The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-26
Negotiations Begun In This Direc-
ti0n By the Powers.
UNCLE SANS INITIATIVE
FAIR CHANCE AN UNDERSTAND
ING MAY BE REACHED.
France Thus Far has Most Strongly
Opposed the Plan, But Must Fol-
low Russia-United States, Great
Britain and Japan Perfectly
Agresd-Interest In Transvaal.

Copyright, 1892 by the Associated Press.>
London, Nov. 25.-As a 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 to a more permanent and
important International agreement
than yet mooted. Though the greatest
official reticence is observed at all the
capitals regarding the secret move
ment, there is good cause for believing
that the negotiations. have reached a
hopeful state. According to reports
current here in consequence of Russia
and France failing to reply satisfactor-
lily to Washingtons request, the United
States decided to take up the Chinese
question still more vigorously.
The cooperation of Great Britain
to this end, it is asserted, was secured,
and, it is said, upon the initiative of
the United States. efforts were set on
foot to secure not only assurances to
the United States, but a definite agree
ment between the E.. -opean powers
themselves. Such an understanding to
the average European Statesman has
long seemed Utopian, yet today the
Associated Press is informed on good
authority there are fair chances of
Great Britain. Russia, Germany and
Japan, in conjunction with the United
States. becoming signatories 10 a treaty
eliminating the spheres of political liz
fiuence in China and determining their
liscal policy in that quarter of the
globe, based on the open door" prin
ciple. Such is the scope of the negotia-
tons. The projected arrangement may
tae.
other words, districts now controlled,
for instance, may change hands in re-
turn for other privileges. France ap-
parently has exhibited the greatest OPP
position to this nlan. so far, but as
s1rances have been received from Rus
STA, and her apparent willingness to
enter into an agreement with the Unit
ed States as the leading factor has
given rise to the belief that France is
not necessarily a stumbling block, for
if Russia entered into the agreement.
France, it is asserted. is almost bound
to follow or render herself powerless in
the far east. 1t is understood the
United States, Great Britain and Japan
have already arrived at a perfect I'M
Outstanding.
Choate's Influence On Germany.
Germanys decision was greatly in
fiuenced by the Emperor, who had fire.
quent conferences on this far eastern
problem while in England with Mr.. Jo-
seph H. Choate, United States ambas-.
sador. At the queens banquet, Mr..
ChOate conversed at length with the
emperor, and it is said chiefly confined
himself to the question of China. 1t
is scarcely probable that any official or
semi-official reference will be made to
this important undercurrent which
progresses publicly under the guise 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 mat
ter of momentary interest compared
with the tremendous possibilities de-
pendent on these exertions which are
now occupying the diplomats of Eu-
rope, and the war itself has reached
stage where even British interest some
what lags> The advance of the troops
to the relief of Ladysmith, Kimberley
and Mafeking is necessarily clothed in
secrecy, which is only broken by the
news of desultory engagements. The
past week seems to have altered but
little the conditions described in these
dispatched. Even if General White
holds out until relieved it will only re-
move a picturesque phase of the cam
paign 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 got General Buffers invading
force into a position believed to be ia
vorable to them or until they are driv-
en- into corner, which promises TO be a
matter of months.
The criticism of the methods OF the
British army organization has led sew
eral writers to again seriously consider
the ACCESSIBILITY of adopting some form
of conscription, but, although prepon-
derance. of military experts might favor
such step, the British nation has not
yet reached that stage where it could
submit to such militarism.
Wireless Telegraph In Navy.
Wireless telegraphy, MarconPs sys-
tenn, has finally been introduced into
the navy as branch study. The old
hulk Hector, lying at Portsmouth, has
been fitted out as a school of instruc-
ton, and signals from her will be at
tached to the battleship Campus, which
goes to the Mediterranean in December,
taking war instruments as part of her
first British ship to do this.
In a letter received at his home,
written on the evening of the battle of
the 16-year-old trum-
peter, Shurlock of the Fifth royal Irish
lancers, who shot three Beers, shows
that he lives up to his word.
All the other boys wrote Shurlock,
were left behind at Pietermaritzburg.
1 am just enjoying myself all right here
I n a
The sergeant major said: Very good
for the first time. and bet l will shoot
some of the Beers down if / get the
least chance"
The speech of Mr.. James Bryce, NJ.
P, this week at Aberdeen, when the
electors passed a vote of confidence in
him, has been the cause of much COM
ment. He presented the liberal case
with great fairness. Speaking in a
statesmanlike manner and laying spe-
cial stress on the American revolution,
he showed that self-governing colonies
could only be retained by friendliness.
and not by force of arms.
The death of Lady Salisbury called
out the most sincere expressions of
sympathy and appreciation for the pre-
mier's personality from all sections.
The fears that his loss would cause
Lord Salisburys premature retirement
do not appear to be based on fact, al
though Lady Salisbury was a great
aid TO him in public life.
Visit of Emperor.
So far the private nature of the en-
perors visit TO England has prevented |
It attracting much public attention. !