The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-07-27
The London Papers Are Excited
and all Call for War In Defence
of British Merchant Ma
rine.

London, July 21.-The authoritative
assn RANGES that the Malacca will be
released cabled by The Associated
Press from St. Petersburg to the Unit
ed States, do not appear in the Brit
ish morning papers. Special dispatch
es to somewhat similar effect from
St. Petersburg do not allay the alarm
.ist views Of the leading organs; which.
construe Premier Balfour's post md
night announcement that the govern
ment had received no notice of the re-
ported release Of the Malacca to mean
that the incident remains unsettled.
Another cause for great apprehen-
sion is the broader question of Rus
sia's right to send vessels of her vol
unt'ser feet through the Dardanelles.
\ striking evidence shat the danger
Of the situation has not been mitigat-
ed in the least'so far as the British
official and public opinion is concern
ed is afforded by the Daily Telegraph
which under large type caption, An
Acute Crisis,'' declares that "the
relations between Great Britain and
Russia have reached the stage of an
acute crisis, but behind the incident
of the Malacca is the far larger ques-
tior OF the status Of the so-called vol
unteer feet. It has, we believe, been
made clear to the czar's government
that the transformation of merchant
vessels passing the Dardanelles as
such into armed cruisers cannot be re-
coglized under any pretext whatever
as .justifying Russia's interference
with British shipping. It is not i'm
possible that as a concession to Rus
siar dignity the government may offer
to permit the Malacca to put into some
nen5ral port, where her cargo may be
examined and the statement verified
that whatever munitions she carried
were intended for the use of the Brit
ish China squadron.
Il its editorial article this morning
The Daily Telegraph becomes even
more alarmist, declaring that upon
Rus:ia's response to Lord Lansdowne's
demands, "t the issues of peace or war
are staked.'
Continuing, The Daily Telegraph
says: The point which has been made
clear to the czar's government by Lord
Lansdowne is that Great Britain will
not permit lightning change from a
merchant vessa Il to an armed cruiser.
In other words, ii these unchartered
libertines Of the Russian navy attempt
to stop or to search q British vessel
they will be called upon to desist and
if they refuse to obey the demand they
will be fred upon and sunk. We fur
ther understand that the Ottoman gov
ernrlent will take steps to prevent the
passage of these janus faced vessels
through the DardanelIes and, in the
evert Of their evasion will notify our
government of their departure.
The significance of such language
by q paper SO much in the confidence
OF the government and which has been
strongly in favor of an Anglo Russian
entente can scarcely be over estima-
ted.
The Standard also sees little abate-
ment in the gravity of the crisis as
result OF the statements from St. Pc
tersjourg that the Malacca will be re-
leased: "Our dignity and self-re-
spect," says the paper editorially,
g demand that she be released before
she reaches the Baltic The admiral
in command of the Mediterranean
squadron has received his instructions
hls cruisers are being rapidly directed
to the proper points and we presume
that if the Malacca is not voluntarily
surr endered she Will be intercepted be-
fore she can pass the straits OF Glbral-
tar -