CHINA AND THE POWERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4312, 22 March 1901, Page 5

CHINA AND THE POWERS.

CABLE NEWS;

TKIia.D PBMS ASSOCIATION. —2T BLICTBIO SHUKSKAyat.—COPTBIOET.

TREATIES AND CONCESSIONS. RUSSIA’S HOLD ON MANCHURIA. SECRET AGREEMENTS WITH ST. ' PETERSBURG. - LONDON, March 20 A message acknowledging the assist anco rendered to. the ; Chinese Government for the suppression of the. Boxer troubles by the intervention of Great Britain, China, the United States and Japan has been received from Prince Cliing, who, up to the time of Prince Tuan’s revolution, was head of the Tsung-li-Yamen (Chinese Board of Foreign Affairs), and has lately been feting as Li Hung Chang's colleague in the capacity of- Peace Commissioner. | . In the course of this message Prince (fixing confirms tho statement cabled on Sunday by Dr Morrison, Pekin correspondent of “The Times,” as to th© British check to Russian diplomacy, to the ef, feet that Russia had abandoned' her claim’to exclusive rights in Mongolia and Chinese Turkestan,' and was relaxing the stringency of her ,-civi! administration in Manchuria. .. Russia mow invokes an agreement, as yet unpublished, to show that the .concession to the British for a from Shanhaikwan, along the coast of; the Gulf of Pe-chi-li to Niu-chwang, .’is a breach of the rights which that " .agree-, ment granted to' her. , - | Prince Ching has admitted the, existence of the secret agreement referred to. ' :! c'. ’-A ' _ j Dr Morrison states that be is .convinced : that la Hung Chang’s secret agreement with, Russia„in,lß9b r as the first of (/.series of .such'documents.'

China ought, ho urges, to be compelled to disclose them, otherwise St is hopeless to look for; the restoration of stability in the Far East. '

, - THE RAILWAY SIDING' 1 INCIDENT. ■ , LONDON, ’March^O. Count Waldorsee. Commander-id-Chief of the allied forces, proposed to place neutral troops—dhose of other Powers than Britain and Russia—to guard Kinder’s siding, until inquiries 'were made ; . Major-General Wbgack, the Russian Commander, declined to discuss. _ the question of ownership unless the British made reparation for occupying the land. If, he said, the' British. had requested land for the siding Russia would no doubt 1 Have granted their application. Lord Cranborne, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has stated that neither the British generals nor; Sir Ernest Satow, British Minister at PeIdn, have been instructed not to resist the Russian seizure. : ' ! f .

rlt is reported that a force - of Russian troops now at Port Arthur has been ordered; to’ Tientsin. : ■ ’.- 1 ■i Ninety British, marines have replaced the Sikhs who were in reserve at the Tientsin; siding. A forqo of .Fusiliers is expected to arrive to-day. <

AN OMINOUS MOVmiENT.';' WARSHIPS GOIN G' T(XKOREA. : ' ■ (Received March 22, . 0.44' a.m.) ' LONDON, March 21. 1 The .Tokio correspondent'of the “China Gazette” advises that On Wednesday all the Russian.warships in Japanese waters saileldl for Korea. , v ,-n The Japanese squadron lias mobilised and is going to Korea immediately. . AUSTRALIAN TROOPS. LONDON, March 20. The Australian troops who have been a.t Pekin started from Tientsin bn Tuesday on their homeward voyage.