The Taranaki Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1900. JAPAN AND RUSSIA IN THE EAST

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9944, 20 January 1900, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1900. JAPAN AND RUSSIA IN THE EAST

Thf struggle going on at pit bent m South Vfuea has crushed almost all other tonics out of one's biit .t cable published m another column again directs our thoughts to the Ea=t, a place that a year oi two ago loomed largo on the public 110117011. Inteicot (entity moie pal ticul.uly aiound Korea, and this peninsula will b? the clue! biUlo-ground should trouble ensii". Tin cable message btates tli.it "J \pan 11 koop'i'.' a shaip look-out on the mo\emcnt ol Uti'sia, md will not put up with an;, I liinlii" <"icioachineiith 111 Koi'"a Japan will stuke shaiply and decisncly, know ing well that with her it will be piactically a life or death struggle." There is, no doubt, a good deal of truth 111 tin above message. The future of the island Empnc depends 111 a very large ineasun in preventing Russia from adding Korea to her aheady last dominions. Thf wholo of the trade by sea. with Koua it. earned on at present almost exelusnely by Japanese ships, which also do a large business m other markets 111 tho East It is easy to understand, therefore, that Japan is not anxious to havo such a powerful rival in the East as Russia, more particularly as tho safety of the Japanese Empire would thon bo threatened. For years Korea has been claimei 1 by both Japan and China as a vassal State, and the disputed suzerainty hae been the cause of many wars, Japan gaining her point during tho decisive contest a few years back. In April, 1898, a troaty was signed between Japan and Russia, recognising the independence ol Korea, and both Powers pledged themselves to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of tho countiy. How far this pledge has been carried out on tho part of Rufesia may be best gauged by tho cable abo\o referred to. The Russians have time and again endeavoured to acquire the lease of Korean ports and forty-fivo miles of sea-coast, which naturally, Japan has consistently op posed. Britain is also largely interestec in tho East, and it may be taken fin granted that she is not fa\ourably di& osed to Russia acquiring a foothold 111 Koroa. Taking advantago of Bntain'i. complications in South Africa, Russia no doubt thinks this an opportune timo oi pursuing her policy of expansion and encroachment on China and Korea 1 avail, however, has put her foot down ,inj ilejna-iit'rt tlu.t no aggiesbne action nho'l Ijl Mi- on by her powerful r.\al lap 'MS" liitluoiui in tho Last is by v> I mu« -, «nt.ifjnm-iK to Ji'i'inh mtert^l--and in iiu -ciw ba-, iintain. any ui»i<>ri to lorn a quill 1 1 with tho sturdy- Jo.pi to i wo no on esc.llunt terms with them t;d t'ncir liitoiests aie m a great meH- 1 lire 'Hu liiteiosti. There can be no qu^iturn, Ihi'eiiin. on whoso s'de Biitith s\mp"fluec would lay it a stu.gglo tooi. jild»i>, nd mdi .it it la almubt 1. certaii.ty that Britain \ uald hv drawn into it v ciiU'il proini>>< nt British statesmen ha\e warmly ad\ocatod a close alhancf between Japan and Britain, 111 order to thwart Russian aims in the East, and a looent message from a correspondent ot the London Times statea that thoro is a Ljmmon impression among foreigners in tho Far East that "tho question of the disposal of Korea must preceds any settlement of the great Chinese prob leni." It is argued that Japan and Britain must bo drawn together for the protection of their common interest in those quarters, hence further news of the situation will be awaited with interest, more particularly as the Czar has but recently stated that Russia has no deaire to embarrass Britain at tho present timo.