The sun., 1906-02-07
JAPAN PRSLS ENGLAND.
Various Int nicrprctatio of the Oues''"n'
Asked I'm the Diet.

To THE EDlroR O THE SlN Sir: Inc re-
port that the leader Of the Progressive party
in the Japanese Diet had asked the MINISTER
of War whether IL was the intention OF we
Government, IN view of the Anglo-Jap"'''''
alliance, to urge Great Britain to REFORM 'ie'
army, is we'll calculated to arouse p"W,' p
curiosity and cause much speculation. Ihe
incident is capable or very conflicting inter
pretations "a to iis motives ana 'he l''he ee
lectcd for bringing the subject to IN. ht'el-
ton Of the Japanese Government
The form III which the Progressive ieauer
put his question was. TO say the least cr".e's
undiplornatic: and II ia to be regretted that
more explicit details of the war Minister 3
reply have not been RECEIVED.
One Interpretation is that the Japanese
Government foresees Developments that may
Justify its calling Oh its British any TO give
early effect to the terms OF the treaty olhdihe
the two countries and wishes to give prod TO
the new Government in England in order 10
find out to what extent it Is to be relied on
to carry out its predecessors engagements
or it may be that the Japanese Government
ia beginning to find that the burdens imposed
on Its people are such that II cannot rely upon
It's own ability to give the necessary ehect 10
its reciprocal obligations II called upon IL
is possible, also. that the Japanese Govern
rnent has discovered that the terms OF It's
alliance with Great Britain are hampering
rather than facilitating its diplomacy IN
dealing with China. Russia and other coun-
tries. and desires to have its ally get reauy
for an early conflict or release 1t from the alii-
anGe In order that It hay go ~ ow senton Mpy in
the utterance Of Lord Roberts the other DAY i,1
when he urged the raising Of force OF IaiIh mlI,
empire-and en- m the question in the Japann,esee
Ds, srtsS faa Govern1nt venn mt had ns sdoped
l,oAf fo- .,t.,ts, arttr ~ q
by = the Esi RTtsh SH 4 Shen Lord saiisbnry was i
power and the relations between a1 rTance tbaf ana
in the Conservative press Of the necessity &c ssty
Having sounded the German Chancellor and
ford him aseedpbG to the Sava
Prince bismarck. who made a speech in the
ssnatnns GsTmhn 81 hs n s%ss o he
feet and its unpre pa redness for war that a
genuine scare was created ~ IN EnGlsanTdh GaTnh aa ana
desired b.; ford Salisbury was given to the
construction Of eisantie navy navy .oh o.,vs
Of war H"s!0f N the pI' Diet % Bat wRcheser Of the
unless the Progressive leader was. acting on
behalf Of his party with view to forcing the
Government to give some indication OF lts
foreign policy, the situation that this method
OF drawing an allys attention to It's duties
must necessarily create is almost unprece-
dented in modern diplomacy,
The matter is the more interesting because
OF piece of news in the Chc!too Daily Nens
to the effect that group Of leading Chinese
and Japanese merchants. for the purpose Of
promoting trade in Nianchuria. have formed
a Japanese Chinese Association at Yingkow.
with the manager Of the Yokohama, Specie
Bank and Mr.. Pau Yu-tien, chief Of the Chi
nese Commercial Guild, as managing directors.
At BANQUET given by them to, the Japa--
nese Military administrator at Yingkow,. at
which many Chinese and Japanese officials
and merchants were. present. speeches
were made " men of both nationalities.
advocating the union Of the great Asiatic
countries for, the protection OF their mutual
interests and the preservation of general
peace in the Far East at the present time
when all the Powers are Striving hard for
existence and prominence in the world.
Coincidcntly with all this. ii is reported that
the increase to the Japanese army. which was
at first fixed at two divisions, has now been
raised to four +.
NEW YORK, Feb. L.