29th December.
As we suggested in our leading article yesterday, the Japanese Government is not hopeful that Russia's answer to what is practically Japan's ultimatum will be favourable. The question before the Elder Statesmen and the Japanese Cabinet is no longer, our Tokio correspondent tells us, whether there shall be peace or war, but how best to raise the funds to defray the cost of the war, which is now believed to be really inevitable.
The real struggle between Russia and Japan is for the protectorate of Corea. Russia's aim has been for years to secure an ice-free port on the Pacific for her fleet, and as the terminus of her trans-Siberian railway. Vladivostock was first selected for these purposes, but it is frozen up in the winter. The Japanese were then turned out of the Linotung Peninsula by Russia with the assistance of Franco and Germany, and two ports were fixed on; Port Arthur for the fleet and Dalny for commercial purposes, the harbour at Port Arthur being very cramped. Dalny had the reputation of being an ice-free harbour, but the anchorage is so exposed towards the north, that it was necessary to build a breakwater. Tt was, however, the northerly winds that kept-the sea in agitation and prevented its freezing; the breakwater has given smooth water, and the smooth water freezes. The Russian idea now is to secure a port for naval and commercial purposes on the south coast of Corea; but a Russian naval port on the south coast of Corea would be a standing menace to Japan.' The concession to Russia of a port in Corea would involve the building of a branch of the trans-Siberian railway through Corea to that port, and this would mean a farewell to Japan's hope of being the dominant- Power in the Corean peninsula. "On the other hand, it must be'remembered that Japan now owns the southern side of the Corean Strait, which is part of Russia's marine highway between Vladivostock and Port Arthur. By acquiring permanent predominance in Corea, Japan would command both sides of this Strait, a state of things which Russia cannot contemplate with satisfaction, Corea is unfortunately so weak that she cannot stand without leaning on some other Power; she leant on China until Japan drove China away, and Japan finds herself irresistibly compelled now to try and drive Russia away. The situation is such that if terms were now arrau; at the eleventh hour, the war: would only be postponed, not averted, and delay is obviously more in Russia's favour than Japan's.
By her unfulfilled promises in reference to Manchuria, Russia -has sympathy of the independent. Powers. done a great deal to alienate the
'These Powers have' undoubtedly done their best to prevent an outbreak of which no one can foresee the end, and which may be very unpleasantly, complicated if China maintains her present attitude of hostility to Russia. It is certainly satisfactory to see that China has self-respect enough left to determine that it is her own business to recover her three eastern provinces which she allowed some of her statesmen to sign away before she realised their treachery; but it is to be hoped that the other Powers will mutually determine that whether China joins in the fray or not, they will all keep the ring and not take an: open part in the fight. Japan herself has too much confidence in her own strength to ask for overt assistance, and important as the cause of conflict is to her, it does not seem important justify other European Powers being enough to the world generally to
dragged into the contest. For the Powers that have large interests on the Pacific, as Great Britain and the United States have, it is really a question of very great importance, and it is much to be regretted that: the Governments of the two English-speaking nations have not. openly joined Japan in saying definitely to russia how far she may go; have not definitely forbidden her to annex any Chinese territory; and insisted on the complete maintenance of the Open Door. Russia could not have stood out against such an alliance, nor could any other European Power assist her to attack the independence GLARKE'S BAI PILLS s= wazenaa either sex, all acquired or constitutional in
Discharges from: he Urinary Organe, Gravel and Pains in the back. Free from Mercury. Established upwards of 30 years. In boxes 4s, Gd. each, of all 'Chemists and Patent Medicine' Vendors throughout the World. Proprietors, The Lincoln and Midland Counties Drug Company, Lincoln, England. and integrity of China, or to close the'door to the trade: of -the'world, and there would "have: beén no war. Matters have now, it is to' be feared, been allowed to go too far,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.