Guardian
on Jan. 3, which was unquestionably the
official view of the situation.
conclusive illustration of the atti-
tude of the British government Is fur
nished by the presence Of warships Of
Great Britain at Chemulpo and Port
Arthur, and it is likely to be further
demonstrated by the sending of ships to
Kiao Chau bay.
In we'll informed circles 1t is asserted
that it is not likely Great Britain will
formally protest against the lease OF
Kiad Chau bay to Germany, but will
confine herself to the significant hint
given in the movements of her fleet that
she intends to claim an equal share Of
all China's concessions in regard to all
seasports, LEASED or looted" as being
additional treaty ports. AS leading
diplomat remarked to a representative
of the Associated Press, "the statesmen
TO Berlin and st. Petersburg must be
strangely unobservant if they imagine
that either Great Britain, the United
monopoly of the plums."
The Spectator revels in the state
ment that the United States is inclined
to support the British demand that no
exclusive privileges be granted to any
individual power in China, and says:
Nothing short of direct menace of
aggression would tempt any combina-
ton of continental powers to face the
whole Anglo-Saxon race, united and re-
solved"
1t is amusing to notice Russia and
France counting Japan. Both of them
are in deadly fear of her forming an Of
fensive and defensive alliance with
Great. Britain. AS a matter Of fact,
there are things much more unlikely
than the eventual alliance of Great
Britain, China and Japan, and the COM
tingency would acquire still more prob
ability should Great Britain, as it now
seems certain, guarantee Chinese loan.
At the present moment, so far as Great
Britain is concerned, the loan Is the
kernel of the whole question.
A suggestive piece of news Is that
Japan has purchased two cruisers Of
5000 tons each, which have been building
in England for China.
1t is not believed the Chinese loan, il
completed, will effect the market for
silver. AS the money is required to pay
the war indemnity and would not be
sent to China, silver could not be uti-
lized.
THE AFRICAN CAMPAIGN
The official statement that the mill
tary tactics in Egypt are purely defen-
auf a1ftx W
ity is manifested in all quarters. I'M
mense supplies of ammunition and food
are being forwarded to the front and
it is whispered in military circles that
the ministers desire to meet parliament
with Khartoum in their hands, so that
a triumph in Africa may offset the
blunders in India. Even with the live
lest efforts, however, the time inter-
vening will hardly suffice for a coup in
the Soudan.
The Anglo Egyptian force consists of
$4,000 Egyptians, thirty battalions of
British troops and the Nile gunboats,
all commanded by the sirdar, Sir Her.
bert Kitchener. The latter refuses to
allow the war correspondents to go be-
yond the head of the railway.
A letter has been received from
British officer serving in the Soudan,
who says that since July the Dervishes
have killed over 1000 of the Jaalin tribe.
and he adds that the women and child
rem who are homeless and starving num-
Der 5000 souls.
CURRENCY QUESTIONS
The Statist expresses the opinion that
the fact that a resolution has been in
troduced in congress to pay the interest
on the United States debt either in geld
or silver indicates that there Is little
chance of any reform of the currency By
the present congress, "in spite of Sec
rotary Cages confidence" and regrets
that under the circumstances 1t Is
obliged to continue cautioning British
ers against investing in America until
the currency question is settled. The
Statist further remarks:
''Under ordinary circumstances we