The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-03-29
WARNING NOTES TO CHINA
THOSE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND
 GERMaNY IDENTICAL.

Long Statement by Lord Lansdowne-
 China Informed That It Is Not Desir
 able for Her to Make Any Private Ar
 rangement With Any Power a Prescnr
 Versions of Manchurian Treaty May
 be Trial l-BaIloons-Situation Sttl Frausht With Danger but Moderate
 Policy Will be Pursued.
 l London, March 2S.-Lord Lansdowne
 minister for foreign affairs, made an
 extended statement to-day in the
 House of Lords on the situation in Chi
 na, touching upon the gravest ques-
 tions of the hour He said that both
 the British and German governments
 had informed China that it was not de-
 sirabe, while negotiating with the pow
 CTS as a whole, that she should enter q
 private arrangement involving territo-
 rial or financial conditions With any
 other power. Russia had again assured | Great Britain that the occupation of
 the British railroad was only temporary | and without prejudice to the interests | involved Great Britain had not waiv- ed her rights in connection with these railroads nor had she ignored the in terests of the shareholders. As to the sources of revenue, he thought the
 maritime customs might be readjusted so as to impose a real instead of nom- inal five per cent. ad valorem duty. foiy frarr o,.tto oh n ho h. jected to duty, but caution was neces-
 sary, lest the interests of British com
 merce be damaged.
 Lord Lansdowne, referring to the
 AngloG German agreement, said that when this was being negotiated the
 German government gave Great Brit ain to understand that, ill the German view, Manchuria was not place where they considered they had any influence. He thought, however, that the point did not deserve too much attention, pointing out that the only two treaty ports in Manchuria were New Chwang and Ia Lien Wan, with regard to which explicit assurances had been given by Russia Lord Lansdowne said he had seen newspaper reports suggesting that Count von Buelow, the German impe- rial chancellor, had interpreted the agreement differently from Great Brit ain, but the point did not seem vital, because all the powers, including Ger many, had repeatedly declared that their policy was to maintain the integ- rity of China.
 In regard to the reported Manchurian agreement Lord Lansdowne said he was not in position to pass final opinion oh the matter. The government would not criticise in carping spirit any arrange ment regarding Manchurla which was in the nature of a modus vivendi. It was suggested that the versions of the treaty published were simply trial-bal- looms on the part of some official or pure inventions designed to bring about a misunderstanding.
 He added: Nothing would give us greater pleasure than to cooperate with the Russian government in expos- ing such an unworthy object. If Russia would only by communicating the real text of the agreement enable Great Britain to put an end to this miscon- ception, we should be prepared to CO., operate with her" What initiated against any such hopes has been the mystery in which the negotiations have been involved throughout.
 Count Lamsdorf, the Russian minis | ter of foreign affairs had, however, in- | formed the British ambassador at St. | (Sir Charles s. ScotD that | 1t was the purpose of Russia to arr range a modus vivendi with China with | the object of preventing disturbances In the vicinity of the Russian frontier, md she had no intention of seeking that guarantee in any acquisition of terri .ory or in actual or virtual protectorate over Manchura. If the document real " fell within the language used by Count Lamsdorff his majesty's govern nent would certainly not object to it. Until these uncertainties were removed Great Britain could not do otherwise han adhere to the view that it was aot desirable that China, at a time when she was negotiating with the whole of the powers. should simulta- enter into a private and separ- ,te arrangement involving territorial md financial conditions with another bower. That was the language the government had used to China, and it vas almost precisely the language which had been used by the German His majestys govern nent would be tenacious in matters of principle. In matters of detail they ealized that they need always expect O have their own work. They would lse their best endeavors to bring the present. negotiations to a close and ter- oinate a situation which was inconven- ent and fraught with danger to all con- erned in the negotiations.
 Lord Lansdowne also said that no lrther military operations by the British troops in China were contem- lated for the present. When Field darshal Count von Waldersee recently rdered preparations for the recent ex- edition the British government in l tructed General Gaselee to communi- ate with the home government before , therein. , The compliance of China to the de- , ,ands of the powers is hardly of such , chara cter as to justify the withdraw of the allied forces, but the British hoped to be able before ,ng, to withdraw or reduce its forces , China. On the broad questions, how yer. there was a practical unanimity ( ,nonp the powers. The allies had Y greed that they were not at war With I bina and desired to derive no territo- I al advantage from the present events c