New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-04
nANcHURLAN ANCIENT HISTORY.


How short are human memories is strikingly
/ Illustrated by the surprise and agitation now
manifested in Great Britain over Russia's action
/ in Manchuria A few days ago it was an
nounced that Russia had scrupulously fulfilled
I her promise by withdrawing her troops from a
portion of Sheng- King and restoring the Shan
Hai-Kwan railroad to its owners. Upon that
/ there seemed TO be a general jumping at the
conclusion that Russia was abandoning all her
claims upon Manchuria, and that all those prov
inces were to be made purely Chinese again.
But now a venturesOme explorer announces the
amazing discovery that Russia has railroad
of her own running right down through Man
churia from the Amoor to the Gulf of Pe-Chi-Li,
and is maintaining strong military garrlsons
along it; wherefore her grip upon Manchur1a re
mains about as strong as ever and bids fair to
be permanent. At which revelations there Is
unbounded surprise and amazement.
One would think men had never heard of
Dalny or Port Arthur. of the Siberian railroad
or of Count Cassini and his treaty with China.
Yet only a few years ago the newspapers were
full of them 1t was perfectly we'll known sew
eral years ago that Russia had acquired possess
sion of the tip of the Regents Sword and was
building there ut Dalny n great commercial port
and at Port Arthur Il great military and naval
stronghold. It was known that she was making
Dalny the Pacific terminus of her Siberian rail-
road and that the main line of that road was
being run thfther straight down through the
heart Of Manchuria 1t was known that for the
securing and facilitating of these enterprises
Russia had made bargain with China, under
the terms of which Russia was to maintain per
Hanently in Manchuria whatever military gar
risons she deemed necessary for the guarding Of
her railroad. and was to exercise administrative
authority along the line of the road AL these
things were conspicuously reported and widely
commented upon at the time. Can It be that
they are so soon forgotten? IF not, why should
there be so much amazement at the present re-
hinder Of them?
Now this is the state of affairs and this is the
prospect for the future On October 8, inst, the
Shan-Hai-Kwan railroad was surrendered bv
Russia, and the Russian troops which had come
in on account Of the Boxer troubles-only those
and no others. observe-were withdrawn from
that part Of Sheng- King below the LeaO River
on April next another zone of Manchuria will
be evacuated in like manner. and by October 8.
1903. all Of those provinces viii be cleared of
such Russian troops as were sent thither TO deal
with the Boxers. But the railroad guards will
remain, and will probably be reinforced, for
they are there by virtue OF the compact which
Count Cassini made before the Boxer out
break and which, Of course, has not been modi-
fed by any subsequent occurrence. Those
guards. who are chiefly Cossack troops of the
most effective type. now number about thirty
thousand men, forming an army corps, and are
distributed all along the line with local head
quarters at Buchatu Charbin, Leao-Yang and
other places, each of which will be made practi-
cally a fortified Russian garrison town. In ad-
dition to these, there about ten thousand
more at Port Arthur and Dalny in permanent
garrison. Thus Russlas evacuation" of Man
churia win still leave forty thousand or more OF
her troops advantageously distributed through
out the provmces-a pretty effective army OF
occupation. one would say.
The extraordinary thing about it all is that
any one should be surprised al Il as something
new. unexpected and startling. We had sup
posed II was ancient history.