The herald., 1898-02-04
ENGLAND STILL ACTS
IN FAVOR OF FREE PORTS IN
THE ORIENT
The Lion Has Certainly Not Backed
Down, Nor Does He Intend
to Do So

to Do So
LONDON, Feb 3.-Some of the after
noon papers today refer to the absence
of Russian and German Ambassadors
from the Marquis of Salisburys regular
Wednesday reception of the diplomatic
corps. as being a disquieting portent.
The heat of the Russian press on the
subject is in no sense shown by the
Russian government in its communca-
tions which have reached the foreign
office. Though Russia has protested
and means to continue to protest in the
stoutest manner against Talien Wan
being opened by British influence, she
will not carry her protest to making it
casus belli. Further, it is by no means
Russia's intention to close China to
other nations in any concessions made
to Russia by China. The irritation in
Great Britain and the disappointment
in the United States over the so-called
backing down of the Marquis of Sails
bury is, therefore, not justified. Great
bIltdlu is dClluS SlIeHuOuSly III ldNoi VI
the free ports in China and hopes sin
cerely to have the moral support of the
United States in this policy. If events
should push Great Britain from this
position at the prospect of defeat there
in. she will ask for the support of
Washington.
On incontrovertible authority the AS
sociated Press learns that Great Britain
has not backed down on the question of
making Talien Wan a free port. The
Marquis of Salisbury, Mr.. Cursor, the
parliamentary secretary of the foreign
office, the Russian ambassador and the
Chinese minister each said yesterday, in
conversation, that they had not heard
of any back down.
The opening of Talien Wan, it is pofnt-
ed out, was never made condition in
sine qua non sense. In the preliminary
negotiations on that subject, the open
ing of Talien Wan was "sketched" in
neutral tints, Great Britain only sug-
gesting it as one condition favoring
speedy completion of the question. She
never demanded it and therefore in no
sense can be said to have backed down,
if the desire was not persisted in. The
Talien Wan question is, however. with
other suggested conditions of the loan,
still being negotiated.
THE CHINESE LOAN
ST. PETERSBURG, Feb 3.-It is as
serted that although NJ. DeWitte the
minister of finance, has ordered a sus-
pension of sales of stock on the mar
ket as a preliminary to issue of Chi
nese loan nothing has yet been decided
upon China, 1T is rumored, now re-
fuses the loan on the ground that Japan
declines to evacuate Wei Hal Wei be-
fore the stipulated time, even if the in
demnity is paid.
NO RESULTS
| PEk1N, Feb. 3.-There have been two
further conferences on the subject Of
the proposed loan but without definite
results.
NAVAL MOVEMENT
SHANGHAI, Feb. 3.-The China Ga
zette says the British Indian. Australian
and Pacific squadrons have been ordered
to be ready to reinforce the fleet in the
Far East, thus giving the British Ad-
miral fleet capable of coping with ANY
combination opposing British policy"
In the meanwhile. adds the China Ga
zette, the British claims in the Yang
Use Kiang will be supported by strong
squadron stationed at Chusan, to which
place two other warships are en- route.
In the event of Russia hoisting her flag
over the forts of Port Arthur, the Brit
ish Admiral has been ordered to raise
the flag over Chusan, and the japanese
will ascend the Yang Use Kiang as soon
as the river rises.
About 1900 Russian artillery and cav
airy and quantities of stores and muni-
tions have arrived at Kirin, the capital
of the Manchurian province of Kirin."
LEFT NO CARDS
| LONDON, Feb. 3.-According to a spe-
cial dispatch from Shanghai, published
today, two British warships entered Port
Arthur yesterday and left without an
choring.
SCHULTZ'S SLAYER EXECUTED
BERLIN. Feb. st was announced
here in a dispatch from Kiao Chau that
the murderer of Schultz, the sentry who
was killed while on duty al Tsimo, has
been executed after trial by a Chinese
court.