CHINESE QUESTION.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 267, 29 March 1898, Page 3

CHINESE QUESTION.

FLEETS PREPAEING FOE SEA. London, March 24. A QUARTER of the English share of the Chinese loan has been subscribed. The underwriters will take the balance. The French and Eussian demands have caused distrust. China has granted Eussia twentyfive year leases of Port Arthur and Ta-lien-wun. The Times says the terms of the lease are equivalent to a cession. Eussia is sending 50,000 army reserves to East Asia. The Times asserts that Lord Salisbury's vacillation has enabled the rivals of Britain to effect a political and economic revolution in China. It contends it is imperatively necessary that England should re-establish her influence at Pekin, and urges a strong naval demonstration by tho British fleet in the Gulf of Pech-c-li. Tho Standard says England's recital of admirable formulas will not prevent the partition of China, and asserts that members of the House of Commons regard the situation as exceedingly grave and deplore the official reticence of the Government. It states that the Opposition would not opptse a vigorous policy. The English ps.pers generally complain of the weakness of Lord Salisbury's policy. Influential merchants in London state that Britain has failed to maintain the independence of China, and urge the occupation of Chusan and Korolow, as a necessary safe-guard to British interests in the valley of the Yang-tse-Kiang and Hong Kong. The British warships in pert are coaling and taking in ammunition, and will proceed to sea on Tuesday next. It is believed that Eussia and China h&ve agreed to prevent Britain from acquiring Wehai-wei, and that Eussia has undertaken to protect China from Britain in return for concessions in tho Corea.