Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1900-04-06
ALL Eyes ARE ON RUSSIA
WAR IS NOW MOST IMMINENT
With Japan and Also Turkey-Brit-
ish Think 1t Is BluR-Japan's
Navy Unprepared-The Sultan Is
for Compromise.

London, April Russian activity has
been the international factor of the past
week and diplomatic functionaries at
tached to the court of st. James are ask
ing themselves: what does it all mean ?
Where will it end?"
The Russian ambassador smiles blandly
and assures his dear friends that it means
nothing, absolutely nothing" but just
the same, speculation is acute. There
are many men of fair standing and tol-
cradle knowledge of international under
currents who are willing to say that war
between Russia and Japan has come with
in measurable distance. OF these Henry
Norman, who has just returned from a
trip to Russia, is one. But the Associated
Press learns that no such view is taken
by the British foreign office, which, during
the recent troublesome times, has sized
up the international situation with Won
derful correctness.
The next few weeks may, perhaps,
bring up a tremendous war scare, but
the salient fact remains that Japan is
not ready for hostilities. Alarming tele-
grams from the far east may increase and
multiply and Korea may seem to be on
the verge of annexation by Russia, bat
the calm of Downing street is not likely
to be disturbed. Korean matters are ar
ranged by treaty and Lord Salisbury does
not believe than Russia intends to break
the treaties, though her relations with
Japan may become strained to serious
point. If all this rumpus in the far east
had been postponed for year there is
scarcely a doubt that the war would be
a serious probability, but those having
intimate knowledge of Japan's far-reach-
ing naval projects and her recent state
of incompleteness, do not hesitate to say
that Japan is not going to risk anything
until her plans are matured.
Japanese naval maneuvers in the COM
ing fall are to be carried out on an I'M
precedented scale and will partake more
of the nature of a demonstration than of
peaceful evolutions. Forty or more war
vessels are expected to be present in Jap
anese waters.
There seems no longer to be any doubt
that Turkey for her hardness to meet
the Russian demands regarding railroad
concessions is being menaced by her
northern neighbor and many signs point
to the fact that Russia intends to settle
herself in the northeast of Asia Minor
unless Turkey gives in. Already a quar-
ter of million of Russian troops are
maintained on those borders, while the
Black sea squadron is ready for business
at a moments notice.
To what extent British moral assistance
can be given to Turkey in Outstanding
the Russian demands is question which
at the present moment is occupying Lord
Salisbury's attention to an even greater
extent than the South African war. In
view of the troubles of Great Britain in
South Africa it is more than probable
that Turkey will meet the demands and
that the Russian troops will be with
drawn.
The scare anent Russian troops con-
centrating in Afghanistan apparently
arose from this movement in the direction
of Turkey in Asia Minor and Afghan
istan has passed into the category Of
peaceful, uninteresting spheres.
With all these reports, to say nothing
of continued rumors of Bulgaria's desire
to throw off Turkeys suzerainty and be-
come vassal of the car, it is evident
that while Russia is observing in the
latter her promise to England not to in
terfere in South Africa she is not idle
in taking advantage of opportunities in
every quarter of the globe. For the peace
of the world, it is reassuring to remem
Der that the fixed policy of Russia for
years has been to take matters almost
to the point of hostilities and then to
settle automatically, the only exception
of this in modern times being the Crimea,
when the tone of the peace party in Eng
Ian l led her to believe this country would