Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-09-27
Recently Signed Between
Great Britain and Japan
For Maintenance Of Peace in
Asia and India
And The Preservation Of Interests Of All
Nations Represented in China.

London, Sept. 21.-The text Of the
new agreement between Great britain
ana Japan which was signed by Lord
Lansdowne, the British foreign Secre-
tary, and liaron IIayasii. the Japanese
minister TO Great Britain, Aug. 81, WAS
issued by the foreign office, late last
evening. Tho document is Il brief one,
comprising less than 500 words. inclut-
ing eight articles ana Il preamble.
Ace )mpan nyinS the agreement is n
letter from Lord I.ansdoWnc to the
British ambassador at st. Peters burg
and Paris, for transmission To the Rus
sian and French governments r"Spcc-
lively. in which the foreign secretary
court "ouslv reviews the agreement and
carefully points out that the new de-
f.uSiVr alliance is not intended as a
M mace but rather as 4 guarantee Of
peace and prosperity in the Ear East
IN which all countries may participate.
TN. main feature Of the new agree
mont have already hc"n fdr"caSt"d in
che Associated Press dispatches from
London ani Paris. The piuhy articles
uf The official text. however, bring out
torcrfu!ly tn. tremendous Importance
tn bplH countries tIl lliS ilIltliit', w HiC!i
rTactirally makes Great Britain, Japan
and Japan Great britain for the rur-
poses of defence i'll the regions OF
east Asia ana India" This inclusion
OF India specifically as It point ut
which any nSreSSinn by 4 foreign pow
ci will call for Iii" assistance nf Japan
finds much favor with the press of
London lilo morning papers. in long
Mandatory articles welcoming the new
anI more extensive alliance OF the two
inSullr kingdoms west ana east as
giving iinncdiat. relief from the dan
rcrous thunder cloud which for 50
many years has hung over the Indian
frontier.
Baron Iaya shi, who was interviewed
Ey The Associated Press after the pub
licatinn OF the agreement. said:
TN" new treaty forms an effcctiv"
81 guard against the renewal IF dis
turbanC"S if the Far East. That is its
object. We cannot say that a rcrmt-
Eent T,ace has been sncurrd-that is
too much tn be sure of, but we can
ave- tl,lt tranquility has hoen assured
for Il long time To come. This applies
NOT only to Great britain and Japan
hut also u nil powers having political
Or commercial interests in that part
of the world; in fact 10 al who hay"
been interested i'll maintaining the
status quota. | repeat that the treaty
is Il sure guarantee pI peace for that
is its ailr and object. II should be
clearly recognized 10y all that ii is not
meant rs a menace 10 any one. II has
10 aggressive intent. its only object
being 10 secure the peace Of the world
50 far as the Far East is concerned.
The treaty is so clearly wordcd that
10 further comment is needed. and |
am convinced that it will form. as was
intended. the most powerful factor for
Icac". | hope that the people Of both
countries will realize this and will kcel
10 the spirit Of the treaty for 4 very
long time To come"
Sir Charles Dixie. in speaking to The
Associated Press. took the posit ion that
II" rrN treaty makes no change in the
pie-cxisting status quota: but said il
was an inevitable consequence of the
new conditions in the Far East ana
that it was certainly Il stronger guar
antcc Of the maintenance Of peace than
the previous alliance. He argued that
Russia was never really Il menace to
the Indian frontier. but merely played
On the suSccptibiliticS Of Great Britain.
With regard to Persia. Sir Charles did
not believe that Russia would ever
risk Il quarrel with India.
IN reality" said ne, the countries
most affected are France and Germany.
because to both the new treaty secures
possessions which they might have
found il Impossible to defend. To
France the arrangement is entirely sat
isfactory. With Germany the case may
he different, because il deals q blow at
the aspirations which Germany is sup
posed to entertain with regard to the
pro>inc Of Shantung ana because Ger
many's present privileged position in
ShantunG may become nOn-cXistent by
reason Of The treaty. Germany, there
fore may have some slight feeling OF
irritation because Of the limitation thus
imposed. IT is only in this respect that
The treaty is likely 10 give rise TO any
permanent unpleasantncss. In al other
respects it makes for peace"
While there is some criticism Of the
treaty in the radical newspapers. il is
only haif-hcartrd, and as Il whole, Lon
don. which has been anXiously awaiting
the breaking OF official silence with re-
gard to the document. hcaves 4 sigh OF
relief afli groets with satisfaction the
positive assurance Of the future assist
ance Of a powerful Oriental ally In all
matters pertaining to Far Eastern
nOlicirS.