Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1900. Russia.

Manawatu Herald, 5 June 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1900. Russia.

— — • The trouble looming in the near future between Russia and Japan will arise, as we have previously mentioned, over the peninsula of Corea. The position of Russia on her eastern boundary has been wonderfully altered since the construction of the Trans-Siberian railroad was commenced, and more especially now that it is nearly completed, 'lhe line was commenced in 1891 with the intention of its running to the naval part of Vladvistok, but owing to Russia's friendliness to China, during the Chino-Japanese war, she secured a concession of an outlet for the railway through Manchuria direct to Port Arthur, and saved the great cost and the many difficulties which would have had to be met by going in the siriginal direction. It will be remembered that only the other day we learnt that Russia proposed, now she had got her railway through the province, and has a very large force working on and guarding the line, to annex it In this action she. has once again shown clearly the absorbing power she possesses, and how unwise it is for any weak Power to grant her any license, as the smallest foothold marks the first act of total absorption. With such knowledge of Russia's statecraft can it be wondered that the Japanese are apprehensive of trouble ? A glance at the map shows the peninsula of Corea, which projects in very near touch of Japan, likened unto the letter V, the bottom of the letter being the point near Japan, and the top representing its junction with Manchuria, and the centre of the letter Corea. On the top of the left hand stroke of the letter would be Port Arthur, to be the chief Russian naval station, and on the top of the right hand stroke would be Vladivostok, the old naval station of Russia which has become more formidable the last two years owing to the ice-breaking steamers being able to keep the port open the year round. Japan being a naval Power in these seas must view with apprehension the developement of two foreign naval ports in which her enemies fleets can lie sheltered, and yet be reinforced with men. war material and provisions by the TransSiberian railway. Unless a move is quickly made it is a certainty that Manchuria and Corea will become j Russian territory. Port Arthur is | undoubtedly a yery p .o*9 king place

to the Japanese, as if it belonged to any one except China it should to Japan, as her troops marched over the hills to it and she only lost it by the mandate of the Great Powers that she had gone far enough. What Japan was not allowed to keep has become Russia's simply by . the asking with most unfortunate results tc China, Great Britain, and Japan. : The long expected will come at last and we shall see Russia and France waging war with Japan and Great Britain. The movement of such large numbers of troops to South Africa beyond the actual requirements of the war, the seeking of further aid from the Australasian colonies to take the place of the British soldiers, if needed, all point to a suspicion that the regular army might be needed to be shifted speedily both to India and China, the Cape of Good Hope being a most convenient half-way house. All the Great Powers, Russia included, have agreed to what is known as the open-door policy in China, that is that no custom duties different to that paid j by the nations own merchants, shall 'be charged to foreign merchants. | Unfortunately the promises of Russia are not wholly to be relied on, and if she acquires a large block of the north of China she will be absolved from any undertakings she may have made whilst it was a part of China. When two Powers need a row there can very easily be found some excuse for it, and on the Morocco coast France and Great Britain can easily find a cause of War in Corea, Russia and Japan have/their excuse ready at hand. We cannot help thinking that Great Britain is more strongly tied to render assistance to Japan than has been openly announced, as the British Government had to provide for allies when the Boer war broke out, and Japan as a possible ally, in case of an European combination was openly stated. The Japanese papers also write in the strain that England is at _their back in time of war. As the spring has not long broken .on the other side of the line, military movements will only be starting, so that, as most of the summer will be desired to be used, war may be declared at any time among the nations desirous of fighting. I