The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-03-18
RUSSIA FINALLY RECEDES
ABANDONS SOME OF HER CLAIMS
 IN CHINA.

Modify Her Civi. Control of Man.
 churia-First Check to Russian D.-
 plomacy since Is9s-Throwing or the
 Mask
 London, March 1S.-Dr. Morrison wir-
 ing to the Times from Pekin says:
 Chinese officials say they have been informed from St. Petersburg that Rus sia abandons her claims to exclusive rights in Mongolia and Turkestan and consents to modify the stringency of her control of the civil admnistra tion of Manchuria, agreeing that the con- vention shall be published as soon as it is signed in St. Petersburg-a a fortnight hence,
 This is the first check inflicted upon Russian diplomacy in China since Lord Salisbury was cajoled into the with drawal of the British troops from Port Arthur in 1898; and it cannot fail pro- foundly to modify the situation by con- vincing the Chinese that there still ex- ist international combinations capable of maintaining the equilibrium of the
 
 far east"
 In an earlier dispatch pr. Morrison says: Russia, by her refusal to SUD- port the powers in their demands for the punishment of guilty officials, has finally thrown off the mask. A plea for leniency is hardly serious coming from a power whose troops last summer were guilty of reprisals upon the Chinese scarcely less ferocious than the acts of the Boxers themselves. Russias' action is only applicable as the fulilment of a private compact with Lii Hung Chang to throw the concert overheard in re- turn for concessions securing her sepa- rate interests"
 pr. Morrison proceeds to protest en- ergetically against any further sacri fees of their interests on the part of the powers to secure an outward union of action. He thinks that even France can hardly follow her ally in this instance.
 Commenting upon the Manchurian convention as giving Russia a privi- legged position at Kashgar and Yarkand, he says: Russian railway enterprise in China means military occupation; and Russia once installed in Chinese Turkestan, will turn the whole position which Great Britain has toiled to render impregnable on the northwest frontier of India"
 Tien Tsin, March 17-There is no change in the situation developed by the Anglo Russian railway dispute here. The Russian and British forces are still represented by small detach- ments, with officers, encamped on op- posite sides of the railway siding. The l utmost friendliness is exhibited towards l each other by the opposing parties; but, asa measure of precaution the guards have been reduced to twenty-seven on each side in order to prevent any pos- eible trouble of any kind
 A Russian general arrived from Pe kin last evening. Owing to the persist | ent rowdyism of French soldiers in the British concession the British authori- ties have been reluctantly compelled to forbid the French to enter the conces- sion unless on duty. Major Hockler, of the British force, was assaulted this af- ternoon in the French concession. The Russians continue purchasing land in their new concession. German recon noitering party returned to Tien Tsin to-day with thirty captured robbers.
 Count Won Waldersee is expected to arrive here Tuesday from Kiao Gnu.
 London, March 1s.-The Tien Tsin of the Standard says; "The railway dispute here is another of the attempts of the Russian Admiral Alexieff to create trouble, and unless he Is removed there will be constant fric- ion, which will eventually lead to hos -ilities. He loses no opportunity to .hwart the English"