New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
A DEFENCE OF RUSSIA IN MANCHURIA.
Resident of Dalny Declares Her Position ana
Aims Have Been Misrepresented.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The position of the Russians in Manchuria
has been so frequently misre9resented in certain
quarters that the situation comes to be little
derstood. even in the East. and misconcesved to a
great extent abroad. few words on the subject
would. therefore. be found Of interest to
those not quite familiar with the question.
When the Muscovites launched the great project
of constructing the Trans-Siberian Railroad TO
VladivOstOk in the last decade. II was founi
dispensable to run a branch line through Man
chura from a point in Siberia known as Missovy.
on Lake TeabOokal. and about four hours run
across from Irkutsk by steamship. the line pass
ing the towns of ManChuria and Moukden and
Kerbein to a terminus in Port Arthur. about 3COO
versts long. in order to shorten the time OF the
journey by many days for those who would avail
| themselves Of the route to Europe from Japan.
China and other parts Of the East.
For this purpose Port Arthur was leased TO
Russia BY the Chinese Government in 1895 or
thereabOuts. for period Of ninety-nine years. the
same term that the hOurishing little colony Of
Penang was. years ago. leased TO the British by
the Sultan OF kheda. a tributary chief Of Siam.
The terminus at Port Arthur was eventually
shifted to more convenient site in DaIny. thirty
mile snOrth- This prodigOus enterprise. as a
matter Of course. entaed the necessity import
ing thousands Of Russian subjects into Man
churia and providing house accommodations for
the large number of work people and their families
became eventually a problem
This large immigration was followed by the
necessity for calling into requisitOn. from time
To time. small attachments OF police and the mill
tary, for the safeguarding of life and property
against the raids OF maurading bandits then found
throughout the district. The demand for military
protection of not only the large number of Rus
sian subjects. but Of the extensive railroad itself
| increased day by day. and had to be met accord
ing TO the growing demands OF the time until it
has to-day assumed small proportions.
Thus 1t was that. keeping pace with the rapid
progress made in the works of the railroad. Port
Arthur and its envrons and the town Of Dalny
sprang up in the ordinary Of events i'm about
three years. Be that it may. IL Is admitted
/ by those competent to judge that Russian enter
| prise in Manchuria and the Liaotung Peninsula
| far from engenderng plaques or famines. has
opened a new era OF prosperity in the annals Of
i China and to the sons of the soil Hundreds Of
| thousands OF Chinese have thereby found a per-
| manent means of livelihood which. under their
| own government. they could never have looked
for or ever hoped to realize. But for the dint Of
| Russian energy and Russian money the large
| district of Manchuria would have to this dav
| been lying waste and useless to humanity as
any blazing desert under the sun. while il is rea-
sonable to suppose that the army Of Chinese
| laborers now following a peaceful and honest avo-
| cation would have. by pinch OF necessity, turned
| professional bandits and been scattered all over
the country bent on pilage and plumber and their
| accessories. murder and rapine.
Not few millions have gone out OF the Russian
1 cor1ers to make ManChuria what IL is to-day the
| Trans Siberian system being calculated to benefit
| the world AT large with its present expresses to
| Europe rafting tract Of about 1900 miles
of railroad. The statement that is generally gain
| ing currency. that Russia excludes other nations
| from Manchuria. is without foundation to a great
extent. and is Initiated by the fact that Port
| Arthur and Dalny declared free ports Ger
| tainly, Russia would resent. as any other nation
tn her place would were body Of foreign troops
| reason that she would not let another reap the
| 1t is known to but few people and which comes
now to be regarded as almost state secret, that.
| dom OF Siam was. by royal statute. declared to be
Wlthln british domniOns; in the face of the fact
! or as any government could wish to be If Siam
for Siam beyond lending the services of a few
revenue and police officers from India to be paid
| Of very recent years-Russia's sovereignty over
invested minis Of money therein toward its deveI-
opment, on the understanding with China all along
| that Russia would eventually own exclusive priv
| ileges in ManchUria, where. by virtue of certain
| GonGesSl4ns granted her' not sod was cut. not a
DICK lald' without the consent ipso tacto OF the
| imperial government of Pekng. The question
| rests between the government of St Petersburg
| and that of PeEing 70 carry through 70 a mutual
seen Of the Russian Army, not Manchura but a
dozen Chinas. Is the strong arm OF Russia able to
| enemies without subjeCting herself 10 the mira
| digntum Of invoking the alliance OF any Mon
Not to go into details. scores if not hundreds Of
| InGians-HindOOs and MahOmetans-whO. of all
/ nations in the world. are most susceptible Of any
| 'uDbearable'
Russian service since the last three four years
either in the police other civil departments and
| yet not has found word OF complaint 20 this
| day. and they happy and COntented as
| mortals could he. ON the contrary. there many
more fiOcking in from upper India. only too eager
| for service in Manchuria-
| Not a few Germans. and even Englishmen. are
| TO be found I'm the rank and file of the Russian
| service. whose years of experience have shown
| that the regime far from being 'unbearable.'' is
| all that could be wished for under civilized gov
| eminent. The Russians are remarkable for their
| sense Of humanity and show Of kindness and
| swearing and squabbles are practices scarcely
known among them.
4 The hubbub raised I'm the Far East about Man
| chura and the manner in which the whole thing i
colOred by interested parties naturally create an
| undue impression in Europe and in America. The
/ situation in Manchuria is briefly this: The Mus
/ Covfte does not look for any gold or diamonds
there The limited output Of coal that the district
Yields hardly meets the requirements Of his loco
| motives He does not hope TO recover from
/ or otherwise neither does he go about hat in
/ hand asking the people 10 drop in contributions
| All he wants is his moneys worth for the vast
/ Investments he has made therein. and that he
evidently hopes realize IN the evolution OF time.
and time alone will show the plans of the InsCruta-
bic that doth control the destinies Of nations and
| hath from the beginning set up and pulled down
empires COhE-A-
| Dainy Manchuria. July g. 1895.