The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-02

London, Jan. 1.-(Copyrighted, 1888, by
the Associated Press. 1.-THE ingenuity
displayed in manufacturing news from
the far east is remarkable. Five-sixths
of the statements can be safely Ia
~fDeled guesswork. The British and Rus
sian foreign offices are as dumb as
oysters and the German stream OF con-
f1icting communications in the semi
official press shows they do not know
which foot they are standing on.
France is apparently in the dark, while
the mikado has dissolved the japanese
diet in order that opinions should not
be expressed. Under the circumstances
it is not strange that accurate informa-
ton is difficult to secure.
The known facts wholly corroborate
the statements cabled to the Associated
Press on Saturday last that Great
Britain is carefully watching the sit
uation, biding her time, and will GER
tajniy not fail to act promptly and
vigorously at the proper moment.
PREMATURE SCARE
It was pointed out in that dispatch
that in well informed circles the scare
in the newspapers in regard to the east
was at least premature, and that the
members OF the government were evil
IDENTIFY sincere in disclaiming the least
alarm. This view Of the case was
practically reiterated by the Daily
Graphic on Friday. which asserted that
there was every reason to believe the
Russians would adhere to their pledge
to eVacuate Port Arthur at the end of
the winter, and that therefore there
was no grounds for complaint on the
part of Great Britain. The Daily
Graphic further pointed out that the
British government did not regard the
occupation of KiaO-Chau bay by the
Germans as calling for action, because
British interests were not threatened.
Both the foreign Office and the admi-
rally, according to the Daily Graphic,
were agreed on this point.
COREAN QUESTION.
Evidently, apart from the question of
the Chinese loan, the Corean question
is more interesting for Great Britain at
the present moment than the questions
of Port Arthur and Kiao-Chau, prin-
cipally because the Marquis of Sails
bury sees in the attempt to Gust J.
MacLeavy Brown, the British superin-
tendent OF Corean customs, a more ser (
ious scheme to Overturn Sir Robert /
Hart the British director of the Chi
nese imperial maritime customs, which /
The cabinets existence would be short /
if ii permitted Russia to coerce the I
Tsung Ii Yamen (Chinese foreign office |
into dismissing the British head of the !
Chinese customs.
It is not known yet whether the Brit /
ish government will approve of the ar 1
rangements arrived at according TO a I
cable dispatch from Pakin. by which t
Mr.. McLeavy Brown and II A'a~iae'
the Russian agent in Corea, will work
the Corean customs together.
The British ministers appear TO be (
somewhat distrastful, so the warships (
Of Great Britain, which are at present
at Chemulpo. the port of Seoul, in order
to give moral support to Mr.. Brown,
Will remain there Tor the present.
RUSSIAN OFFER OF LOAN.
At present there is keen interest in
commercial circles over the outcome of
the efforts of Russia to secure a Chi
nese loace on the Onerous terms at
tempted by the Pezin correspondent of
the Times, who said the Chinese gov
eminent refused TO place the lkiD in
ternal revenues) under foreign control
as security fOr the loan proposed by the
Hong Kong ard Shanghai bank, and
asserted that unless the loan was pro-
cur able without this condition a de-
n.and VIII forthwith be made for a
Russian guaranteed / per cent loan of
Itu,UIV.tUy lae-S, 20 De issued at 10 net
The security for this loan would be the
land tax, which would remain under
Chinese administration. and China, in
return, would give Russia the monopoly
OF the railroads and lines north of the
great wall, open q port as a terminus
of the Siberian railway, and would
agree that Russian should succeed
Sir Robert Hart as director of the Chi
nese imperial maritime customs.
r,zoT-rTc.ry DID UyyTIrNTTTnN |.
A diplomat, talking over the alleged
desire OF Germany to arrive at an IN
Outstanding with Great Britain on the
far eastern question, explains that the
change might be due TO Germany's dis
satisfaction with her allies. Her faith
in tie Italian army has been shaken )
by the defeats IN lrytherea, and the
collapse OF The constitutional govern
ment OF Austria has made the effici-
ency Of that empire in case of war
doubtful. IN the meanwhile the dip
Iouaat continued, Russia and France
are allied. and Emperor William is
anxious 70 secure new friends. There
fore, foreseeing the probability of an
understanding between Great Britain :
mined to array himself on their side. /
Hence his seizure Of a port already !
hypothetical 10 Russia, thereby pro-
claiming rivalry with Russia and {
friendship with Great Britain. {
1T is by 10 means clear that British ]
interests are seriously threatened at the Z
present moment, and she can probably {
well afford to await spring, when. IN {
less the normal conditions are resumed
Great Britain viii undoubtedly take the I
steps necessary to protect her interests {
and re-establish the balance of power"
JAPAN'S POLICY.
The Spectator Publishes an interest
ing article on Japan's policy, in which t
The writer regards the MARQUIS Ilo's b
return TO power and Japans offer to t
assist the officers at Pekin IN drilling 5
rhe Chinese army, and her proposal TO 5