The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1904-07-26
IN -HE BED SEA.

game .a fl. Red Sea. o. l- quite trI.
. that ,ae Russian Admiralty explains
that The steamer MaIao.a was seized
, because the British master declined
20 produce a manifest OF bis cargo
as required by international law. and
that other grounds o. justification or
excuse are presented in tae cases
mplalned %; by both England and
Germany. and 10 IS also ffu0 that Rus.
sian proposals in the premises are
conciIiatory In tone and apparently
charged with friendly intent. but
none OF the expressions or develop
meuts is wholly inconsistent with the
view ,fat Russia deliberate purpose
lbs o. shake 1f Japan by bringing into
the trouble jon the Far East other in.
/ terested Nations. with power to rc.
mand aa1 bring about a general adj.
jus,msut ot %. whole Eastern trou.
/ .'e. including the present Vas bee
tween Eu s.a and Japan
or course there is serious question
as ro whether The Russian Govern.
meut can be excused f.r its sly
scheme OF slipping IFS ships O, the
Black sea fleet through the Darda.
uelle- and subsequently eQuippiug
them as war vessels and utilizing
them 10 holding mp the worlds com
/ r,.v.. A. ,,r.-gls ,,tr,..v tI.a. ,..r.
sells could pass the Dardaneues with
out question. as warships they could
not The only way 10 get them out
for war purposes was to disarm them
and put them through the Darianelles
a. commercial craft. and when they
were safely on the high seas replace
the armament II the proposition had
been submitted 10 the powers the
! Smolensk and 81. Petersburg would
still be in the Blacl. Sea, with the
prospect OF remaining there until the
war ended. although the decision
might ultimately have been in favor
OF Russia. The Russian Government
recognized that II the ships were TO
be- used at all. the red tape of diplo-
macy must be cut al once so the
trick was played and diplomatic ne
gatiations now being after the fact.
Russia does not care how long they
last II would appear from the hold
ing in the Alabama case that Russia
certainly had no lawful ground 10
thus equip warships at sea and ii.
censc them 10 seize AMI search the
shops OF other Nations
But there are'other questions which
the shrewd Russian diplomat Is fully
prepared to present and to back mp
with prccedents and arguments at
least far Jeuough to enable him to
avert the more serious penalties OF
worldwide war Russia pretcnds 10
have grounds fer tho seizure. and In
case her conduct should lead 10 a gen
eral attack upon her She could still
continue 10 plead her good intention
as ground ct friendly adjustment
and might in that way bring the
whole trouble into court for a settle.
ment which must otherwise be made
at irreparable loss on the field of bat.
tie
II interposition Of England, Germa.
ny, France and the rest were thus
forced, considering the expressions OF
the Russian diplomats, there is ap
pareuuy no reason why the Cars
government might not hope to come
out fairly well in any general adjust
ment that might result II, for ex.
ample. the prestige Of Russia should
be- thus saved and the power Of the
Nation TO keep down insurrectiou at
home should be thus preserved. this
would Doe far better. even with a loss
of territory in the East. than TO pur.
sue TO a finish a desperate war in
which an power and prestige promise
tu Dee lest
Admiral Edward Field retired.
| speaking ai "a public banquet In Lon.
don said he believed that the Russian
Government was trying 90 drag i'm
both France and Great Britain do
not let Russia play her game" said
the Admiral but leave the matter
TO the diplomats The Malacca Incl.
dent is safer. in the hands of Mr Bal.
four and Lord Iansdownc than in
those f the naval men" Possibly
the old Admiral is mistaken in his
view as to Russih's purpose, but there
are at least a few considerations 10
Justify his suspicion. There is some
ground for this view in the facts that
Russia is engaged in a desperate con.
hict with Japan, in which Japan is
winning and bids fair to be yicto
rious; that the grounds presented as
excuses for the seizure are unreasona.