The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-20
MERE THREATS
NO PROBABILITY OF WAR BETWEEN
BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.
Lion IL Doing Little Roaring and the
Bear Is simply "woofngv for
Its own Edifcation.
CHINESE NEWS CONFLICTING
BUT 1T Is BELIEVED THE CRISIS AT
TIEN-TsIN HAS PASSED.
Troops OF Both Nations Are, However,
Still Camped ON the Disputed Ter
ritory Awaiting Orders.
VIEWS OF A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL
WHO THINKS THERE Is NO POSI-
BILITY OF CONFLICT.
He Says Britain Has Been RebuHed i'm
Regard to Manchuria
Frenchman's Opinion.
Troops OF Both Nations Are, However,
Still Camped on the Disputed Ter
ritory AwnitIng Orders.
VIEWS OF A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL
WHO THINKS THERE is NO POSI-
BILITY OF A CONFLICT.
He Says Britain Has Been RebuHed i'm
Regard to Manchuria
Frenchman's Opinion.

LONDON. March 20-Reports as to the
situation in China are conflicting. Dis
patches from Tien-Tsn say the Russians
and British still facing each other at
the disputed railway siding. and that the
Cars troops have been ordered to fire If
work is begun. Other reports say the
matter probably will be arbitrated and that
the contending powers have agreed to an
armistice. Advices from ST. Petersburg in
dicate a bellicose spirit pervades some OF
the Cars advisers, and that Russia has
no intention of conceding a single point
10 Great Britain individually, but is will
ing to do anything reasonable to avert a
general clash among the powers. France
Is backing Russia, and will support her in
any programme. Both Russia and France
regard Great Britain as impotent TO resent
anything that may be done, because she
has her hands full in South Africa.
Some Of the afternoon newspapers, yes
terday, said the Tien-Tsin difficulty has
been arranged. The misunderstanding was
due to the Chinese authorities granting the
same concessions to two nations. The ar
rangement, 1t was said, would enable Great
Britain to proceed with the construction of
the railroad siding, but if Russia's conces-
sion proved TO be earlier than that of Great
Britain the latter was to acknowledge the
claims OF Russia. The Foreign Office, how
ever. has no information tending to con-
firm the announcement of an arrangement
having been made, and the officials are
rather inclined to doubt that such an ar
rangement has been arrived at They say
the original concession was given up by
Russia The afternoon newspapers well
coined the latest news concerning the awk-
ward situation of affairs at Tien-Tsin as
indicating the probability of the faces of
both Russia and Great Britain being saved
by the Intervention of a noninterested pow
er. Professor Douglas. OF the British mu-
scum. expressed the opinion that there is
one way to stop Russian aggression in
China. and that is for the three most in
terested states-America, England and ia
pan-to combine in firm resistance
Lord George Hamilton, secretary for In
dia, replying to a question in the House
of Commons. yesterday. said that no other
disturbances are anticipated at Tien-Tsin
and that the sentries remained in their
previous positions. with strict orders not
to assume the aggressive, pending the set
tIement of the immediate cause of the diff
fculty by the military authorities on the
spot Lord George Hamilton assured Sir
llis-Ashmead-B Bartlett that no instructions
had been sent TO the British officer at
Tien-Tsin, either by the government or
by Sir Ernest Satow. not to resist the seiz-
ure by the Russians of the land required
for the siding.
The under foreign secretary. Lord Gran
borne. informed Mr. Kerburgh (Conserva-
tive) that the conc ssion of the construc-
tfon of the Canton- II N Olrovv pofIroad xros O.
still owned by an American company, al
though the stockholders had sold part Of
their holdings to the Belgian syndicate
owning the Peking- -Hangkow concession.
When questioned as to whether the An
glo-German agreement applied TO Man
churia, Lord CranbOrne. under secretary of
the Foreign Office. intimated that he
thought it did. He quoted u clause from
the agreemen. whereby both countries
agreed to direct their policy towards main
tanning the integrity of the Chinese EN-
pire. This provision" said Lord Gran
borne. ''is without qualification
DIR. Morrison, wiring to the Times from
Peking, says: Prince Ching received me
to-day and confirmed the information as to
Russia's notifications OF the Manchurian
convention. The Chinese minister at St
Petersburg officially reports that Russia
has agreed 10 eliminate the clause grant
ing her exclusive privileges in Mongolia
and Turkestan, and also to modify various
other clauses objected to by China. Prince
Ching warmly appreciates the assistance
rendered China by the Intervention of Eng
land. the United States and Japan. but he
Is not optimistic concerning the return Of
the court TO Peking"