The San Francisco call., 1904-10-29


Balfour addressed an immense meeting
IN Artillery Hall tonight. His appear
ance on the platform at sos O'Clock
was the signal for great cheering,
which was again and again renewed.
The Marquis of Winchester presided.
Balfour said:
II this meeting had been held yesterday
eveninS ] would not have dared preface my
remarks IN hopeful tone. Everybody felt
th-t II he uaWler ircioent could be repeated
al neutral lowers would be bound 10 combine.
The only version had Monday CT the
2aulentsble incicents o. the previous Friday
was the sersion SUPPLIED BY the trawlers
Thursday rscrEing the situation changed, te-
cause Ter tha frzt time. We had the counter
story supg .-cd By The Russian admiral.
In the story OF our fishermen there was
s'nuch tragedy but no romance; in the story
of the Russian admiral there is no TRAGEDY
bat I am driven = the belief that there is
Il is Impossible TO doast which is the cor
Ieft story. shoul1 not have aPlroaehe1 y
but for the fact that the admiro.s story e
really an attack uDOn our rational hoaor ana
irplles that we are not doing our duty as
Britain the nationality OF every craft is
known Il Is incOnceivable that we could he
harbortnE japanese steamers and warships
without Russia and. indeed. the whole civil
lied world knowing it. After most en-
phstio protest against such allegation the
trVth viii be manifest and clear as noonoay
when the inquiry Is held, which in most
Etatesmanlike manner has been welcomed by
the Gar But IN bare Justice 70 the Szar
and the Russian Government I viii say they
never al any tine uncerestiuizsed the gravity
Remeraber. he wheels II diplomacy move
slowly and perhaps the wheels Of Russian d.
plomscy especially slowly, but II should be
borne IN mind that the tragedy was not
known until Monday and the Government at
once expressed its sorrow and promised rep
that sny wrongdoer ought 10 receive punish
ment. One difficulty Nss thai the feet which
committed the outrage was on its way 70 tie
iilimitsble East That lificulty has been got
over, but there is another fdculty, namely,
that the Russian admiral has theory Ct the
acainst neutrais which would really make the
high seas place Of public danger.
IMPOSSIBLE POSITION.
Suppose some dark night a liner or trans
port fell IN with the second Pacific feet OF
and approached within the magic distance?
Accordin= 10 the admirals theory. he would
impossible for neutrals TO tolerate. feet
animated by this policy would be a fleet
which would have 10 be eliminated out OF ex-
istence If civilized commerce was 10 pursue its
way unimDaired- ! glad to think that in
this view the Russian Government agrees, and
renee Of the tragedy that has filled hearts
with sorrow and indignation.
Mr. Balfour thought it must be ad-
initted that the Russian Government
had shown an enlightened desire that
the truth and justice should prevail.
Only few hours ago he should him
self have taken very gloomy view of
the possibility of a satisfactory and
peaceful solution. lie thought the Car
had shown himself an enlightened
Judge Of what was right in the mat
sEer as between nation and nation. The
british Government did not ask of
others anything 1t would not gladly
have granted if it had been in similar
position. The Government had no de-
sire TO take advantage Of Russia's diff
fculties to enforce its demands.
The world had its eyes centered upon
one great, warlike tragedy in the Far
East. 1t would have been appalling,
but il was not at one moment impos-
sible for that great worlds tragedy to
be doubled and what should have been
the greatest calamity that could be-
fall mankind. namely, a struggle be-
tween two first-class powers. Speak
ing for the Government, Mr.. Balfour
declared he could say it had done all
It could consistently with honor to
avert that calamity. To say the incl
dent was closed and over would be
too much. but they surely would not
think him oversanguine in hoping the
spirit of reason and justice which had
brought Great Britain through the
most difficult parts Of controversy
without the calamity Of war would still
preside over the council Of the nations
and the greatest Of all calamities. that
Of war between two European nations,
would be averted-
HOPES FOR PEACE.
III" said Balfour, war could be
averted without dishcnor, the settle
ment would reflect nothing but credit
upon the ruler Of that great empire
with which we have been so nearly
coming into collision, but with whom
Il Is my earnest hope and sincere belief
our good relations viii remain undis-
turbed. I congratulate this country
and Russia, Europe and the world upon
what I believe viii be the result of
the last few days negotiations"
vote OF approval Of Balfour's con-
duct Of the negotiations was enthu-
sisstically passed.
ambassador Benckendorff. who has
been working night and day, tonight
expressed the greatest pleasure over
the result, which he regarded as hon
orable to both nations. Until Premier
Baifour spoke. the Embassador said,
he was bound TO silence and hence
much misinforTnation had pervaded the
British press, which had reiterated the
rD,.--f,