The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-08
Lansdowne's Warning.

While the Balkan situation Is becom-:
ing more critical thru the Turkish note
to Bulgaria, yesterday, and the persistent
and destructive activity of the insurgents
in Macedonia and the talk of interven-
ton by the concert Of Europe" another
phase of the eastern question was re-
vived by the British foreign minister,
Lord Lansdowne, who, In speech in the
house of lords, yesterday, gave emphatic
notice to the powers that Great Britain
would not tolerate the establishment by
any, of them of a naval base or fortified
post on the Persian gulf but " oulds resist
any such movement with all the means
at our disposal
This warning was intended primarily
for Russia, who has secured conces-
sion from the Shah of Persia for a rail
way to the head Of the Persian gulf to
carry out her long cherished purpose of
reaching the unfrozen seas in that direc-
ton and acquiring a naval base as she
has at Port Arthur on the Leao. Tong
peninsula in China. 1t also concerns Ger
many, whose capitalists have obtained
control of the Anatolian railway connect
ing Constantinople with Konieh (the an
cient Iconium) and have obtained con-
cession for an extension of that. line to
| Bagdad on the Tigris river, and are try
| ing to get Great Britain to consent to the
location of the terminus at Koweit, port
on the Persian gulf within the British
sphere of influence. The proposition is to
no leo tbo con 0O0 mn n ~ h1,il6 "a
road by subscriptions Of 25 per cent OF
the cost each. from German. French and
British financial groups, the remaining
% per cent to be divided between Swiss
and Austrian groups and the Anatoliar
Railway company
Russia has kept out Of these negotia-
tions. altho she has been asked to come
in. She regards the talk of the Bagda6
railway and it's Persian gulf terminus as
/ inimical to her deep-1aid plan of getting
control of that outlet. She has despoilet
i Persia of much territory; has obtained
the dominant influence over the Persian
! government, and is constructing her rail.
way on a. Persian concession to the Per
sian gulf Lord Lansdowne gives Russia
/ due warning and intends her to under
stand that, so long as Great Britain cal
i lift an arm, she will oppose to the bitter
end any effort to displace her from l1e1
/ control of the Persian gulf Her consen
| will have to 81 obtained to make Kowei
the terninu. nd. as the ultimate oh
! jective of the road is India and Crea
4 Britain controls the country intervening
she is sensitive as to any Russian projec
Il fora naval base on the Persian gulf.
It will be remembered that in 1885 Rus
STA and Great Britain nearly came t,
i blows because of Russia's approach t
Herat in Afghanistan nearly to the Roba
4 pass in the Barkhut mountains, and wa
= was averted only by an agreement upon ;
fcommission to define anew the Afghanis
tan boundary. Any Russian approach
toward India arouses British antayonisn
! Intensely. Koweit stands betwee-4 Russi;
and her Persian gulf naval ba,e project
If she ever controls those waters sh
will first have to inflict a stunning blow
I. upon the vitality of the British empire
!, Her progress southwark has been slow bu
/ persistent. Prevented by Great Britain
4. from obtaining possession of Constant
i nople and the outlet to the Mediterranean
Il she busted herself In entertainments upol
i central Asia, which were really flank at
q lacks upon Great Britain, and after man.