The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-08


with the status quo IN Egypt. we should
frankly recognize that The fuliIlment
| OK what Russia regards as her historic
| mission In the Balkan peninsula con
flicts with no vital British interests,
and that in Asiatic Turkey we should
OF German schemes OF expansion.
PERSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
with regard to Persia and Central
| Asia, we might offer Russia our CO.
operation In the DEVELOPMENT Of rail-
| way communication between the Cas-
plan and the Persian gulf. and In So
curing for her a commercial outlet on
the gulf in return for an undertaking
on the part OF Russia to respect the
political status quo along the shores ok
the gulf. and TO recognize our % &c
torate over Afghanistar.
THE FAR EAST.
with regard to the far east the aues-
ton Is necessarily more complicated. -
Japan would ave to be taken into ne
counsels or the two empires and a basis
of agreement arrived at which would
satisfy her as well as Russia Great
| Britain.
A far as Japan Is concerned. . q
! a basis might be found In the recoguf-
/ ton by Russia and England Of the
Japanese claim to an exclusive sphere
| OF influence In Corea-
Japan would. presumably. In return
for this concession, have no objection
70 q formal agreement under which
| Great Britain would recognizes Ruexfasa
claim to- regulate her political and COM
mercial position In Mauchuria and
| Mongolia By direct negotiation with
| China. and Russia would In like manner
recognize Great Brttain's claim 20 reya-
late in the same way her political and
commercial position In the Yangts
A valley parh nnpaF binding 4tNalf m
give no support In those regions to the
enterprise OF anv other power. With
/ regard to all other questions In hin
Great Britain. Russia and Japan would
agree to take TO steps without mutual
| consultation.
THE fact OF Russia being n party Co
such n agreement would give france
a guarantee that her interests % be
taken into due consideration. while our
participation would afford a natural
safeguard TO the commercial interests
of the United States.
The effect OF such an &C.
companied by the customary demon
STATIONS in such cases, public deciara-
lions by the sovereigns and their Of
fetal representatives. and an exchange
Of visit7 by their respective fleets.
would Il once remove the danEer or n
sudden explosion, which must continue
to hang over the whole world 50 long
as the far east remains the powder
magazine OF international rivalrfes and
conflicting interests which IL Ii at pres
emit.
1.-The natural consequence of this un-
Outstanding would be that In the event
of war between Germany and Russia.
Great Britain would remain neutral.
and in the event OF war between Great
| Britain and Germany, Russia would re-
| main neutral. Russia would no longer
give cause for suspicion that she was
i~nstigating France to make war against
US. as Count Muravieff did during the
Fashoda crisis. n Great Britain
would cease to be suspected In St
Petersburg Of encouraging Japanese
hostility to Russia. Japan. IN her side
would be relieved Of the menace OF a
possible revival against her OF the
triple alliance OF 1895"
Closer friendship with Italy, and the
maintenance OF the understanding
with Portugal is urged as being vital
to England's interests.
A note OF defiance Is at the
conclusion Of this important article.
THE Navy Bill in Germany was car
ried through" Ii is stated. with the
avowed object Of creating q navy which
would be able to keep the North sea
clear. We have no intention of clear
ing out OF the North sea or any other
sea. We seek no quarrel with any
Power; but IL Germany thinks IL her
interest to force one upon us. we shall
not shrink from the ordeal. even should
she appear in the lists with France and
Russia as her allies. Germans would.
however. do we'll to realize that III Eng
land is driven TO ii, England VIII strike
home. Close to the foundations OF me
German empire. which has har Iy
emerged from its artificial stage. there
exists a powder magazine such as IS 10
be found in no other country. viz.
Social Democracy. In the cas- OF a
conflict with Great Britain, misery
would be caused to large classes OF the
German population, produced by the
total collapse of subsidized industries:
| far-reaching commercial depression.
financial collapse, n a defectiye food
supply might easily make that maya
zine explode