AFFAIRS IN CHINA.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 99, 6 May 1901, Page 3

AFFAIRS IN CHINA.

RUSSIA’S DEMANDS. A HEAVY PENALTY FOR CHINA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, May 5. The Standard’s Shanghai correspondent says that Russia demands as compensation for the rejection of the Manchurian Convention, rectification of tho Kuljn frontier, the cession of a strip of territory at Western Tibet, and tho concession of the gold mines of the rivor Amur.

The correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writes: — The monotony and quiet of the Now South Wales men and the Victorians in the last days in the Far East wore rudely disturbed by a dispute with tho Russians over the extension of the railway at. Tientsin down to the river, and also by tho riotous conduct of certain French and German troops at Tientsin. The Russian difficulty was a compara-

lively minor matter, but it treated much excitement and bitterness of feeling locally, and at one time threatened to develop to something serious. The Tientsin railway station is about two hundred yards from the I'ciho, and to enable goods by river boats to be loaded direct into tho trucks, the British proceeded to extend the railway to the water’s edge. When half the work had been accomplished the Hessians objected, on the ground that the British had invaded territory claimed by Russia by right of conquest, and to block further encroachments about fifty Hussains were placed as a guard across the disputed land, which really belonged to the bondholders of the railway. Tho British at once resented the act, and posted strong detachments of tho ITongv kong Regiment and tho First Madras Pioneers opposite tlie Russian Guards. Only a foot of neutral ground separated the sentries at the outset, and the ludicrous hut novol spectacle of opposing armed sentries actually jostling each other caused a large concourse of people to gather in anticipation of a denoument. This strained and critical state of affairs lasted for several days, and the wonder is that neither side came to blows. General Lord Campbell was instructed to act in a Jinn and determined manner, and he took necessary precautions by ordering all British and Indian troops in Tientsin to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency. The Victorians and 11 A ” Battery of Royal Horse Artillery being tho only white troops located there, orders woro issued for one hundred marines to come up without delay from, the north-west fort at Taku. Captain Gillespie also received a sudden and unexpected message late on ' the night of March 19 to send down as many men of tho Now South Wales Contingent as he could spare from headquarters in Pekin, and early tho following morning about sixty excited officers and men, under Commander Connor, were despatched by train, eager and willing for anything in the nature of alight. On tho top of "these reinforcements tho second battalion, numbering five hundred officers and men, of tho Royal AVolsh Fusiliers, who were relieving tho Australians, arrived in tho nick of time, and two hundred and fifty men intended for Pekin woro detained in Tientsin for a couplo of days until tho tro”hlo for the time being was over. It was fortunato that tho settlement ot the contretemps was arrived at. The rioting and the unseemly bohaviour of tho Frenc-i soldiers in Tientsin have been a source of great annoyance to all Europeans In the concessions, and it increased to an alarming extent. Tho Victorians policing tho British district had a dangerous and ticklish time of it handling drunken “ Johnny Danns,” who had a nasty habit of drawing thoir long bayonets when arrested. Street brawls were of nightly occurrence. Several British officers ' were openly insulted, and it was not until a few soldiers had been killed and wounded that the Fronch Chief of Start’ came down from Pokin, and after sovoroly reprimanding the officers, ordered tho offending regiments to the mud flats near Tongku to meditate in solitude on their wickedness. Some Gorman soldiers also assisted in creating a disturbance, and they left one Victorian for dead with three sabre cuts across his head ; but prompt sentences of sovore imprisonment had a good effect on their morals. So satisfactory . did the Victorians carry out their duties in Tientsin that each man was presented with a testimonial on parchment,, conveying the thanks of the British community for splendid work done in policing tho concessions during the occupation of the Allies from September to March. Looking back at the events of tho past fortnight, thero were unmistakcahle signs of theffeeling of some of tho nations. Tho Japs, for instance, stood to arms through it all, ready at any moment to hurl themselves on their natural enemy, and gratified at such an opportunity of securing Britain in a Russian quarrel of her own as ally. The Jap sooner or later will mootthe Slav, and the present would suit him very well. , The Americans made no actual demonstration, hut one of their highest officials had a word or two to say to General Lome Campbell. “ I hear you are taking on tho whole world, General, ho said ; “itis a bi" job, General. If you happen to be pushed, why just- send round for us, and we are with you every time.” This feverish declaration of the support of the Americans was not official, but it was heartfelt, and it represents the feelings truly between the so'diers of the Powers concerned. There were plenty of incidents that promised to precipitate, tho conflict in Tientsin, not so much with the Russians as with the French. After they had been ejected and forcibly excluded from the British commission they marched up and down the boundary, passing within a few feet of the British sentries, and shrieking 11 Vive les Boers 1 Bas les Anglais 1” Occasionally a Britisher hit one of them under the ear; there was a rough and tumble, the rival guards turned out and rescued their respective man, and the game went on as before. British officers were hooted, British ladies insulted, and numbers of acts performed which , might easily have formed the foundation for international complications. Forbearanoe is anti-British, but the fact that it was generally exercised in Tientsin was responsible £Ol the presemt’-ja of peace,