The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-10
THE ovERSHt0oWING TOPIC.
BRITISH ATTITUDE on THE CRISIS
IN THE Ear EAST.

Lord Salisbury Almost Alone in the
belief That tie Results of tho
Boxcr Movement Will Not BE Sc
rIoux-EngIand Is Unfortunate in
Having All HJr Forces So Far
Ayvny-SaIIsburY VIII Act if There
Is Any Dispute
Copyright 1900 tie Associated Press)
London, June 9-,he Chinese sltuat on,
which at the | eginl i-G OF the week was
merely a small clorN On the int national
horizon. NV oversls. lows every other
tc. &c.
England iccordns to most authorities
save those who c n ,rol her foreign policy
i; flte 10 face vita a crisis in far east
ern affairs, which though it may not r.
suit in any immo5ia partition OF China.
must determine the part that England
shall pay when the pard ion eventually
occurs.
That such an emergency should have
arisen a a moment yfh Ensl nd is least
able to utiliz, il. when almost all her
land fore are 5000 miles frcm
hcme, and when there is a paramount nc
cessIty for keeping IN extra strong fleet
In European waters. IS deplored by all
.tades Of statesmen and politicians
Lord Salisbury stands almost alone,
amidst his own party, in believing that
the results of the Boxer movement viii
be neither serious nor permanent. The
altitude he adopts towards the unanimous
agitation for more strenuous action, Is
voiced by an intimate fiiend. who said
to a representative of the Associated
Press
Lord SnIisbury's views.
Lord Salisbury believes We should De
thankful for small merclcs. The coop
Grafton of the diplomats and neval au
thorit!es on the spot. seems perfect and
unusually harmonious. So long that
satisfactory state Of affairs continues. he
Will he emnently satisfied, and will take
no other steps unless one or several Of the
Powers ask Great Britains assent to
scheme, which appears feasible, or, unless
Russian aggression becomes much more
patent than it IS to-day. When these
contingencies occur, ana the representa-
tives OF the various nations at Pekin fail
TO agree. then will Lord Salisbury assume
the initiative. Al present, he is agree
ably surprised at the smooth progress of
the negotiations at the seat of the dis
tuF Dances, an0 implicitly trusts III SlT
Claude Macdonald, the British minister 10
China"
1t may be added thet Great Britain's
premier is not particularly optimistic re-
gsrding the length of time the various
ministers and admirals in the Far East
will cooperate so admirably.
Prospects of War.
In the meantime the members of every
embassy in London and every club, to say
nothing Of the stock market. are discuss
ing eagerly the prospects Of war between
two of the Powers arising from the Pekin
troubles. Admiral Freemante's reported
statement that war between these coun-
tries is inevitable, creates no surprise
though such plain speaking is severely
discountenanced officially. government
official, speaking to a representative OF the
Associated Press. said:
81 quite believe Admiral Freemantle
said what is credited to him. He is a
splendid officer but rash talker 1t is
not the first time he has said things
which had better have been left unsaid. ="
Little interest is being taken in Great
Britain in American affairs. The presi-
dental prospects are now made the sub
1ect of editorials. and the English CORE
spondents in America ore sending long
reviews Of the chances of President Nc
Kinley and Mr.. W. J. Bryan, but these
fail to stimulate any keen attention.