A NEW ALLIANCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 5

A NEW ALLIANCE.

ST- PETERSBURG REPORTJAPANESE BARGAIN WITH RUSSIA. FREE BAND IN MANCHURIABr Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. July 18, 1.15 a.m.) London, July IT. The St. Petersburg correspondent of ''The Times" says it is asserted in wellinformed circles that Japan and Jinssia have concluded a. virtual alliance (jiving Japan freedom of action in Southern Manchuria. Japan is to support Russia, should sho be attacked. Prince Katsura, the ex-Premier of Japan, who concluded the alliance with England, arrives on Sunday to put tlio final touch to the Japanese Ambassador's labours.

Writing on May 10, tlio Peking correspondent of the Far East Agency, said:— •The Chinese press reproduces a number of articles published by different Japanese newspapers urging their Government; to annex Southern Manchuria. One article cites European precedents for such action, instancing the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria and of Tripoli by Italy as cases in point. Tho same article goes on to say that tho Russo-Japaneso war brought nothing to Japan but tho lease of Southern Manchuria. "In twelve years' time the twenty-five years' lease will have expired, and then wo must on no account give back Manchuria to Chiria. But it is not likely that tho Chinese Republican Government would leave this territory to Japan without a war. If China and Japan go to war it would be a great misfortune for both. Hence it would bo better to prcoeed to annex the territory liorr when China cannot go to irar."