THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6090, 29 January 1898, Page 6

THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

— , STATEMENT BY TUG CZAR. NO CONFLICr TO BE ITEAJAED. United Press Association— ]!y Electric Telcgrai>h— C'o!>yri?;lit. Boceirod Jan. _!), IMS a.m. BERLIN, Jan. 28.. It is reported hero that the Czir informed tlio Preobkshevislu Ifaginient that affaire! in the East hal lung lain heavy on hia heart, especially tho difficulties with Japan, but now, thank God, all had cleared and no conflict was to be t'enrod. Keceived Jan. U", 12.1S a.m. LONDON, Jak. 2S. Mr John Morley; speaking at Stirling, largely agreed with tho Government policy with regard to China. He Bsid that reasonable and firm diplomacy would avert war. NEW YOEK, Jak. 28. The New Torh Herald istatea that the captain of the A inorieau cruiser Boston refused the King of Corea'a request for protection against a revolution in Corea.

THE JAPANESE VIEW. (Per San "Francisco Mail at Axickland.) Captain S. Sakurai, Assistant to the Chief Naval Constructor of the Japanese Government, who is now in San Francisco superintending the building of the crnisei Chitose at the Union Ironworks, made it statement concerning the feeling of the naval and military oib'cer3 of Japan over the late actions of Germany and Russia with regard to the occupation of Chinese port?. He said: "The people of Europe seem to think that the Japanese are still a i % ace slow to anger and unable to properly gauge their own present powerful position among the nations of the earth. That is a mistake. We are fully alive to that knowledge, and arc ready at any moment, either at sea or on land, to defend our national honour. "Whilo, of course, I can say nothing on this subject officially, I am very well acquainted with the ideas of my brother officers and the great mass of the middle and upper classus of my country. We believe that we are being treated shamefully, and that some of tho European nations, Eussia particularly, are using us as if we we're children. When flushed with victory, and in a position to carry our arms still further into' the territory of China/and to demand by reason of our success any concessions we desired to ask for, it was Eussia that stepped in, and on a plea of the peace and welfare of till Europe, caused us to modify our desires, and to be content with almost barren honours, and now Eussia, taking ad- , vantage of the opening that our own soldiers and saiiors have made possible, seeks tor herself what she begged us not to take. I believe that a \ coalition between Great Britain and Japan in the present crisis is not only possible but highly probable. Our standing army has lately been increased by two divisions, bringing it to considerably over 300,000 men, and we are now building and^ getting ready. for sea with all possible despatch fifteen warships and twenty-Jour torpedo and gunboats. These, added to our already formidable and seasoned navy, form a fleet that may well be a disturbing [ element in the present plans of Eussia and Germany. It will not take very much more manipulation on the part of these two nations to arouse a resentment in Japan that will find its voice in something more than worda." THE BRITISH CLAIMS. The Manchester Guardian of Jan. 3 says : — Tho contention of the Government is that the most favoured nation clause in the British and all other treaties with China forbids any special concessions of the nature contemplated by Germany at Kiao-chau, < and prevents nations from acquiring special benefits in which others have not a share. The Government has also declared that the same principle applies to such transactions as railway and mine monopolies. Taking her stand on treaties, Great Britain refuses to acknowledge such concessions, and will insist upon similar railway and mining rights, and will use siich force to secure or defend them as may be necessary. This declaration does not apply to cessions of territory to which existing treaties do not refer, but relative to this contingency a despatch of Great Britain to China says that when it' occurs graver questions will arise. The Government will then consider the manner in which British interests can best be safeguarded, and tho form which compensation to Great Britain for the special advantages of other nations must take. It is reported that a similar declaration has been delivered to the Chinese and other Governments by Japan.

EXCITEMENT IN THE ORIENT. VICTORIA (8.C.), Dec. 29. The officers and passengers of the steamship Victoria, just in from the Orient, say that all is excitement on the other, side of the Pacific. People in all walks of life expect that there will be a crash among the G,reat Powers over the S3izur6 of different ports in China. The' fleets of the nations have been massed in readiness either to fight or to make a show. The British flagship Centurion at Hong Kong has been ordered to begin no work that would detain her longer than twenty-four hours.- The Japanese papers are anxious for England to make some move, but they advise Japan to take ' a prudent attitude and simply watch the progress of events. The German admiral, in a proclamation to the residents of the district seized by Germany, advises them to cantimie their peaceful vocations and warns them that any breaches of the law will be punished. There were at- Nagasaki on

Dae. 8, nine Russian warships, two Ameri■■■iii cruisers, .the Olympia (in dock) and the '. Bo3ton, and the British cruiser Lamertal. GERMAN SATISFACTION. BERLIN, Jan. 6. The German Prsss is indulging iv a tone of extravagant self-satisfaction over the success of German diplomacy in China. Tho newspapers, with the exception of the Vossischc Zcitunu are full of sneering remarks at England's expense. Tho Vossischc Zeitiuig, however, remarks that there is plenty of room for everybody; and even suggests that the time has arrived for a bettor understanding between England and Germany. The rather .apologetic tone of the North German Gazette iv a semi-official article, seems to be a reflection of the feeling in some quarters that the acquisition of a coaling station is hardly a realisation of the great colonial enterprise which the blaze of Prince Henry's departure foreshador/ed, aud the suggestion of the possibility that Kiao-chaumightprove unsuitable leads many to ask wholher, after all, Germany has not taken a leap in the dark. It is now discovered that if Germany moves north she is bound to clash with Russian interests, if farther south then with English interests. Already it is proposed to establish a branch of the German Asiatic Bank at Iviao-chau, aud po3tal regulations will be issued. The Government is ordering the preparation of maps and charts of the district, and proposes to begin the exploration of the conlbods of the Shantung Peninsula immediately. | VIENNA, Jan. 6. The Deutsche Zeitung, echoing JGerman feeling, says that England has suffered a crashing defeat, but there is no fear of war. The British lion roars, but he does not bite. All civilised nations ought to bo grateful to the Emperor William for having destroyed tho myth of Great Britain's universal domination.