The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-31
THURSDAY, MAY 81. 1900.
The Serious situntion in China.

If the Manchu rebellion in China meant
nothing more than civil war. even though
1t might involve a change in the imperial
policy of the country obnoxious to foreign
interests. it would not attract the anxious
attention of all the leading powers as it
does. There are sinister suggestions of in
ternational trouble that might or may grow
out of it.
Our dispatches inform US that large
body of Chinese Government troops. sent
to fight the rebels. have been defeated and
Joined them There are strong reasons for
believing that the Empress Dowager who.
equally with the Boxers" is bitterly OPP
posed TO the presence of foreigners in the
country. is in sympathy with the insurres-
ton. 1t is even suspected that the situa-
ton has not been created without the con-
nivance of an influence which may be op-
Grating to make it, possibly, an interna-
tional concern.
All the trouble in the world will not be
ended with British occupation of Pretoria.
On the contrary. it Is believed in Europe
that Lord Roberts has been urged TO bring
the South African war to a close, in or
der that the greater part of his troops may
be sent home for the defence of the United
Kingdom which, it is felt. is menaced from
France. Should Russia take advantage of
present conditions in China and march an
army into the capital province Of Pc Chi
Lii the gauntlet would thereby be thrown
down to the triple alliance. For no one
imagines that Russia, once entrenched at
Pekin, would willingly withdraw. What
ever might happen to the remainder of the
Empire. Manchuria. Shing King. and Pc
Chi Ii would be and probably remain Rus
sian.
In view of these considerations. the war
cloud which has been hanging over Chris
tendon for years with varying darkness.
has again become black and Threatening.
l. is a fair presumption that if Rus ia
contemplates extreme measures they viii
not be undertaken without a thorough
knowledge of the position 10 be assumed
by France in certain eyentUa tics. Ope--
ations of a nature hostile to the intere t.
and rights of England. Germany, and
the United States in China would hardly
be thought Of except in view of a certainty
that a diversion in some other direction
would render then comparatively safe. Fer,
TO begin with, Japan. already almost on the
point of war with Russia, would take tie
field in Korea. and would attack the Cz-r's
navy with more than an even chance OF
success; while it goes without saying that
Great Britain and Germany would not be
idle spectators Of the seizure of Northern
China by Russia, If they were free from
serious preoccupatcns elsewhere What
may now appear to the general public as
Chinese rebellion. locally important like
the Tai Ping war OF the sixties. but not
involving other states may turn cut to be
the curtain raiser for an international
tragedy of huge proportions. When British
statesmen and generals gravely discuss the
probability Of an early attempt at invasion
by French army, and bend their energies
upon schemes of defence, it must be APP
parent that there are movements in prog
ress behind the scenes which do not prom
ise well for the peace OF the first years
@. the Twentieth Century