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Show B IiOifie 10 D1WW5. Libertines of Russian Navy j Must Desist In Their Work, i . framed That They "V71H Be Tirod Upon and Suiiic by Brit- ' , ish Guns, i t i LONDON, July 22. The authoritative) ' assurances that tho Malacca, will bo released, re-leased, cabled, by the Associated Press from St. Petersburg to , the "United States do not appear In the British morning papers. Special dispatches to a somewhat 6imllar effect from St. Petersburg do not allay ihe alarmist view's of the leading organs who con-i con-i ptrtic Premier Balfouro post midnight announcement that the Government had received no confirmation of the reported release of the Malacca to meap that the II j Incident remains unsettled. I Another Broad Question. I Another cause for great apprehension I Is the broader question of Russia's l( I right to send vessels of her voluntoer I j fleet through the Dardanelles A etrlk- I I !ng evidence that the danger of the sit- II nation has not been mitigated In the l( least, so far as British oslclal and pub- I I lie opinion Is entertained, is afforded by I the' Daily Telegraph, which under a ' large heading "An Acute AflVJ''" de- I j dares that "relations between vreat I Britain and Russia have reached the H state of an acute crisis, but behind the I i incident of the Malacca is- the far t larger question of the status of the s?o- I Called volunteer fleet. ' Cannot Be Recocrnlzed. I "It has, we believe, been made clear f to the Czar's Government that the transformation of merchant vessels I passing ' through the Dardanelles into I armed erulhers cannot be recognized under any pretext whatever as Justifying Justify-ing Russia's Interference- with British shipping. It is not impossible that a 1 concession to Russian dignity the Gov ernment may offer to permit the Mnl-I Mnl-I acca to put into some neutral port i where her cargo may be examined and i the statement verified that whatever j I munitions sho carried were intended for j the use of the British China squadron." Staked on Response. '! J In its eilltorinl article the Dally Tele- l Sraph becomes even more alarmlstlc, I declaring that upon Russia's response to Lord Lansdowne "the Issues of peace Qr war are staked." Continuing, the Dally. Telegraph says that only in the event that Russia Is preparing to accept ac-cept the British conditions on the larger Issue would be to the Government as a "sop to Russian dignity," permit the Malacca to be taken to a neutral porL Main Question at Issue. The main question to be settled bo-tween bo-tween the Russian and British Government Govern-ment If we are to maintain even technical techni-cal relations of friendship, says the Dally Telegraph's editorial, "Is the status of the Ruaslau so-called volunteer volun-teer licet. The point which has been In aue cieui iu ine ozni s uovernineni ny Lord Lansdowne is that Great Britain will not permit a lightning change from a merchant vewel to an armed cruiser. ! Will Bo Fired Upon. "In other words, if these unchartered libertines of the Russian navy attempt to slop or march British vessels they . will bo called upon to desist, and If they refuse to obey the demand they will be fired upon and sunk. We further fur-ther understand that the Ottoman Gov-i Gov-i ! ernment will take steps to prevent the 1 , passage of the Janus-faced vessels through the Dardanelles, and In the event of their evasion will notify our Government of their departure. Independent of the "War. "These problems are altogether Independent Inde-pendent of the war In the far East, We are acting, and shall continue to act, ' not as the ally of Japan, but as the , grc-ateat naval power, protecting the highways against the Illicit Inroads of i pirates." The significance of such lan- ; guagtr by n paper o much In the con- .fldente of the Government and which ,' ha:; been strongly l:i favor of an Anglo- Russlaii Giitc-nto can scarchlv bo over. estimated. , 1 Crisis a Grave One. i The Standard also sees little abate- 1 mcr.t In the gravity of the criiIn an a ; result of the- statement from .St. Peters- f burg- that the Malacca will be released. ! "Our dignity and wlf-respect." saya the j ) paper editorially, "demand that phe be j ; released before fche reaches the Baltic. B j The Admiral in command of the Medl- B 'j terranan squadron lias received hit ln- B -fl 'a'.iuctlor.s. His cruisers arc being rap- Bl Idly directed to the proper points, and i we preeunje that If th Malacca Is not B . : voluntarily surrendered he will be In- 1 torcopied before she can pass the straits of Gibraltar." .j The Dally Mall says thero 13 reason to believe that the British garrisons In the Mediterranean sea will bi; irtrct'.gth- i I enad by drafia from the United Klng- ii ) dorr., whilo several vessels will be- sent H l j to the vicinity of the Dardanelles and. 4 others to Port Said. 1 Russia's Action Interpreted. 1 Admiral Edward Field, retired, speiik- lng at a public banquet lawt evening, H j , said he believed that the Russian Gov- 1, ? ormncnt was trying to drag In both ' M France and Great Britain. Hi 1 ju "Do not let Rutc-la play her game," Bl M Mid the Admiral, "but leave the matter I to the diplomatic. The Malacca ln- T j cldcnt is-safer In the hands of Mr. Dal- i four and Lord Lansdowne than In those i j of the naval men," . View of the Thunderer. !l The Times cayu If the report that I Russia has ordered the release of the I jf Malacca should prove to be true It would be, hailed with profound patls- 1 faction by British public opinion, but I i it Is clear from Premier Balfour's ' statement that no conflrmatlon' to tlibj ! S ftffect has yet been received at tho for-olgn for-olgn ofHc. Question of Arbitration. Dealing with the idea of submitting the luoml question of the passage of the Dardanelles by volunteor fleet vessels to The Hagu tribunal the Times pays; "This idea is one which wo might per-hapn per-hapn entertain provided, of course, that Russia undertook not to allow her volunteor vol-unteor steamers to make any further seizures pending a decision, but tho release re-lease of the Malacca Is a condition precedent prec-edent to any arrangement of this kind. Every day's delay adds to tho tension, while any repetition of ouch action would Intensify the difficulties In the way of a settlement a hundred-fold and might easily mako It no longer practicable." |
