The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1901. THE TIENTSIN INCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 53, 22 March 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1901. THE TIENTSIN INCIDENT.

That we did not over estimate the seriousness of the Tientsin siding aff lir is fully borne out by subsequent talegrams and we fear that unless very great caution and patience is shown this incident may prove the match 10 light tho train which shall blow to pieces the European combination in China. A contemporary writing on the affair Rays:—"From the tread of events it would almost seem as if we were on the ove of Armageddon. One cannot help shuddering when contemplating the possibility of nations facing nations, with huge armies equipped with modem weapons of offence. Yet it is qsestionable whether such a catv olyism would not, after all, be well for mankind. It would he as a terrible thunderstorm, carrying wide and overwhelming disaster in its train. As a thunderstorm clears the atmosphere obargsd with eleotricity so might a war of Rations kill the military spirit so dominant, and accomplish that which twenty Hague Conventions would fail to do. The nations might then forge their swords into ploughshares and their spears into reaping hooks, and learn to appeal to peaceful arbitration instead of ghat and shell." When one contemplates the position disclosed in our yesterday's telegrams representations of two great nations entrenched opposite each ether—a distance of only 45 feet betwetn them—reaHy and perhaps only too willing to interpret the slightest movement into an aet of aggression or defiance, it is easy to eee on how slight a thread the maintenance of peace hangs. There are those who condemn the military spirit that pravadas the colony in common with all portions of the Empire but when the jealously shown by nearly the whole of the European nation ef Great jjritian is considered, any moment may boo ub called upon to defend ourselves against a combined attempt on the part of the™ nations to humiliate the British Eaopirs, tbe need of preparation will be v*ry appiront. That we ara not alone in this view of the matter, a further quotation f/om the paper above referred to will show. This contemporary writing on Monday before the latest developments which only strengthen his remarks siys : "Tho long-restrained jealousy exhibited on eereral cocas-ions between the troops of the so-called Alius in Obina s-ems to bavo broken out in earnest between the British and Russian troops at Tientsin. A crisis now appears inevitable. During the past few weeks Russia has not conee/'lad her designs. M.inchurii is now declared to be a Russian province, although a short while back the Russian Government denied thatit was their intention to peamanently occupy t hat tsi ritory. tfot only does the Northern Power lay ckim to Manchuria, but sho has declared her int?ntion to denominate the whole of Northe n China, and the right to consider Peking the terminus of her railway, (fho olasbieg of interests at Tientsin i* puobatyy only an indication i of further trouble which must arise if Russia persists in her monstrous claims. The bitterness between the rival troops ' is«videnced by the fact that thry facd each other fully armed. Had a melee occurred it a impossible to guess where the matter would have stopped- The British officer in command did wisely in rather than risk bloodshed. The matter can, only be settled by diplomacy. It will !"* remembered that when the Russians took over *' ie Shanhaikwan railway they were forced ty the intervention of Count Waldersee to hand it back to the British authorities ]>, is very unlikely that General Wogack's action will be endorsed at St. Petersburg, and he will probably receive orders to ratire from the position he has rushed. Another cable states that Germany is indiffereut to tho fate of Manchuria. This indicates what Dr. Morrison, The Times' Peking correspondent, has long maintained, that

Jaunt Waldorsse's actions arc oppose 'jo British interests in China. I Germany and Russia have come to a: • ; greemant ov u r Far Extern matters British pre', ( i'?o must s'lflbr to a .on -.■derabfo t<xtev,t in than quarter of th *lohe. In this dispute over the sidinj it Tientsin thpr.i is evident a detevmi wtion by the R'isf-ian commander ti prevent Baitain controlling tha railw.v from Tientsin to Peking. If Genera Wogack is in the confidence of hi 'Jovfirtiment in (he matter serious com ;ilicatioES will follow. Eat a; iss been instanced frequently, thi ilneeinn officers in China act very in lapently en Jhsir own initiative. Thi 3) it is to be hoped, one of such cases Ind the British not withdrawn, nnd i truggle hsd followed, the effect; ninbt have bsen irreparahle withou he d<-spatoh of an ultimatum. Now loweve'', the Russiars will probabl; ia mnd« to see that they cannot inter ere with the operations of a ftiandh 'ower in saeh an autocratic fashion t is becoming more and more ap (irent that with the approach of fini <-eathrr in China hostilities betweei iho Allies are no remote possibility ?rom such a trifling incident as tba >f the Tientsin railway siding thi lames of a terrific contest may burs orth. There is so much soopo fo: friction that ere tbi jhinc-so question is settled, much mor< lerious problems may arise for solution PTad Britain nr>t bad her hands tied ii South Africa, tho aspsct of affairs ii Dhina would hav« been vastly different ft renlly seems as if Russia were fore ng things in China before Britain cai r ree the bulk of her army in Soutl \frici. Then the projected itwreasi n her military forces has acted as i 'urther stimulus to the Northern Powe: ;o push matters to a crises. There i so doubt Britain's involvement witl ;ho Boers has besn taken advantage o the Allies in China. Russia ha, ihroughout played a hypocritical part Every declaration she has madi she has broken. There is no qu«.s iion as to her aims. There is lit*l< loubt thai- she wt!l secure ai illy in China herself, and that sni interference in the peace negoti) ;ior.s will have a Russian origin, a <t is to the intersst of tbat Power ti ;emporisn and delay matters until sh< jan secure her own ends. It remain; o be sesn whether thg Russians wil Dresurae upon what they call ther ' victory " in temporarily ousting thi British from the Tientsin siding. I io, it is soarcely probable that; Biitaii yill back down. Hence the onfiitf )f such diversa interests must lead ti war. A wcr between Britain am Russia would be an incalculable cal imity at the present staga, but ther< ire no l ' wanting signs that it may bi >recipitated. The declaration by th: British Government that tho settle nent of the trouble could safely be lef l ;o the W-horities ©n";the spit as the British officfirs had throughout showr. iu"h excessive conciliation, is an indijation that Britain is unwilling to risk my trouble if it is to b« avoided by arefnl diplomacy. All the same, Russia's aggressive action betroy3 a iremeditatsd intention to humpar Britain. There are evidently some itirring times approaching in China.