THE TROUBLED EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 29, 4 February 1904, Page 3

THE TROUBLED EAST.

RUSSIA'S REPLY TO .fAPAN. ITS DELAY REGARDED AS OMINOUS. (Received Feb. .1, 10./V7 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3. Dr. Morrison, Times correspondent at Pekin, says the best opinion at the Legations is that an outbtvak of war is likely in a few days. It is known that the reply to J a lion's Note is unfavouraMe, as it (n----ally rejects the demand that Russia should enter into an agreement to recognise the sovereignty of China in Manchuria. This condition, the reply is reported to state, cannot, be accepted, and Japan never meant that it should be accepted. The Standard's Tokjo correspondent says that doubts are beginning to be expressed whether Russia intends to send any reply. It is believed she has decided to fight rather than accede to the demands made by Japan. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the »ame journal states that the draft reply was silent regarding Manchuria, inasmuch as Russia's vii>ws on the subject were already known. STILL MORE RUSSIAN PREPARATIONS. (Received Feb. 3, 11.37 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3. General Kuropatkm'e military staff is being selected ia readiness for any emergency. The Japanese warships Nissliin and Kasuga, purchased recently at Genoa, have arrived at Singapore. All Russian warships at Vladivostok are e)|uipped for service, and ready to start into action at any moment. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 3. Speaking at Hanmcr, Sir Joseph Ward said it would be a terrible thing in the event of war if Japan lost. He did not know what would result should a nation like Russia gain control of three hundred million Chinese. Japan had won a victory over the Chinese fairly, hut j great nation had snatched 1 j th|e fruits of victory. They were entitled to have those fruits hack again, either by agreement or battle. He hoped war would not eventuate, •jut if it did he hoped the Japanese would win.

Colonel Morris, writing in the Otago Daily Times, says : T'-.e sum total of all this is that Russia is quite prepared to fight for her posBeSßions in Manchuria and her expectations in Korea when she is ready, and she is throwing out semi-promises -of concessions which ghe has no intention of granting to delay matters until she is ready. Japan, on fhe other hand, is stead, last in her demands, and she will accept no less. She "insists on the . unequivocal Russian assurance of her recognition of China's sovereignty in Manchuria" ; and then the cable states "it is believed that Russia agrees to give this assurance, but Japan demands a written agreement on the matter. Of course she does ! Of what value are Russian promises ? None whatever, as Japan well knows.* With China ruling in Manchuria Japan is safe, but with Russia ruling there she will forever be Intriguing to get a footing in Korea. That Russia has already lost prestige in Korea is evident when the authorities at Seoul, in reply to complaints, calmly inform M. Tavlofl. the Russian Minister, "that Russia was not entitled to interfere in Korea's frontier affairs," and apparently the Russian reply is to despatch 8000 soldien. from Tort Arthur, probably to the Yalu River ! Should this statement be true Japan must be continent indeed not io regard such action as a casus belli. What is the use of sending "fresh proposals in order to prolong the negotiations for another week" when they are accompanied by what is a practical invasion of Korea by Russian troops ? Russia is, of course, unwilling for war until her land transport is available, and that will not be until the winter's Ice and snow have melted in Siberia. The lact that she has despatched 1">000 picked troops by sea to the Far East is proof that the Siberian railway journey Ss closed for heavy traffic in January. But for this she would hardly send these troops by sea, where, in the event of war being declared before they can land, they would have to run the gauntlet 01 the Japanese navy. No wonder Russia is wriggling, lying and promising so as to obtain a few weeks' respite from war. The wonder is why Japan, with every advantage of position, numbers and weather, can ■till maintain the peace. That she does so is to keep the confidence of the Western Powers, more especially of Great Britain : bat, to my mind, It is cruel and unjust to insist upon her keeping the peace when delay can only tend to her detriment and the advantage of her foe. If Japan permits Russian troops to land in Korea and the 15,000 men now at sea to lantt unmolested, as a military man I can only say she will deserve to be beaten. I should like to jjrojjjresy that a naval attack on these Bussian transports is not an Jmprobaible first Wow in the war. So far from late cables having a tendency U peace they appear to m« to point more clearly to war.