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Manawatu Herald, 25 August 1904, Page 2

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THE RIGHTS OP NEUTRALS

The Times’ Shanghai correspondent states that Taotai sought to induce the Consuls to adopt collective measures to avoid the possibility of hostilities and protect the interests of neutrals, which, he feared, were endangered by the presence of Japanese warships, overlooking the fact that the danger of complications was

due solely to the Russians' refusal to comply with China’s demands enforcing neutrality. Otaghiri, the Japanese Consul, strongly protested against any collective Consular action affecting the belligerents' rights. The meeting endors ed this view, holding that China alone was responsible for the maintenance of neutrality. The question was referred, at thp instance of Si)’ P. L. Warren, British Consol-General, to tho Pekin Government

Tho standard warns Japan that she is not entitled to abuse China’a weakness to the injury of neutrals, and says it is high time the commercial nations agreed upon rules regarding neutrality ports and also defined contraband. The Morning Post says her refusal to obey Shanghai orders wjoen she obeyed German orders at Kaioohau, shows that Russia is not prepared to respect China’s neutrality.