The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-16
THE KAISER AND THE CAR.
Growing Relief That a Rusxo-Ger-
Inau Compact Exists
Especial cablfgram- copyrighted.)

Special Cablf gram-Co Copyrighted)
/ LONDON, Sept. 15.-Another week has
served only to increase the complica tions
of the China problem. The key to the sit
uation seems to lie in the answer to two
and is there an agreement between tho
Car and the Kaiser? No answer is avail
able to either of these questions. and any
one of the many gussses is about as good
as another
There is no disagreement in the British
view CT the matter. They only disbelieve
in Russia's proposal for the evacuation Of
Pekin. They argue while it would perhaps
have served Russia's purposes if everybody
had cleared out of the capital three weeks
ago, yet the Cars Government knew per-
fectly weli that Great Britain and per-
haps Germany would not listen to such
proposal. By putting it forward with the
virtue of the knowledge that it would be
rejected Russia might easily have put her
self in an attitude Of friendliness to China
and at the same time have forced Great
Britain into position of an opposite ma
ture
This maneuvre however. quite failed
in its object. for according to the lumi-
nous and typical Chinese pronouncem Mt
by Director sheng at Shanghai, Russia's
proposal served merely to intensity
Chna's suspicion
English opinion is largely influenced
by Dr. Morrison's Pekin dispatches TO
the Times and he has taken the ra-st
pessimis ic view OF the British policy
and action in Pkein. He depIores the
inferiority of the British military and
naval forces in the Far East and laments
the leading role Russia has been allowed
to assume in the Pekin demonstration.
He points out also that il will be as
easy now as in 1860 for the Chinese to
misrepreseDt the nature OF tine foreign
invasion into their own country.
II is gloomily assumed also that the
Car and the Kaiser are in complete
agreement for mutual aggrandizement
and that the consent of Japan will be
secured by Russian promises in regard
to Korea. This will leave only Great
Britain and the United States in favor
of maintaining the status quo in China
and England does not expect the sliaht-
est active assistance from America in
upholding any policy regarding the de-
sign of she other powers. Therefore
there is a gloomy view taken by most
English observers.
Opinion on the Continent is quite diff
ferent, though much less clearly defined.
France has no knowledge of what her
ally is really about, but is quite Wiling,
apparently. to support Russia, whatever
her game may be, and is happy in the
assurance which she enjoys, that Musco-
yite influence in Pekin has entirely sup
planted The British. No French resent
ment is manifested against the Idea of
the Kaiser working in harmony with
the Gar, and the only disturbing element
is the underlying feeling that France is
really cutting no figure in the events. |
This impression will probably grow until
Russia soon placates French vanity, but
the shrewd managers at st. Petersburg
are quite competent to deal with this
difficulty If the allies, including Germany, |
are thoroughly content to leave everything |
to the Gar.
All Germans consider that they have |
special claim, and in the situation as il |
stands. they have little to lose and much |
to gain by any future developments. |
There is little or no public opposition TO |
the idea of German cooperation with Rus
sia. The semi-ofiicial press continues,
however, to proclaim German bona fides
in promising to respect the territorial
integrity of China, and is especially en-
phatic in denying any secret design in
the Yangtse Valley concerning which
British suspicious are very strong.