The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-17
GERMANY'S POWER IN CHINA
Il COALITION WHICH MAKES HER
SUPREME.

Councils of Ministers Swayed by Repre-
sentntives of tho Drcibund--A Ma.
| jority Vote Assured Large 1ndemni
ties Claimed by the Various Nations.
| Washington, April 16.-Advices re-
| ceived at the state department leave nc
| room for doubt that Germany controls
| the diplomatic situation in Pekin. A
strong combination of nations has been
| formed with a certain majority Of one
| in the international concert, which
makes it practically impossible for any
other than radical course to be adopt
ed If the recognition Of majority rule
continues
The representatives Of the Dreibund
at Pekin are voting together on every
proposition, and it is now apparent that
they have the hearty cooperation OF
the ministers of the three smallest ma
lions engaged in the negotiations
Spain, Holland and Belgium. Against
this combination are arrayed only the
United States, England and Japan, for
the position of Russia Is uncertain and
France appears to lean toward the Ger
man condition. But even II Russia
and France would join with the United
States, England and Japan, their COM
bination could not overcome that head
ed by Germany with five other nations
included in it. Germany and her ad-
herents represent the radical view on
the indemnity question, while the
mi CHI and TqnanaEh RJl-
voys represent the moderate view.
1t is now possible to give the amounts
of the claims for indemnity of most of
the nations engaged in the negotiations.
Russia leads the list with $S7, 100000.
Germany Is next with claims nominally
amounting to $70000,000 but actually
to a much greater amount, as she in
sists that the Chinese government shall
pay the expenses of the large German
military contingent as long as 1t re-
mains in China. Her claims will ag-
gregate at least $S0,000,O0O. Then comes
France with $56,000,000. France had lit
tie part in the rescue of the legationers
and the subsequent restoration of order,
but insists that she is entitled to heavy
indemnity on account of the massacres
of French missionaries and the destruc-
ton of their places of worship. The
American claims aggregate $25,0O0,000,
England's about $22,000,00O and Japan's
between the American and the British
aggregates.
The exact figures of the Austrian,
Italian, Spanish and Dutch claims are
not obtainable, but they are regarded
here as exceedingly unreasonable. 1t
is evident, from the fact that these ma
tions have asked for indemnities far In
advance of their losses and the ex-
penses of their meagre military contin-
gents, why they have aligned them
selves with the Dreibund. Germany
wants heavy indemnity, and controls
the policy of Austria and Italy, and to
secure the big sums they claim the
three minor nations must help the
Dreibund to get what it wants Thus
triple alliance of European countries
that are not among the great powers of
the world may be enabled to defeat the
United States, England, Japan, Russia
and France, assuming that the two
last named will vote against the COM
bination led by Germany. Belgium's
claim is thirty million francs, or about
Sc, 900, 900. Washington officials consd-
er 1t preposterous A few Belgian en-
gineers and missionaries were murdered
and it is believed that there were no
other losses for which Belgium can
claim indemnity.
Very little progress is being made in |
the negotiate at Pekin, according to |
the latest advices received at the state |
England, Japan and the |
United States are attempting to re-
lieve the situation by urging that addi-
tional commercial advantages be ac-
cepted from China in part liquidation
of the indemnity, and England's mod
crate claim is based on the understand
ing that these commercial advantages
will be obtained.