Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-03
DIPLOMACY TRIUMPHANT.

The North Sea incident seems to
couse no further anxiety Iu diplomatic
circles il IS supposed that the facts
viii be ascertaIned by m International
commission consisting OF some Of the
otlest officers In the world. when all
the facts aro known. It Is thought that
the matter can be adjusted without
much difficulty
Russia can certainly not desire a
war with Great Britain over gigantic
bIunder For France is under no obll-
cation TO join her ally I'm am unrghteous
war France and Russia have agreed
TO support one another I'm case either
power rs attacked by more than one
power France would therefore DE IN
honor bound to join her ally, should
Great Britain attack her iu order 10 aid
Japan But n Russia provolses war
with the rest Of the world. she must
fight alone For this reason a Is clear
that Russia must be- anxious for u
peaceful settlement Of the difficulty
Russia might welcome am unproyoked
attack. but she VIII do an ln her power
10 avoid the appearance Of inviting
trouble, especially after the announce
mcnt by France that she would not
BE- drawn into the row should Russia
and England fight over the North Sea
incident
Il may be interesting TO know that at
least some naval officers In this coun-
try are Inclined to judge the Russian
admiral lenIenty. The New York Even
Ing Post published a short time ago
q statement by am American officer In
which he alleges that the nervous ten
sion on board the American shlus
blockadng Santiago was such, that
thousands Of shots were fred al mere
phautoms. HE says In part
"lf an unauspectug fishing fleet had
blown into the radius OF action at SAN
tiago. there would have been things
doing and any fairmindcd naval OFF,
Ger win acknowledge IL. This was not
panic, it was the result OF the preceu-
lions that always have been and al
ways win Doe taken in war time. When
meu-of-war are cruising In waters
where there Ia any reason 10 suspect
the presence Of an enemy, they VIII take
300 risks whatever An automobile tor
pedu can be carried and fred by any
Kind of a craft oven q rowhoat, and
consequently any commander % man-
of-War win not let any craft approach
within torpedo range during war time.
lie cannot take the risk When the
weather is hazy ar misty, "a searchllght
win not penetrate 20 any great distance,
and II peaceful craft is not discovered
until close aboard the general orders
that are absolutely necessary for the
protection Of a fleet win almost in-
evitably cause her 10 be fred upon.
Let us. therefore. disregard the shrieks
of the highly excited British press un-
ul the Russians have had chance TO
explain; and II Il turns out that the
accident was the result Of a mistake,
let us be honest Let MS remember
The Maine--l mean the doings of san
tiago,"
This is commcndable effort at a
charitable explanation only. the Rus
sian fleet was sailing In neutral waters,
and had absolutely mo- right TO fire at
whatever might come within range
Of the guns The blockadlng Meet az
Santiago was In an entirely different
situation
II is best now TO suspend Judgment
until the facts are oscertained And
in the meantime. the scenes ON the Ash
atcl war stage arc again likely to at
tract attention.