The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-02
Foreign Officers Say Little About
the Eastern Situation.
MOST OF IT Is GUESS WORK
England Is Biding Her Time and VIII
Act Vigorously at the Proper Mo-
ment- Russia Gets Check
in Corea.
,onvrleht 49, hv Assnclnted press.

far East is remarkable Five-siXths of
the statements can be safely labeled
guess work. The British and Russian
foreign offices are as dumb az oysters
and the German stream OF conflicting
communications in the sami-official press
shows they do not know which foot they
are standing on. France is apparently
dark, while the mikado has dissolved
the Japanese diet in order that opin-
ions should not ne expressed. Under the
circumstances IL is not strange that ac-
curate information IS difficult To secure
The known facts wholly cnrrohorate
the statements Cahled to the associated
press ON Saturday last Chat Great Brit
ain IL carefully Watching the situation.
bidng her time. and viii certainly not
fail to act promptly and vigorously at
the proper moment.
Ii was pointed out in that dispatch
that in well-informed circles the scare
in the newspapers in regard to the East
was al least premature and that the
members Of the government We're evt-
IDENTIFY sincere in disclaiming the least
alarm This view of the case was prac-
tieally reiterated by the Daily Graphic
on Friday, which asserted that there
was every reason To believe the Rus
slams would adhere to their pledge to
evacuate Port Arthur at the end Of the
winter, and therefore that there was no
ground for complaint on the part Of
Great Britain
The Daily Graphic further pointed out
that the British government did not re-
gard the occupation of kiao Chau by
the Germans as calling fou action. be-
cause British interests We're not threat
ened. Both the foreign office ana the
admiralty, according To- the Daily
Chronicle, We're agreed on this point
Evidently apart from the question Of
Ia. 4 Hhipagp 1nnu tho *
more Interesting for Great Britain al the
present moment than the questions Of
Port Arthur and kiao Chau, principally
because the Marquis of Salisbury sees
in the attempt to Gust MacI.evy Brown.
the British superintendent of Co
reau customs, more serious scheme
to oVerturn Sir Robert Hart. the British
director of Chinese imperial maritime
customs. which has apparently been
nipped in the bud.
The cabinets existence would be short
if il permitted Russia to coefce the Chi
nese foreign office into dismissing the
British head of the Chinese customs.
1t is not known yet whether the Brit
ish government Will approve of the ar
engagements arrived at. according to a
cable dispatch from Pekin. by which
MacLevy Brown and NJ. Aiexeiff, the
Russian agent in Corea. Will work the
Corean customs together.
The British minister appears 10 be
somewhat distrustful SO the Warships Of
Great Britain, which are AT present at
chemuipo, the port Of Seoul, in order
to give moral support to MIR Brown,
Will remain there for the present.
At present there is interest in com
mercal circles over the outcome of the
efforts of Russia To secure a Chinese
loan on the onerous terms admitted by
the Pekin correspondent of the Times,
who said the Chinese government re-
fused To place the lillin international
reVenues) under foreign control as se
curity for the loan proposed by the
Hong Kong and Shanghai bank, and
asserted that unless the loan was pro-
durable without this condition, de-
mand will forthwith be made for a
Russian guaranteed per cent loan Of
| 100, 600, 900 taelS To be issued nj 20 net
The security for this loan would be the
! land tax. which would remain under
/ the Chinese administration, and China
| in return would give Russia the mo-
| nopoly of the railroads and lines north
| of the great wall. open port as a
| terminus Of the siberian railway and
would agree that a Russian should sue
| coed Sir Robert Hart as director of the
| Chinese imperial maritime customs.
| The interest is increased by the equally
1 strenuous endeaNors of the British in
1 China to prevent Russia from obtaining
I the loan and the rich concessions which
| go with it, 1t is probable that the
! British government viii recede from ills
| previous refusal To guarantee China
! financial support. although offered con-
! cessions apparently showing that Great
! Britain's policy is not territorial ag-
grandizement. but distinctly CONNER
/ cial
! 4 diplomat talking over the alleged
desire of Germany To AIRY" AZ an I'M
4 derstanding with Great Britain on the
Far Eastern question. explains that
/ the change might be due to Germany :
dissatisfaction with her allies. Her
faith In the Italian army has been
shaken by it's defeats III Erytherea, and
\ the collapse OF the constitutional gov
eminent of Austria has made the ef-
ficiency Of that empire in case Of war
I doubtful.
I'm the meanwhile" the diplomat
7 continued. Russia and France are al
/ lied and Emperor William ia anxious
/ To secure his portion. Therefore. See
ing the probability Of an understand
ing between Great Britain and Japan,
Emperor William Is determined to ar
ray himself on their side Hence his
seizures Of port already hypothetical
To Russia. thereby proclaiming rivalry
with Russia and friendship with Great
Britain. II ~ 10y no means clear thar
British interests are seriously threat
ened al the present moment. and she
can probably well afford 70 await tho
"
tions are resumed. Great Britain viii
undoubtedly take the steps necessary
IL protect her interests and re-estabtisl
the balance of power
The Spectator publishes an interest
ing article on Japans policy in which
the writer regards the Marquis Ito's re-
turn u power and Japans offer To as
sist the officers at Pekin In drilling the
Chinese army. and her proposal 10 con
sent to pUstp onement of the pdymen
Of the war indemnity. as possibly fore
shadowing a China Japan alliance. Tit
financial barometer does not show any
trepidation. consols even improving
There is not the slightest sign OF the
selling which always marks real move
ment in the political horizon, and there
are signs Of reaction in the long-contin
ued depreciation in land. The improve
ment is attributed partly to the rise II
the price OF wheat and partly 10 th'
| eheapness of money. Capitalists ar
glad even OF the heggardly interes