The record-union., 1899-03-12

But the Diplomatic sWitchmsn Succeeded
in Averting a Collision.
The Trouble Was Over the Subject
of the Northern Railway In
China-Russia Put Out Feeler
to Test the Weakness OF
Stamina of the British Premier,
With the Result of a Drawn
Battle.

With the Result OF q Drawn
Battle.
LONDON, March 1.-THE British
lion and the Russian bear came to I'M
comfortably close quarters this week
over the Chinese imbroglio. The news
papers had already begun to talk OF a
serious crisis and grave outlook, but the
diplomatic switchmen again succeeded
in warding off a collision on the sub
ject of the Northern railroad, con-
f1ict being averted by a Russian back
down, according to the jingoess and by
a compromise, according to more i'm
partial observers.
The real explanation of the affair APP
pears to be that Russia made protest
against the British railroad contract,
partly as feeler and partly as warn
ing. If the British Premier had shown
weakness Russia would have persisted,
but in any case Russia, by her protest,
ELECTED a Ministerial statement in the
House of Commons that the conditions
Of the loan did not constitute foreign
control Thus Russia obtained pledge
that no such Interpretation would be
placed on the contract in the event of
default, which is a further substantial
concession to the Russian claimants IN
China. On the other hand, Lord Sails
bury scored in securing withdrawal
of the Russian protest. But Russia
also gained a point with which she has
good reason to feel satisfied.
The Times thinks Lord Salisbury
achieved a considerable success, which
must unquestionably strengthen Great
Britain's position at Picking. The pa
per, however, also sees in the adjust
ment of the dispute a triumph for the
pacific ard conciliatory elements of
Russian craftsmanship, and, above all,
a practical expression of the Cars de-
termination to meet Great Britain half
way in the removal of all the regret
table misunderstanding which have
hitherto kept Great Britain and Russia
apart.
The Times adds that it is sure the
British Government is prepared to give
fuller recognition to accomplished facts
in the northern Chinese provinces, and
to assist Russia in regularizing her
position on the basis of reciprocity
This remark of the Times" shows that
the British now accept the Russifica-
ton Of Manchuria as an ACCOMPLISHED
fact, and they only expect their Gov
erilrnent to secure compensation in
other directions.
The Conservative Government has
got itself into financial straits. The
publication of the naval estimates
completes the various items of national
expenditures, which total up f112, 49,
200, being an increase of f4,411, 200
over the estimates. 1t is probable
there will be deficit of over f4O0O,O00.
which, it is expected, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks
Beach. will meet by a reimposition of
the former tobacco duty and an in
crease of the income tax to 9 pence. A
ray Of sunshine in the financial situa-
ton is seen in the apparently booming
state of trade, as shown by the Board
of Trade returns. The imports since
December show an increase of FL, 1OO,-
Ou0, as compared with 1898, indicating
that the purchasing power of the coun-
try is still growing. These satisfactory
figures help the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer in taking a hopeful view of the
review for the coming year; but they
will not avert the necessity Of new tax
ation. The Liberal press naturally
makes the most of the Governments
financial difficulties, which are attrib-
uted to the Governments policy of
'.doles to squirearchy and to extrava
gances."
Emperor Williams message to Mrs.
Rudyard Kipling has naturally attract
ed great attention, particularly the ref
erence to our comman race" The first
impression here was that Emperor
William thought Kipling was an Amer
lean, especially as the German papers
referred to the American author, Kip
ling" but this impression is quite err
roneous The Emperor was a reader
of kipling's writings long before he set
tied in America His Majesty. how
ever, knew that Kipling's wife was an
American, and it is thought he intended
to include America when he spoke of
the common race. :"
The Spectator to-day says: 1.-THE
Emperor is evidently willing to substi-
tute the Teuton for the AngIo-Saxon as
the ruling race of the future. He did no.
venture to call Kipling an American;
but being anxious that his telegram
should be taken as a compliment to the
Americans rather than Englishmen, the
German journals received a hint to de-
scribe him as an American at least.
The Germans read Kipling, and know
his pedigree as well as we do, and the
only explanation we can offer for their
otherwise inexplicable unanimity is
blundering.''
The Spectator" in another article
remarks: 1T must be singular expe-
rience, even for Kipling, to wake up
from a serious Illness and find that two
great peoples have been interested in
his fate; that an Emperor has grieved
for him in words having the weight on
a political manifesto, and that his value
to publishers has been increased by
hundreds, perhaps thousands, a year.
Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War, by
Peter Dunn, the newspaper man of Chi
cago, has met with wonderful re-
ception here. The book is quoted every
where and the author is spoken of as
another Mark Twain. The Spectator
to-day, during the course of a long re-
view of the work, compares Mr.. Dunn
with Artemus Ward
The English papers are jubilant at
the prospects of the success of Cecil
Rhodes visit to Berlin and his coming