The age-herald., 1901-03-09
DistruSt of the Great Bear of
 the North HAS DESIGNS ON MANCHUR|A England and the United States
 Are ApprehenSive CONFERENCE HELD IN LONDON Ambassador White and Lord Lans- downe are Negotiating To Thwart Russia's Real Purpose-The
 Situation Is Serious.
CONFERENCE HELD IN LONDON

London, March s-A crisis has arisen in far Eastern affairs, which, in the opinion of the government, is graver almost than the troubles which originally turned the eyes of the world toward the Orient In this crisis secret negotiations are going on between the United States and Great Britain with a view to thwarting what both governments appear to consider determined attempt on the part of Russia to plant herself permanently in one of the richest tracts of the Chinese empire.
 The conference held Wednesday be- tween United Ambassador Choate and Lord Lansdowne, the foreign secretary had nothing to do with the Nicaragua canal affair. To quote from a British of- hcial: The Nicaragua controversy Is minor matter compared with the present situation" What MT. Choate was to re- ceive from Lord Lansdowne was an im- portant message declaring that Great Britain was not satisfied with Russia's declaration regarding Manchuria as de- livered to Sir Charles Stewart Scott, Brit ish ambassador at St. Petersburg, by Count Lamsdorff, and asking the United
 
 action of such a decisive nature that Russia would have no alternative but re- cede from her position
 Almost simultaneously, the Associated Press understands, the United States gov ernment instructs the various ambassa- dors to take similar steps. The answer of Secretary Hay has. apparently not yet been received in London, although the fact that almost concurrent instructions were issued from Washington Is taken here to be a sufficient guarantee that Russia's action in Manchuria will not be tolerated by the United States.
 Cooperation of Japan Relied On.
 Japan is relied upon to take a line If harmony with the United States and Great Britain. Germany, in spite of the Anglo-German compact, is regarded as rather doubtful, owing to Emperor Will iam's friendship for the Czar. France will side with her ally
 The significance of the present phase can only be appreciated by those cogni- zant of the lethargic attitude of the Brit ish government hitherto regarding Rus sian action in China. Within the last few days all this has changed. What a week or two ago was pronounced only in line with Russias s usual policy is now termed "a grave and serious state of affairs"
 Lord Lansdowne is using every effort to bring the powers into line in order to present to Russia, without any ambi- guilty regarding temporary or other oc oupation she may give up designs on Manchuria.
 What prompts the British office to take such alarming view of circumstances usually looked upon as fatalistic sequen- D ing held her own in spite of the rUtest of the ministersaof the powers to the Chi nese government, and having put her self on record in reply ot Sir Charles Scott as determined on at least a temporary oc- cupation of Manchuria, will refuse to back down.
 That she must do so, Lord Lansdownc considers vital, both for the future of China and for the continued existence of the concert of powers.
 Russia's Reply Unsatisfactory.
 Count Lansdorf's reply to Sir Charles Scott is considered quite unsatisfactory. "If such excuses are accepted by the powers" said a British official last even ing to a representative of the Associated Press. there will be nothing to prevent the immediate partition of China, for with almost exactly the same verbiage any European power could justify .he occupation of other provinces"
 Upon the degree of support afforded the movement by Germany and Japan de- pends the result of what is understood to be the almost syncronous action of Washington and London The whole af- fair is guarded with the greatest secrecy, and it was not apparently without motive that a special dispatch was allowed to go from London enormously announcing that the negotiations going on between MT. Choate and Lansdowne related to the Nicaragua canal affair.
 feeling prevails in inner circles here that If Count Lansdorfs explanation Is accepted by the powers Russia will be accorded a free hand to take all -he pleases, and the door will be opened to any other power aggressive enough 10 step in and annex Chinese provinces un- der the pretext of temporary occupation