The Washington herald., 1907-09-15
PREPARES TO DEFEND RIGHTS
Pekin Smarts Under Sense of Impair
ed SOyereiEnty-ReHdy TO Resent
Foreign Interference - Germany
Guards Details of Projected War
Ships-Vessels May Have Turbines.

Z
given circumstances. Of the Chinese
empire. Explanations fail TO convince
/ the Chinese mind that the intention Of
of the two powers is purely TO insure
+ respect on all sides for the indepeud-
ence and integrity Of tt celestial en-
pirc. and Pektn smaTts under a sense
+ OF impaired sovereign rights arising
/ from even the bare suggestion that
China is not fully capable OF defend
! ing herself against all comers. This
+ having been China's conviction from
I time immcmorial, she is the more likely
I 20 retain IL tenaciously, now that she
4 is gradually becoming the possessor Of
/ drilled armies and a squadron OF war
vessels. despite the fact, however. that
( these are only in a limited degree
/ home made" She is very much
+ obliged TO France and Japan, but does
not wish 20 be retarded as beholden
| 20 those countries for aid against ag-
/ gression. To many. this attitude on
China's part will not be without a cer-
+ tain pathetic significance. as implying
a tardy determination 20 arm herself
I on a scale that IL might be possible
10 regard as pTopOrtionate, IN the way
! Of defense. TO her vast requirements.
But those who best know Chinese WAYS
are the least likely TO be mlsled by an
assumption on her part Of stern resolve
90 be ready In future for eventual!ties.
II Is perhaps, a good sign that she is
ready 20 resent, however. any iufrac-
ti0E Of what she may Justly claim 10
DC her sovereign rights. and in this
connection II is satisfactory TO note
( the Unmistakable tendency shown In
I Tibet toward the enlightenment Of the
population. The excuse so frequently
presented wL-n China has been re-
/ preached for the backward condition
or her outlying possessions. viz the
terrible ignorance OF the inhabitants
is becoming less often employed. and
seems less likely 10 be acceptable. as
the months roll on. for inactivity on
the part Of the officials. II is believed
that the development Of Tibet Is in
reality subject 10 which the atten-
ton of the central government al Pc
king is being directed. and many sug-
gestlOns from those who have enioved
opportunities In The Occident Of study
Ing the possibilities Of trained Chinese
armies as factors in far Eastern n5l{-
/ ties have from time 70 time undoubt-
edly been received at the military head
quarters. Stiu. the Chinese are as vet
very Tar from being able to defend
tneir country. and they must be content
70 have its territorial integrity secured
% them by international agreement
among the powers most interested in
( the preservation Of the empire as il
stands to-day rather than by their own
prowess on the battlefield.
Advices from Berlin reiterate the in
formation that the details OF the two uro-
jected German battle ships are stlH kent
a profound secret but il is taken as
finally arranged that the new cruisers as
well as the TWO battle ships. will be fitted !
with turbines. The original idea of the
German admiralty was 70 1T their new
cruisers With turbines. and then wait for
the results. which could be supplemented
by the experiences Of British vessels and
of the japanese Satsuma and Katori. but
this policy Of waiting has been aban-
doned, and the highest engineering au-
thorities OF the admiralty have agreed
that the German fleet would be az a great
disadvantage were further delay p-ac-
ticed- In the vessels now 10 be supplied
with turbines. the Parsons system Will be
used in the large F cruiser. and in each
OF the smaller vessels the German sys-
tenn
Fears are beginning to be entertained
IN Berlin that the cohesion OF the bloc
parties will be sorely tried by the forth
coming military budget which the min
ister OF war will introduce shortly after
the reassembling Of the Reichstag. There
can be no doubt that II VIII contain sev-
eTal very heavy items. which Will raise
its total 70 a figure difficult for the radi-
cal sections 20 swallow. Gen Won Einem
Is said to be contemplating no less than /
complete reform Of certain departrnenfs
of the train. This. it seems. can be de-
layed no longer. In one important par
ticular a beginning has been made al (
ready, namely. the supplying OF the train
with heavy freight automobiles These
heavy train cars are to figure largely in 1
the forthcoming budget. Experiments with
them are being made in every army corps.
and the testimony is all IN their favor. /
Gen. Won Einem maintains that the army
which can mo-e its train quickest is al !
ways best prepared and freshest when il /
comes to fighting
Then there are heavy demands for the
extension Of machine gun Batteries: the
experiences Of the Russo-Japanese war
and their own experiences in South n
rica have convinced the German war Of
fee that this is a weapon which must not
be neglected Another item fl the budget
which will be larger than last year is
that for bGllOOning. especially for expert /
ments with steeTable balloons
II is reported that both Gen. Won Einem
and the imperial secretary Of the treas
ury vii shortly visit Prince Buelow at
Norderney, with the object Of comforting
with him and settling the sum which the
Reichstag will be asked to grant in the
shape of extraordinary army expenditure. /
a copy has been received here Of the |
concession granted by the Persian govern
ment to Herr Outmann, director OF the
Deutsche Orientbank. for the establish /
ment Of a bank with its headquarters in !
Tehcran and with branches throughout /
Persia
The negotiations for this concession |
were prOtracted, and though II was on |
July !. 1905, that the preliminary agree |
ment with regard to the concession was |
reached, the actual concession was not /
signed until July %, 1907 On July OF |
the present year the proposals OF the /!
German Bank. after having been accepted |
by the Persian council Of ministers. were 1
referred 10 a secret parliamentary COM
mittee.
The concession as It then stood con- I
taincd a number Of extremely valuable /
clauses. There We're concessions for plots ]
of land for the building Of the banks /
Offices. for ali mines and narrow gauge 1
railways, and for preferential rights /
ceteris paribus as regarded concessions |
for mortgage bank, for irrigation |
schemes, waterworks. and other under /
takings, 4 further clause provided for |
the forcible collection by the Persian /
authorities Of all debts due to the bank
two months after the data on Mhinh |