The age-herald., 1900-08-31
PORT ARTHUR
 AND WELHALWEI

SOHie acute you VIII nave a chance To see, before, indeed this can reach you, the vast difference between Russian and English methods of diplomacy-I should say the diff ference between policy and the entire lack of one. At the first outbreak in Man churia, along the line of the Chinese East ern Railway, which was promptly sup pressed, orders were given for troops via Siberia. Forty thousand were soon on the way. By the 1Fth of June, 1000 troops and 300 horses had left this port on the Dalny Nostok, just in from Tacoma, and others nave been going since. Perhaps Russias railroad policy may under this new light seem not so selfish as far-sighted and statesmanlike. You have not far to go to seek, for the statesman who carried out so masterfully the traditions of the empire is now our ambassador at Washington, Count Cassini.
 Recollect that it was only in December. 1S91 that a Russian fleet appeared in Porr Arthur. What a chatter of conjectures. fears. portents and opinions there was, But by March, 1898. Russian policy with regard to the port and the entire Liao- tung peninsula was declared open and above board, and has been so maintained Viewed in any light, diplomatic business or strategic, Russia does not lose any, thing. In 1880 the Chinese began to inn prove the harbor and erect fortif1catiens German, French and English engineers. working for China, created the docks. workshops storehouses, etc, and Port Arthur became a naval port, at an ex- penditure of $4O,OOOG00. It was certainly a desirable piece of property to acquire or lease, and scarcely any European power would have hesitated to buy or rent such an advantageously situated tract Since 1t has come into Russian Jurisdiction nothing mas been spared in the way of science money, skill and energy to improve it. and whenever China is prepared to take 1t back and pay expenses she will find that Russia carefully guards whatever is in- trusted temporarily or entirely to her keeping.
 By way of contrast recollect again that in May, 1898, Great Britain took possession Of Wei Hai Wal. It, too, must have a port or harbor of refuge if Russia was to have one, and it was to be held so long as Rus sia held Port Arthur. Unable to prevent the occupation of Port Arthur, England eagerly grabbed at the half-loaf Wonder ful stories were told of what Wei-Hai-wei
 
 of the magic English wand The genius of her statesmen, the skill of her engineers and her natural talent for overcoming diff hcuities of time and place and peoples were all pointed out, and great were the expecta- tions of the world at large.
 It is now 1900, and what is the condition of Wei-Hai-Wei? Absolutely nothing done which by any stretch of imagination could be described as national work Yes, the island of Lin Kung has been bought from the Chinese landowners. There is a bat talion of Chinese, officered by crack Eng lfshmen--hne fellows, for 1 met two of them last fall taking look at viadivostok They are, believe preparing to mount two heavy guns on the island. But at this writing We-Hai-Wei is of no earthly use In the event of war it would have to he abandoned, or, on the other hand it would take the greater part of the British fleet 1n China to protect it. It woud take from S5o,O GOO to $6O, 900 to put it in anything like the defensive condition of Russia's only ice-free harbor. There is no British coaling station north of Hong Kong. and TOT all docking and repairs the British feet as Is well known, depends upon Japan
 Labor IS worth about 10 cents day at w Wei-Haf-Wei, but no breakwater has been built to secure ships from torpedo-boat at. tacks Lin Kung also stands sadly in need or fortifying. In fact, in this much-yaunted British acquisition there are neither coal stores, ammunition magazines, nor dry docks. But the literature of these subjects ever since the occupation Is simply enor- mour. If my memory serves, there was an ocean cable to Hong Kong projected
 Evidently England doesn't think much of her concession and since Port Arthur is So well fortified, and stf11 larger outlays or- dered it is reasonably safe to say Wei. will remain as it is for some years to come. h ..
 At present 1t is mud village only It is not even included formally in British ter ritory Within six weeks, while attempt ing to define the limits. there was very near serious row with the Chinese, and several were killed. Only the personal bravery and promtitude of the British offi- cers prevented riot and massacre. Sure, there is police magistrate at Wei-Hai- Wei paid by the British, but the place has no civil rank The population is very small. Only one steamer calls there ree.u- larry, the Nagato-Maru, Japanese, vessel once in two weeks. I1is currently report ed, with know not how much truth that the Chinese authorities have never publicly recognized the British occupation or tha transfer of the territory for fear of exeit- ing the people.
 The number of Russian troops in Man churia, Siberia and China is greatly exag- gerated. Each traveller or correspondent and often officials seem inclined to add tc the statements of their predecessors. Ar additional 10000 is tackled on with a non. chaance which makes Russian officials smile. At the outbreak of trouble there were probably not more than 6000e troops in all the territory mentioned. At least D. 900 of these were doing railway service, picket duty, guarding the railroads and lines of telegraphfc communication. At the grand autumnal maneuvers, held last Scp- tember in the vicinity of Vladivostock there were not 10000 troops in evidence, and these came from kha barovsk, Nikolsk. Nikolaefsk, Possiet, Stolga, Sakhaln anI Petropavloysk.
 The completion of the Siberian raiwa, now enables the Russian government v send along additional recruits. By the e; L of July we shall have 10000 men from E \ ropean Russia in Siberia ready for d. 5I persng south, southeast of northeast they may be needed. Ten carloads of so \ diers wives arrived two weeks ago fro | central Siberia, all in good condition veryf little damaged from the rough journey.