Established 1866. The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Thursday, April 16, 1903. JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 88, 16 April 1903, Page 2

Established 1866. The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Thursday, April 16, 1903. JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

The '• little brown man " is fully alive to the exact nature of Russian policy in Northern China and Korea, and if the Muscovite does not moderate his anxiety to make himself master of the Korean Peninsula, and put an end to his unjustifiable aggression in a territory, wherein Japanese rights are of anciont standing and recognised by treaty, there will be a new "troublein the Far East," to which all previous disputes will have been as but flea bites. By the Treaty of Pekin Russia was to evacuate Manchuria, but the fact is that to-day Manchuria is practically a Russian province in all but the name. Were Manchuria solely concerned there would be no great pertubation of spirit amongst the Mikado's councillors, but the opinion holds good at Tokio, as it does, no doubt, in London, that what has taken place in Manchuria is but the inevitable precursor of further aggression in Korea, and upon Korea the Japanese are " pledged " —to use the expression of tho famous Count Ito, formerly Japanese Minister for War—to prevent tho Bear placing his claws. "Last week the cable informed us that Russia had sent troops or was threatening to send troops to support certain of her subjects who held some real or alleged timber rights at the mouth of the Yalu river, and hardly a day passed ere we had. a second message, this time from Japan, that the ' little brown man' was determined to prevent any Russian aggression in the threatened quarters. A third message, this time of Russian origin, mentioned the fact that Russia was massing some 20,000 men near the scene of the dispute, and before the ink was dry on the message printed, came the equally significant news that the Japanese monarch had ! reviewed a fleet of over sixty warships." For the " little brown man " has a navy, and a strong, well equipped, modern navy, and that he knows full well Low to use his warships there is the history of a certain war with China to bear testimony. All these black and ugly clouds may pass away, as similar clouds in the same quarter have passed away on previous occasions, but with each successive dispute the old bitter feeling against Russia which is always present at Tokio grows stronger, and the inevitable day of struggle draws nearer. That Russian policy in China and th 6 Far East concerns Great Britain just as much—though for differont reasons —as it does Japan, is proved by Russia's reported attempt to levy Customs duties at Port Arthur and so practically discount the value of China's maritime Customs levies. Great Britain is Japan's ally, and evory dispute, however seemingly trivial, which occurs between Japan and Russia must necessarily cause anxiety in London, and, of equal necessity, be a subject of interest and indirect moment to the Australasian colonies. There wore those in England who at the time of the AngloJapanese treaty expressed anxiety lest tke Far Eastern Power might, in the ardour of its anti-Russian sentiment, precipitate a struggle into which Great Britain as the former's ally would bo dragged. As against this theory there is tho safeguard that Japan is not likely to act rashly, or without British fore knowledge and j approval, and those who know the Japanese statesmen of to day, authorities such as tbo Times correspondents at Pekin aud Tokio, assert that nothing is so far from the official Japanese mind as any desire to force a contest or to betray any spirit of Jingoism. If Russia would only ceaso her policy of intrigue and aggression and leave the status quo in Korea unmolested

Japan would be fully satisfied. Just now, however, it seems that this is precisely what Russia will not do, hence we repeat there is grave cause for anxiety as to the outcome of what appears to be an awkward dispute.