Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1898 — RUSSIA MAKES A GRAB [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RUSSIA MAKES A GRAB

DEFIES ENGLAND BY SEIZING MORE CHINESE TERRITORY. Czar Holding Kin-Chan—Occupies the Strategic Point in the Gulf of DaoTong—Control of Manchuria aa Well aa of Corea. Ominous Move Toward Pekin. Russia has made another grab of Chinese territory, and evidently is intent upon forcing the hand of Great Britain in regard to partition. News comes that the czar’s forces have occupied Kin-Ghau, lying north k of Port Arthur. This places them a little nearer Pekin and gives them command of another important strategic position in the Gulf of Lau-Tung. The incident has intensified the interest in oriental affairs, and is taken to mean that the czar is intrenching himself in the flowery kingdom. It is also taken as signifying that an understanding exists with Germany and possibly with France. Kin-Chan is an important walled city (not an open port) at the head of the gulf of Lau Tung, and it commands the mouth of the river Yaloo, where the great naval battle between the Japanese and Chinese was fought, and the other important rivers which flow into the gulf. It is about equidistant between the mouth of the Yaloo river and the terminus of the great wall of China. It commands the railway system recently constructed from TienTsin to the capital of Manchuria, and is of pre-eminent importance as a strategic poshfion. Trie seizure shows that Russia has practically taken possession of Corea, Manchuria and the gulf of Lau Tung, and possesses a significance which wffl cause consternation among the diplomats of the old world. Its situation is such that its

possession practically places Russia in a position to defy the world. The struggle for supremacy in the far East seems to have begun in earnest. Since the kaiser made his bold grab for foothold at Kiao-Chou all Europe has awakened suddenly to the consciousness that no time is to be lost. Heretofore the powers have been comparatively timid in their encroachments, postponing the day of final reckoning and trusting to the march of events to fix the moment when the inevitable foray upon the orient must be made. The aggressions of Japan and Russia quickened the process. Wilhelm’s action has given it another powerful impetus. Apparently every diplomat in Europe has now been seized with the apprehension that unless something is done immediately the chances for securing strong positions in the far East will all have been swept off the international bargain counter. If the reports from Chemulpo are accurate Great Britain has now found it necessary to say a word in its own behalf, and, while attention has been concentrated on the Chinese coast, has played a trump card at Corea. Its pretext for entering the field at this point is plausible. Since the war between Japan and China, Corea has been more or less amenable to the influences of all the interested European powers. China having lost its nominal suzerainty, Japan was forced by Russia to desist from spoliation on its own account, and the Russian influence lias been predominant The British consul finally

has been moved to protest to the Corean Government against the removal of a British official and the substitution of a Russian—a maneuver threatening to put the Corean finances under the administration of the Russian minister. The consul's protest has been ignored, and the appearntfCe of British warships off Chemulpo is merely a demonstration that Great Britain means to make the protest emphatic. That very grave complications are likely to ensue—if not now, at some time in the not remote future —is evident.

PORT ARTHUR, NAVAL STATION SEIZED BY THE CZAR.