The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-03
YEAR 1898 IN HISTORY
SOME OF THE LEADING EVENTS OF
THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS.
Nations scheming for Broader Mar
ments In the Far East.
Raltimore Sun.

Baltimore Sun.
The year 1898 brought several important
charges in the current of the worlds af-
| fairs. illustrating the truth that CONNER
| cial interests now dominate international
politics England, the United States
France Germany Russia and Japan are
| now the great industrial and exporting ma
lions. Outside their own borders their
political action has nowadays for motive
the retention or procurement of markets
for their manufactures and raw products
Russia, France and Germany have in re-
cent years annexed territory with a view
to obtaining exclusive markets. High tar
ifs shut competitors out of France acqui-
sitions in Tunis, West Africa, Madagas-
car Siam and China; out of German acqui-
sitions in East and West Africa and the
various islands annexed in the Pacific;
out of Russian acquisitions in Asia Minor,
Persia, Central Asia, Afghanistan the
Pamirs, the Amoor country and Man
churia- Alarm was thus produced in Eng
land in the United States and Japan.
Just so far as the powers previously named
extended their empires just so far the
open markets of the world were being
closed to England, the United States and
Japan.
mated from the continued efforts of Rus
STA, Germany and France TO enlarge their
commerce by charging their dominions
and from the counter efforts of the other
three powers either TO preserve an open
door for their commerce in the territories
seized by rivals, or to preserve the mar
kets that were left by Selling them for
themselves. Russia strives to divert the
commerce of the East from British ships
by building an overland railway to con-
meet VladiVostok and Talien-Wan with
St. Petersburg. To improve it's terminal
facilities in the East she has, in the past
year. occupied Port Arthur and Talien-
Wan, with large slice of China adjacent
to Picking. Russas action is always in
spired more by political than by CONNER
cial motives, and this fact did not lessen
the sensation produced by the develop
ment Of Russia's designs in the first
months of 1898
KAIO-CHAU AND WEI-HAI-WEI
Germany first responded to Russia's ag-
gressive movement by Selling Kaio-Chau,
on the coast of China, as Il base of Ger
man commercial operations in the East
In England this proceeding produced a
great sensation. 1t was demanded that
Russia and Germany abstain from apply
ing their tariffs to the territories they ac-
CURED in China or otherwise abridging
the trade facilities secured to England by
existing treaties Germany assented by de-
claring Kaio-Chau an open port, like Hong
Kong. Russia made vague promises, some
OF which were broken within a month.
To oppose the political prestige and naval
predominance acquired by Russia in ac-
land acquired Wei-Hai-Wei, just opposite.
which commands Port Arthur and the
Corean coast besides A large area was
ADDED TO Hong-kong, new ports were
opened to trade and the use of steamers
on Chinese rivers was sanctioned. Very i'm
portant is the fact that China agreed not 10
ALLEVIATE to any power other than England
the provinces bordering the Yang-Tsze river
thus defining a British sphere OF inf1u-
in respect TO the provinces adjacent 20
Tonquin A campaign of concession hunt
ing at Picking occupied attention for some
months, and many charters are now for
sale, the holders of but few Of them hav-
ing the millions with which to build the
thousands Of miles Of railroads the charters
call for.
Following the concession excitement came
the sensation caused by the Dowager EN-
press, who not liking the reforms initiated
by the young Emperor, seized the reins OF
power by q palace revolution, eXpelIlng or
executing the reformers who had influenced
the Emperor The Empress Cancelled the re-
form DEGREES and re-established the old
abuses. The net result of the struggle in the
East seems to be that England has made up
her mind to continue to insist the policy
of THE open door" with the more or less
open cooperation Of Japan and the United
States but, at the same time, believes that
she will ultimately have to seize the prov
inceS on the Yang-TsZe, as Russia has seized
Manchuria, and is preparing to do so as soon
failure. So far the door is still open2tiii
Russia gets ready to close it.
=, By occupying the Phi1ppine islands, near
came in 1898 q factor in the commercial
and political problems Of China Her in
terest5 there are said to coincide wholly with
Englands.
ANGLO-FRENCH TROUBLES
At the opening of the year negotiations
were in progress at Paris to settle the dis
puted limits of British and French terri
tories in West Africa, on the Niger and west
of that river. The French had sent troops
into British territory; the English had sent
none into French territory AS to the va
lidity of claims made by the French in viz
tue of holding various points, the English
were unyielding War was for time in
prospect. The English at length conceded
something in the interest of peace giving
the French territory long held to be En-
gllsn and also access to the upper waters
OF the Niger in return for free trade with
certain African ports in the French sphere.
The feeling over the Niger affair had
scarcely subsidized when it was found that a
Ffehch Iorce, under captain Marchand, mad
occupied FaShoda, on the Nile, above Khar-
tuIl! ana nine trench posts nad been e.
tabilshed in the Bahr-el-Ghazel Province, in
the Nile Valley There was, in consequence,
violent outburst of anger in Great Britain,
men of all parties demanding the uncOndi-
tonal withdrawal Of the French from the
administration in 1895 Lord Gray had an
claimed the entire Nile Valley, and that the
entrance of any other power into that valley
would be deemed ''unfrendy act"
France had gone to Fashoda in full lxnUw-
edge of the English claim, but fanced Eng
land would yield in this, as in other mat
ters. It was designed to use Fashoda an
instrument with which to reopen the whole
question of England's sole occupation of
Egypt.
But Lord Salisbury refused to negotiate
till the French withdrew from Fashoda and
the entire Nile Valley. The British navy was
mobilized and war was plainly intended in
case the French refused TO cancel their act
Of defiance. After repeated efforts to ne
gOtiate," the French government in view
OF the vast superiority of the British fleet,
ordered the evacuation of the Upper Nile
Valley.
THE SUDAN.
The warlke tone Of British public opin-
ion was accentuated by the success of the
troops Of Egypt and England in the OPP
eratons conducted by General Kitchener
for the reconquest Of the Sudan. In the
spring of 1898, with some twelve thousand
men, Kitchener attacked sixteen thousand
Dervishes in a fortified position near the
River Atbara. destroying two-thirds Of
their number. On Sept 2 after Ions
march up the Nile the Anglo British army,