The record-union., 1899-11-26
Negotiations Entered Into Between
the Various Powers
Locking TO a More Important International
Agreement Than Yet Mooted.


Treaty Determining Their
Fiscal Policy in China, Based
on Open Door Principle.
Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press)
LONDON, Nov. 25.-As result Of the
United States request to the Powers
for assurances regarding the main
tenance of the open door in China, the
Associated Press is able to say that
negotiations have been entered into
looking into more permanent and i'm
portant international agreement than
yet mooted. Though the greatest offl-
cial reticence is observed at all Tue
capitals regarding the secret movement
there is good ground for believing that
negotiations have reached a hopeful
state.
According to reports current here, in
consequence of Russia and France fail
ing to reply satisfactorily to Washing
toms request, the United States decided
to take up the Chinese question still
more vigorously. The cooperation or
Great Britain to this end, =, is asserted,
was secured, and it is said, upon the
initiative of the United States, efforts
were set on foot to secure not only the
assurances to the United States, but
definite agreement between the Euro :
pean Powers themselves. Such an un
derstanding to the average European
statesman has long seemed utoplan,
yet to-day the Associated Press is in
formed on good authority that there are
fair chances of Great Britain, Russia,
Germany and Japan, in conjunction
with the United States, becoming sigma
tories to treaty delimitating the
spheres of political influence in China
and determining their fiscal policy in
that quarter of the globe, based on the
open door principle. Such is the scope
of the negotiations. The projected ar
rangement may be retroactive as re-
CARDS territory: in other words, dis
tricts now controlled, for instance, may
change hands in return for other privi-
leges.
1t is now understood that the
United States, Great Britain and Japan
have already arrived at a perfect un-
derstanding. Germany's decision was
greatly influenced by the Emperor, who
had frequent conferences on this Far
Eastern problem while in England with
Joseph H. Choate, United States En-
bassador At the Queens banquet Mr..
Choate conversed at length with the
Emperor. and it is said chiefly con-
fined himself to the question of China
It is scarcely probable that any official
or semi official reference will be made
,da,.
progresses publicly under the gulse OF
merely giving assurances to the United
States. until it has assumed such shape
that no hitch is possible. In the event
of the failure of the negotiations
through the refusal of Russia or Ger
many, it is likely the world will never
know how near the great Powers came
to settling the greatest problem of the
century.
The Transvaal war becomes a matter
of momentary interest, compared with
the tremendous possibilities dependent
on these exertions which are now occu-
pying the diplomats of Europe, and the
war itself has reached a stage where
even British interest somewhat fags.
The advance of the troops to the relief
of Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking
is necessarily clothed in secresy, which
is only broken by the news of desultory
engagements The past week seems to
have altered but little the conditions
described in these dispatches. Even II
General White holds out until relieved
it will only remove picturesque phase
of the campaign, and does not mean
that it will hasten it's speedy end. The
Beers, it is claimed, are not likely to
risk the deciding battle of the war until
they have gotten Buffers invading
force into a position believed to be
favorable to them, or until they are
driven into a corner, which promises to
be a matter of months.
The criticism of the methods of the
British army organization has led sew
eral writer's to again seriously consider
the advisability of adopting some form
of conscription, but although pre-
ponderance of military experts might
favor such a step, the British nation
has not yet reached that stage where it
could submit to militarism.
Wireless telegraphy, Marconi's sys-
tenn, has finally been introduced into
the navy as branch of study.
So far the private nature of the En-
peror's visit to England has prevented
it attracting much public attention.
though any number of rumors are cur
rent anent it's diplomatic result. That
it will seriously affect, if not decide,
the Chinese negotiations mentioned
seems highly probable, while more than
likely it will be followed by further
British German agreements regarding
Nigeria, which topic Mr.. Chamberlain
doubtless discussed with his audience.
It is said that the Queen has promised
to visit her grandson at Potsdam in
the spring, after staying at the Italian
Riveria-
According to a dispatch to the Ian
cet'' from Rome the Italians are huge
ly delighted at her majesty's determina-
ton not to go to France, interpreting
this change in her usual program as
an intended and deliberate rebuke of
Frances anti british press utterances.
Commenting on Admiral Deweys diff
ficulty with his home, the Sunday Re
view says: His period of apotheosis
has been shorter than usual with a
darling of the democracy"
Mr.. Choate's slip at the Edinburgh
Literary dinner, in speech, crediting
Milton's Peace Hatch Her Victories ;
to IAN American orator." continues to