New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17

solemn pledges to England, well as to Japan
not to take any such step. 1t is in keeping with
her conduct in connection with Batoum, on the
Black Sea She bound herself by the Treaty Of
Berlin that Batoum should remain free port
and unfortifed, yet deliberately closed it eight
years later and converted it INTO q naval strong
hold, on which occasion Lord Rosebery as Eng
lish Foreign Secretary, complained bitterly in a
memorable dispatch of Russia's failure to rec
ognize the binding force and sanctity Of inter-
national engagements" adding that it tends to
make future conventions and treaties difficult
if not impossible and to cast doubt, at least
upon the worth of the treaties already in ex-
istence." This is only one of scores Of In
stances where treaties and conventions signed
by Russia have been violated in the most i'm
pudent manner by that Power either on the
strength of some bubble or else without any
Eretext at all. The Powers concerned have no
guarantee or assurance that if Russia marches
her troops into China and seizes the capital she
Will consent to march out again II she re-
mains there and obtains control of the Chinese
Government it will be equivalent to the closure
Of the vast Mongol Empire to the trade and in
dustry OF all other nations
Even France appears to doubt the good faith
of Russia in spite of the much Wanted alliance
For the French Envoy at Peking NJ Gerard, is
Minister, and French ffnanciers have repeatedly
declined of late to loan the Russian Government
any more money. England the United States.
Germany, France and to a certain degree Italy
have inter ests that are Identical in China name
ly, the open door policy and the retention of
China as market to the trade and industry Of
all the world. These interests are certain to be in
danger, and in all likelihood will be destroyed
If the five Powers in question side either with
Russia or Japan allow the one or the other
to intervene alone
NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION
Meanwhile the insurrecton proceeds apace
Missionaries and merchants are being massa-
cred and European and American property is
being devastated. Nor does there appear to be
any immediate solution for the problem For
1t is by no means certain that either a Russian
or japanese invasion of China would suffice to
quell the anti-foreign movement. The forces
that would confront an invading army are too
great, the Empire is too vast in extent the popu-
latiOn too colossal. That there may have been
sympathy on the part of the Dowager Empress
for Russia in the past is quite probable For
she must have observed that the Muscovite
Empire is the only foreign Power whose policy
never waivers and always pursues the same aim
until it attains it, sometimes only after the
lapse of many years. But she has now, accord
ing to all appearances cut herself adrift from
her Muscovte entanglements realizing that
Russia is more ravenous than any other foreign
Power for Chinese territory and constitutes a
more serious peril to the integrity and indepen-
dence of the Empire than any other nation. The
Empress is resolved to rely on the Chinese alone,
and by ceverly appealing to the keen love for
their native land, and, above ALL to their fierce
and fanatic adherence of the foreigner, may be
said TO have welded her four hundred million
countrymen into d colossal force that no longer
constitutes the danger, but a support, to the
throne with the watchword Of China for the
Chinese" EX-ATTACHE.