Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1904. KEEPING THE PEACE AT SHANGHAL

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 46, 23 August 1904, Page 4

Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1904. KEEPING THE PEACE AT SHANGHAL

W« referred yesterday to the interest in the war aa being centred in Port Arthur, but for the moment, at any rate, the ga»e of tho world is averted from Port Arthur to Shanghai, whero one of the moit dramatic and critical of the international episodes resulting from the war is being enacted. Dri»ed from their anchorage at Port Arthur, and finding the open oceun equally unsafe, some of the Russian ships have been seeking refuge in neutral Wftteri, -which According to international law they cannot permanently do except at the price of disarmament. The neutral waters selected havo, of course, mainly been in Chinese ports, whero the timid dilatoriness of China and tho masterly inactivity of Itussia have put as groat a strain upon the law of neutrality on the one side as the feverish impatience of Jttpaa has upon the other. At Chefoo the Japanese settled the difficulty in summary fashion, by entering the harbour and cutting out the»Reohitcnlin. li tho Japanese allegation that the vea■jl wu still fully armed and manned when they captured her is sustained, it will put both Russia and China in the wrong, as they probably deserve to be ; but to prove this doos not relieve Japan from the responsibility for what is clearly a technical act of war, against China. She was nevertheless prepared to apply the same logio to the cane of tho Askold nnd Qvosotoi at Shanghai, where Chioeee

timidity nnd Uukmuii iminohilily wore combining to give (lie saino prorrction that <lio Recliilciin liaxl hoiied io hecure nt Clipfoo. Tlie Taotni of Shanghai fust gave thfi Gro'&ovoi twoutj-four hours' notica to quit, with two days' longer grace to her consort, in consideration of hor more untica worthy condition; then ho said China, woiiln disarm thorn if they did not comply ; then ho telegraphed for a Chinese cruiser ; and now lie complains that "Russia ignores China's orders, nnd China is powerless." Japnn would havo cut. tho knot na before but for the dm- > nmtie intervention of lion-belligerent Powers less easily trifled with than China. Wo lenrn by the cable to-day that one German, two British, four French, nnd eight American warships aro at Sluingluu ; and the Americans have the advantage not only of being in llw greatest force, bub also of knowing their own minds. A Japanese torpedo boat, which raced in to Shanghai and anchored alongside the A.«kold, wns immediately ictflowed by the United Slates destroyer Chauncoy, which denied for notion and took up a position between the Japanese vessel and her presumably intended victim. The prompt action of Admiral Stirling hue perhaps sa,ved the world from a which might easily havo involved nJI the great nations of luirope in war ; and the Standard laments that Admiral Noel's squadron looks on while the initiative ir taken in this energetic fa.«4iion by the United States. What might have been the result if a duel had started between Jnpnncse a*d Russian warships a neutral port with lepresentatives of nil the greatest navies in tho world standing by, it ' is not easy to say ; but it $«enw> inevitnbje thnt the struggle must sooner or later' havo spread ' beyond the ships and the nations immediately concerned. The notion pf the American Admiral is the mors commend able and the more effective because the United Slates cannot fee accused of sympathy wjth Russia, or hostility towards Japan, and it is therefore lar easier for the lal.ter to accept the proferred intervention." It seems indeed quite clear that Japan must now back down with as good a grace a« possible, and tho Powers which have prevented her carrying ou tfio campaign in a neutral port must be her guarantee that her antagonist also will be compelled to respect its neutrality. Iho itnotai has kindly extended the notice, given to the refugee /essels, nnd in the c.aso of the Askold the lowness of die' tides will give hor a B t,ill further respite, but equipment for purposes of war will bo restrained by a higher Power than the Tuotai or his iGover.nm.ent. Admiral Stirling's kind offer to escort the Russian uhips beyond the three-mile limit when the timo comes will surely be re- I fused To attempt to got away unescortedl in tho dnrk would be a safer move, out the risks of either course would be so enormous that ov«n t^he brave Ruwi.in seamen may prefer to follow the precedent of the Mnndjur nnd lay their vessels "P-