New-York tribune., 1900-08-04
OPEN DOOR THREATENED
ANXIETY OVER THE SITUA-
>7ION AT SHANGHAI
RISING FEARED IN THE YANGTSF VAL
LEY-AMERICA AND ENGLAND
PREPARED To GUARD THEIR
INTERESTS
INTERESTS
IL rELEeRAFH ro - -


account Of the enormous commercial in
terests involved in the great YanEtse Valley.
which are greater than those Of all the rest OF
China combined and most easily affected BY
trade restrictions 1t has now come De re-
garded settled fact that the Imperial dyn-
asty. the outcome OF the present crisis. viii
no longer rule from Peking. and that the former
southern capital on the Yangtse. Nanking. win
become the centre OF power OF the empire.
The gunboat Princeton arrived at Shanghai to-
day. Joining the Castine. which has been alone
there for the last month guarding American in
teTests. She found there the small Japanese
cruisers Takao and Yayeyama. and the British
cruiser Daphne and gunboats RedpOe and EslI-
Below Shanghai. at the Wa-Sung anchorage, op-
posite the celebrated forts commanding the ap-
proaches to Shanghai and the entrance 10 the
Yangtse. are the British armored cruiser IN
daunted. the gunboat Pigma and the torpedo
boat destroyer Hart. Up the Yangtse. at Han
kOw. are the second class cruiser Pique and tbs
gunboat Linnet. and at various points on tho
river are the gunbOats Snipe WoOdcOck. Wood
lark and Waterwitch. all British. Vice-Ad-
nral Seymour. commanding the British naval
force, has also gone up the Yangtse. to visit the
Viceroy at Marking. IN the Alacrity.
BRITISH ALIVE TO THE SITUATION
1t is evident that the British are thoroughly
at Taku and on the Yangtse in the near future.
for Vice-AdmraI Seymour promptly left TalSu
when the allied army ashore took command OF
the situation and hurried away to a scene where
he would again be OF the highest rank and IN
position to direct operations. At the same time
the Russian naval commander OF highest rank
hurried away from The Pei-Ho bar and took up
the control Of operations near Port Arthur and
Shan-Hai-Kwan. In the distinctly Russian
SDha Of f1f7yY
was similarly diverted to Kiao-Chau. where
German interests predominate, the French re-
tatned their principal naval TeinforceuenJs In
the south, where they have most to lose and TO
gain, but the United States alone retained its
ranking officer afloat in the vicinity. where an
Army officer. General Chaffee, was made first
in command Of American forces Admiral
Kempf, who. with Flag Captain McCaua, Is
regarded as the ablest commander in the East.
and whose refusal 20 take part in the seizure
of the Taku forts made him conspicuous for
common sense in the allied fleet. has been ban
ished to Nagasak where opportunity for
protecting American interests can ever occur.
AMERICAN WARsHIPS WITHIN REACH
Fortunately. from NsgasaHd to Shanghai ia
only a two days run for the Newark. and If
an anti-foTeign crisis develops which the Castine
and the Princeton cannot subdlle with British
and japanese assistance. Admiral Kenpff and
Captain McCalIa can hurry to the rescue Tba
armOred light draught monitor Monterey Is ais,
barely four days away, az Hong Kong This
vessel. with the Monadnock. her sister ship now
at Manila, six days from Shanghai, is the only
ship Of all the nations in Asiatfc waters that
could be relied upon in case OF war with China
to quiet the great Wu-Sung forts which com
mand the ascent of the Yangtse and the ap-
proach to Shanghai. The Navy Department has
been deferred from sending them to the point
where they would be most valuable in the event
of an outbreak out of respect for the wishes Of
the southern Viceroys. who have represented
that an increase Of force would be likely 10
incense the natives beyond control As long as
the expediency OF cajoling the Viceroys IS recoz-
nized, these splendid vessels. which alone couId
exert absolute control over native uprisings.
must remain at a distance. in readiness. how
ever, to respond to the first call for help.
FEAR OF A GREAT UPRISING.
The manifestation of authority which Vice.
Admiral Seymour is displaying over the YanetSs
provinces. as reported in press dispatches YES
terday from Cologne. London and Shanghai.
lends color TO the fear that an uprising Is ex.
pected by England along the great river as A
result Of the march on Pekng. and that tho
British are arranging to have their Hons share
in any partitioning that may occur When the
Russians took Port Arthur and the Germans
leased Kiao-Chau in 1897. England followed
promptly in 1898 with the acquisition OF Wei
Hai-Wei the Gibraltar of China and with the
ninety-nne years lease OF two hundred square
miles around Mrs Bay. in the rear OF Hong
Kong. The French at the same time enlarged
their TOnquin possessions materially. but San
Nun Bay refused to Italy at the instiga-
tion of the greater Powers.
Great Britain then gave notice 10 China and
the world that "tke Yangtse Valley must ba
held inviolable." and China was made to guar
antee never to cede any territory there to any
one. In April. 1899. Russia and Great Britain
made agreement in which Great Britain un-
dertook not to seek railway concessions north os
the Great Wall or TO obstruct Russian claims
for concessions in that quarter. Russia in turn
guaranteeing similar abstention from mani
Testing any interest in the Yangtse basin,
This constituted the first declared Spheres
and it is noticeable that the United States. Ger
aany and Japan were wholly ignored in the
division.
Secretary Hay Immediately went to work on
his open door negotiations. and succeeded in
obtaining the pledges this country was COM
PEELED to have for it's commercial welfare.
DIsMEMBERMENT EXPECTED.
1t is plain to officials here that Russia ana
England look for the immediate dismembermene
of China, and are now disposing their forces ac-
cordingly. When it comes England apparently
proposes to guard the Yang,se basin. with it's
100000 square miles OF the best part of China.
IN the final settlement the country that holds
the nine Yangtse provinces will be in a position
TO dictate the terms TO China and to the Powers
which did not contribute to the protection.
To have the right OF taking part in the vast
trade OF the Yangtse. which is nearly nine-tenths
OF the total trade OF the Empire the United States