The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-19
TROOPS WILL WITHDRAW.


LONDON, March 1S.-On the highest Of
ficiai authority the Associated Press is au-
thorized to announce that the difficulty at
Tien-Tsin between the Russians and Brit
ish over the construction of a railroad sid
ing in territory claimed by both. will prob
ably be solved by the withdrawal of both
the British and Russian troops from the
ground in dispute.
There is a disposition here to think too
much has been made OF the Anglo-Russian
incident at Tien-Tsin and a more hopeful
view OF the affair is taken to-day. The
statement in DIR. Morrison's dispatch. yes
terday. TO the London Times. from Peking.
is taken to mean that the combined efforts
of the interested powers are having the
effect of causing st. Petersburg to check
any tendency 10 any undue aggressveness
on the part of Russian officials in China.
The comments of the afternoon newspapers
here repeat the views of the majority of
the morning papers, namely, that diplo-
macy will be able TO smooth the friction.
The officials of the British Foreign Of
flee have not yet received official confirma-
ton of Russia's alleged backdown in re-
gard TO Manchuria, Turkestan Mongolia,
and inquiries the subject are now being
made at St. Petersburg and Peking. The
British Foreign Office is not relaxing it's
efforts to secure a more satisfactory state
ment OF the intentions of Russia, but the
officials deprecate the British agitation on
the subject. On all sides it is officially and
otherwise said that Great Britain has not
the slightest intention of resorting to hos
tilities against Russia, whatever may be
the outcome of the present negotiations.
While hostilities are out of the question:
II is not unlikely that diplomatic relations
between Great Britain and Russia will be-
come strained almost to the breaking point
Possibly British warships may be dis
patched TO bring pressure to bear upon
Russia, but war will not result, unless
some fracas, quite unauthorized by London
and st. Petersburg occurs between the op-
posing forces at Tien-Tsin. This assertion
is based upon exhaustive inquiries made by
the Associated Press in London A promi-
nent British official often the mouthpiece
OF the government, whose position makes
II undesirable that he should be named in
this connection. said this evening: "It is
useless for our newspapers TO use provoca-
tive language. Tney forget that we have a
great army in South Africa and that we
have no other army. nor the makings of
one elsewhere. 1t is impossible TO go to war
with Russia
A semi-official statement was issued this
evening. 10 the effect that the much-taIked-
OF assurances of the Russian foreign min
lister. Count Lamsdorff. TO Sir Charles
Stewart Scott. British ambassador lat St
Petersburg. were made Feb g. and evident
ly referred 10 the Russo-Chinese agree
ment concluded at Port Arthur. last No
vember and not to the Manchurian conven-
tion.
Inquiries at the Chinese legation. this
afternoon, were rewarded by the reply:
His Excellency has gone to bed" which
was. presumably. the Celestial equivalent
of ar assurance that the Chinese minister
preferred to say nothing as to the most re
cent Developments. The Japanese legation
was equally noncommittal Ii Is understood
that one OF the views is that the disnrte
may eventually be referred 10 arbitration.
Replying 10 Sir Ashmead- Bartlett. Con
servative. Mr.. Balfour. the government
leader. said. in the House of Commons
to-day. that the government did not pos
sess any Information indicating any decline
In British influence IN the Yang-Tse prov
inces AS 10 the Russian claim for the
waters OF Blonde and Elliott islands the
British government had certainly not ac-
cepted this claim. The government had re-
ceived no communication on the subject
from Russia. The Russian ADMIRAL had
demonstrated against the presence In the
waters OF Elliott island OF II. NJ Plover.
which was engaged in pursuing pirates.