New-York tribune., 1905-04-19
rn,yor JAP4y AND RUSSIA.

-. =, tho least surprising tnat Japanese
pxDress irritation at the attitude OK
- =; this war Their hrst cause OF COM
,,o-,+ 1,.as the hospitality given TO the Russian
- :. .to waters and ports OF Mauagascar'
-, rs almost as great as it could nave en-
49, ;, . Russian port. Still, Madagascar was
=, for ovay that such aid 10 hussia ulu ho"
oFto- oil greatly matter. The next pIoVocauon
"I'o' a.. , . circumstances Of the Russian fleets
departure from Madagascar Is peNs'e 'eN "
boE-e loft those waters on March TO- Out Ior
~ reason not vet explained the news OF its
Ls-,,1,,, dome 50 was not permitted to get out
,,ptiI eleven DAYS later The Japanese nave u
o+ unnatural idea that the news was mten-
tionaIlv withheld by the French authorities IOl
tb odran+arn Of the Russians. Finally, tnere
i the annarent hospitality given TO the Russians
IN tho waters of Cochin China. 1t all LOOKS 10
Japanese eyes, much as though france were
openIy aiding Russia by putting her waters anu
ports at her disposal all around the "orlu' 1n"t
is not surprising, nor Is 1t TO De "ouueleu q.
that some Japanese go so far as to suggest that
tto ojd of Great Britain should be invoked for
Tonan under the terms of the alliance which
binds the United Kingdom to AID Japan Wnen-
eyer any other power aids Japans antagonist
Not surprising, we say, but natural; and yer
that does not prove that France is in the wrong
II is a mistake TO suppose that there IS sone
hard and fast prescription or internauOhal Ia"
forbiddiug a neutral to give to DelllgeTeht
shin hospitality beyond certain limits 1here Is
onparenfIv nothing in international law to pre-
vent a neutral state from giving pracucaly un-
limited ASYLUM and hospitality to ships OF the
belIigerent powers impartially, or even from
granting such privileges to one OF them anu
Withholding them from the other where Supu-
lated by treaties antedatinG the war NOW,
France had long before this war, treaty or
alliance with Russia. promising to Russia GER
tain preferential privileges. Under it it is quite
conceivable that France might be Jusuned III
giving to Russian ships special favors which she
would not give to those of Japan or OF any
other nation.
There is no indication, however, that France
means to go so far. On the contrary, we are
told that the French government has given
orders for the maintenance of impartial neutral
ity, under rules identical with those which pre-
vailed during our war with Spain. There Is, as
we have already suggested, no certainty tnat
the French government had any knowledge OF
the Russian use of Kamranh Bay until the Rus
SLAMS had been there as long as they wanted TO
be- It is an out OF the way place, probably with
no direct telegraphiC communications with the
seat Of government Moreover, the use of such
a. bay as place Of anchorage was not compar-
able with the use Of a port; for at Kamranh
Bay there Is no dock nor any coal supply. There
is merely a bit of water somewhat smoother
than the open sea, in which the ships might lie
for time to take coal from their own Golfers
But, beyond all that the good faith of France
appears to be indicated in the reported official
view that there are no obstacles to Japan's
adopting such tactics as her naval situation re-
qulres. That would seem to mean that if the
Russians take advantage of French waters to
go in and coal, the japanese are privileged to
n iSn md
them.
We do not know that quite so much is meant
but the intimation in the dispatch sounds
like it. That, it will be perceived, fully meets
the most strenuous demand Of the Japanese as
set forth in the "Jiji ShimpO." 1t would be a
somewhat startling thing for great power thus
to open its territorial waters to belligerents, yet
/ it might not be altogether unprecedented. Some
authorities on international law, it viii be re-
! called, have argued that belligerent vessel has
right to pursue a flying enemy into neutral
waters and complete the capture or destruction
/ there This extreme doctrine was set forth and
maintained by BynkershOek and also by Casa
regis, and, although generally repudiated by
! other writer's, is not TO be regarded as an un-
heard Of thing. Certainly 1t would seem to lie
within the right Of France to promulgate it in
this case if she pleases so to do. Whether she
does so or not, we have no doubt she will satisfy
. tne Japanese government OF nSF SOod Ialth anu
Of the correctness of her attitude. In their hour
Of triumph the Japanese will probably not regret
that every possible facility was given TO the
Russians in their campaign. Whatever may be
the outcome of his venture in Eastern waters,
ROjestVensky cannot complain that he was hard
/ ly treated on his way thither. He enjoyed from
/ all the powers with which he came into contact
a forbearance and a hospitality probably I'M
/ rlvalled in the history of war If after that he
is beaten, so much the greater will be the glory
! of the Japanese arms.
J
/ ppTzuuTcUTc UEpu AVN TUFPu