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RUSSIA AND JAPAN.
DR MORRISON’S VIEWS.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW.
The Chefoo correspondent of the "Asahi”
has an interesting interview with the cele
brated “Times” correspondent at Peking,
Dr Morrison, and he sonde his paper a re-
port of it of which following (soys the
“North China Herald” of 13th November),
is a rough translation.
“Although war is a serious thing; which
should net be talked of impetuously, yet
tlieieare occasions when it is prof ora bio to
peace, and when a country must fight to
picsorvtl her reputation for indepen
dence. It is needles to say that Japan's
existence is thretatenedi by her constant in
crease of population unless she can find an
outlet for this inoieoso. Korea is recog
nised as being under the influence of
Japan, and, providing the required out
let, but Hie heading of the I-ioo-tung Pen
insula by a Russian military force will
mean the encroachment of Russia on
Korea.
“If Japan does not fight now, Russia
Will certainly increase her fleet ill the
East, and will annex Korea in the some
, way os she has absorbed Manchuria,
Japan will then be obliged 1 to withdraw
permanently into her own. islands. Even
if the war goes against Japan, she will
only bo forced to give u.p Manchuria and
Korea, and ter own territory will remain
to her. Will not her position then be the
same as if slsc had net fought at all? Now
is the tiino for Japan to fight, when her
success is quite oartein,
“It is stated that Russia has no Inten
tion of meeting Japan in the field, but the
fact of har building beg barracks in seve
ral parts of Manchuria, and increasing
her navy in the East cannot mean any
thing but preparation to drive Japan off
the continent. She is only awaiting her
opportunity- No good will result if
Japan accepts Russia’s promises. Russia
has built barracks in Liaotung to ocoom
moinlte 30,000 soldiers, and she is harry
ing the construction of anew camp, about:
one mile and a half - square; and even if
she should withdraw her troops, she can
cosily convert the -so-called railway guard
into a garrison. Furthermore, ainoe she
has the right to keep as many troops as
she likes at Pont Arthur and Talienwon.
it is rain to attempt tg fight . her with
words alone. Russia turned Japan, out of
Manchuria on the gipund that the posses
sion of Manchuria by .any foreign power
was a menace to the peaoe of the Best.
Japan, .who has been patiently 1 watching
Russia, because it is Russia's treacherous
action that really menaces the pence of
the Far East,,is entitled to demand of
Russia that she shall limit the size of her
fleet in these waters;, that she shall, of
course, evacuate Hanoliuria entirely, and
return Porte Arthur and Talieniwun to
China. These demands, I hope, will be
approved - by the powers. - Japan, while
proposing the aboive,- would - do well* to'
send troops into Korea to confront the
■Russian aggression. Russia would never
consent to this proposition, and then war
would be declared: • ■
; "Nc power will assist Russia; if it is
asked, because it would be forced) to fight
Great Britain, in accordance with the
Anglo-Japonese alliance. , Now Russia,
who is proud of being one of tbe largest
countries in the world, would not dare to
ask the assistance of another power, be
cause she would lose all her reputation, if
she were obliged-ito ask outside > assistance
to fight Japan,, whom she has always dee
pised as a petty antagonist.': It was pub
licly-kitowatlMA'naitlrar'France nor Gcr-,
many would have taken part in an armed
interference when Japan was forced to
give up ■ Liaotung. Neither of the above
pro-Russian, countries has any interest, in
fighting Japan'; ahdtheywould not care to
endanger -I -their t own’; polonies ■ - in : China,
which could be easily attacked by-a Japan
ese force.
’ "If Japan r-sends hbr troops into Man
churia from uonthehL-Komea by land, and;
having taken possession' of- Harbin,, cute,
the communication between."Liaotung- and!
Russia:-' and : bombards 'Rote. Arthur, with;
her fleet; ■ Russia would-beobliged to,sub
for peace, n; sho did at Sebastopol. The
; -war would not go on for years, as many
peopls-pred'et." - r -££j', - G '•>{, 1
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