CHINA AND THE POWERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4309, 19 March 1901, Page 5

CHINA AND THE POWERS.

CABLE NEWS.

VMITXD P2Ef!i! ASSOCIATION. —BT XLXOXSI: ■EHBKOKAFJI. —COFTEWST. — *

THE KAIL WAYS DISPUTE WITH RUSSIA. UNPLEASANTNESS AT TIENTSIN. (Received March 18, 10.32 p.m.) LONDON, March 18. Tho British and Russian guards at Mr Kinder's siding at Tientsin have been reduced to 27 men each during tho negotiations for the adjustment of the difficulty. Lord George Hamilton, Secretary' of State for India, stated in tho House of Commons that the Russians claim that their concession overrides the proprietorial rights of the .British in tho railway. Owing to French soldiers creating continuous rowdyism, they have been forbidden to enter the British concession at Tientsin unless on duty. Captain G. H. (I. Mocklor, 1.5. C., the British divisional staff officer, was assaulted in the- French concession .yesterday. THE MANCHURIAN CONVENTION. A -MENACE TO INDIA. RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY CHECKED.

(Received March 19, 0,52 a.m.) LONDON, March 18. Tho Pekin correspondent of “Tho Times” (Dr Morrison), in a cable message on Saturday, stated that*the Manchurian Convention practically means installing Russia, in Chinese Turkestan, and turns tho whole, position that Great Britain had toiled to render impregnable on the north-western frontier of India. On Sunday Dr Morrison cabled that, according to Chinese officials, Russia abandons the claim to exclusive rights in Mongolia, and Turkestan, and relaxes the stringency of her control of tho civil administration in Manchuria. This constitutes the first check to Russian diplomacy since Lord Salisbury withdrew the British ships from Port Aurthur in 1898.

VOTE IN THE GERMAN REICHSTAG. BERLIN, Marti- 17. The Reichstag lias voted 123 million marks (£6,150,000) to-' defray the expenses of the operations of tho German army in China. In tho debate on the vote, General von Gosslor, Minister of War, stated that th© allied forces under Field-Mar-shal von Waldcrseo comprised 64,000 men. Of those, 1/.750 were German troops, and 12,850 British. EXPERIENCES OF AN AUSTRALIAN. SYDNEY, March 18. Six members of tho Australian Contingent sent to China have returned, invalided. One complains of harsh treatment because ne growled at tho arduous work, and says that the officers are not treating tho men. properly. For speaking disrespectfully of his officers he. received ninety days’ hard labour in Hongkong gaol, and lie complains that ho was dressed in convict- garb and herded with murderers and other felons.