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THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER AND AQTI-FOREIGN
AGITATION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
doubt that was the deliberate object of the writer, who apparently hopes to foment an outbreak against the Roman Catholic Missions in Kw: gsi before the port of Wuchow is opene to trade. It will be the duty of the Viecay of the Two Kwang to nip this demonstration in the bud, and it will be interesting to note what action His Excelleney will tak. Duty and inclination in this case do not, we fear, lie parallel. The Viceroy is not too favourably disposed to the idea of opening up the inland water- ways to steamer navigation and foreign trade, and he is most strongly opposed to the Transit Pass trade. Craft otherwise office nid perquiites-is in danger by the demand made for the faithful observ-
(May 13, 1996.
FRENCH COLUNIAL POLICY.
It is much to be regretted that the legiti- mate aspirations of Frenchmen to create a colonial empire should, in all directions, be defeated by a combination of causes, many of which are preventible. The fact that the ordinary Frenchman is too fond of La belle France to emigrate, aud that the class of men who do visit-few settle the colonies is not a class likely to develop the resources of new countries or to do much to promote the trade they are anxious to see spring up, is of course one important factor in the case. Few French merchants or agriculturists can be tempted to leave their native country; it is the necessitous, the ne'er-do-weels, that flock to the colonies, not with the intention of settling down to solid work, but in the hope of obtaining some concession, either to open a mine, build a railway, start planta- tions, or found some commercial monopoly, in neither case caring much for the ultimate success of the venture so long as they can make some present gain out of it. It is in this way that the colonics are exploited, aud small wonder that the exploitation is ex- ceedingly superficial and speedily excites disgust. A legion of ill paid officials are at the same time quartered on to the new country, and they naturally look round for means wherewith to improve their position and eke out their scanty income. Both the official and unofficial meinbers of the com- munity are therefore animated with the same purpose: to prey on the land, to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs fortunately the bird itself often soon censes to lay these shiuing eggs because the first stores of wealth are speedily exhausted and there is no encouragement to invest money in the country owing to the evil fiscal policy adopted in all French colonies.
Un-
That Wuchow-fu will at uo very distant date become a Trenty port, and that foreign steamers will find their way up the West River, there is little doubt. The Chinese Government have assented to this in principle, and all that remains, we are told, is to settle the details, as to which ports on the inland waterways of the Two Kwang are to be opened to foreign trade, We had hoped that there would be no opposition on į the part of the inhabitants to this step, Kwangsi and Kweichow, unlike Hauan, are no great strongholds of the mandarin or even the literati class. On the contrary,ance of the stipulations of Article XXVIII. these are the provinces in which the most of the Tientsin Treaty, and in the interests formidable rebellions against the Manchu of his class and of his underlings he is dynasty have taken their rise, and the prepared to battle that question to the people have usually shown rather a penchant death, så får, n› d subt, as secret and under- for change. But it would seem, from the hand weapons of attack can be used. Of issue of the anti-foreign proclamation_re. course if the Central Government decree the cently posted in Wuchow-fù, that the anti-, enforcement of the Treaty stip..lations in foreign spirit which raged so fiercely a few, regard to the Transit Pass system, which years since in the Yangtsze Valley, leading | Lord SALISBURY is now pressing for, the to a long catalogue of outrages and murders, Viceroy and his subordinates will have to is at work in Kwangsi, and that efforts give way; but they still have weapons, and are being made to stir up popular hatred of this proclamation, if we mistake not, has the foreigner, with a view to giving him an been forged for the occasion. Not im- unpleasant reception if he should have the probably it is the first reply to the announce temerity to wish to carry on trade with the inent that the Chinese Government have natives in that province. The appearance į cimovded the opening of the West River. of a slanderous and foolish pronunciamento | If the originators of the document are in like that posted at Wuchow is probably the grim ernest we may expect very shortly to commencement of an agitation to keep the hour of mob violence, carefully directed by country entirely hostile to the advent of all the gentry and encouraged by the officials, strangers, and to rouse such feeling among against the missionaries or possibly any the populace as to give the Government an foreign traders who may be pioneering up apportunity of pleading the danger of an the West River. The Viceroy would at insurrection in excuse for going back on once disown any such doings, hud would their word. The proclamation is artfully doubtless send troops up to the scene of worded, as usual, being su framed as the mutrage, where they would do nothing The neighbouring French colony of Indo- first to pander to the national vanity, except perhaps to harass and insult the China furnishes a notable object lesson in by exalting their own institutions, and native Christians. It is evident, from the this respect. The provinces forming it - then, trading on their credulity, by action token by the Viceroy in the case of might, under more liberal rule, have yielded reiterating the old charges of foul indecency Mr. Jons Axinew at Wuchow that there very different results. Cochin-China was against the Roman Catholic missionaries, is nothing to hope from the provincial prospering when the present protective tariff' It is curious to note that, while making no officials, and everything to appfchend from was imposed, to its serious loss and setback, mention of Protestant missionaries, a' special } their hostility to all change. They will Tonkin, which is naturally rich in resources, rap is given at Great Britain by expressing opposd the working of the Transit Pass agricultural and mineral, has never paid its contempt for a people who will allow them- | system by every device within their cim way owing to the restrictions which have selves to be ruled by a woman. The author pass or knowledge; they wil tir up the hainpered its trade and restricted industrial is probably as ignorant as those whom he populace at Wuchow against the intending development. Haiphong and Hanoi are affects to enlighten. Did it never occur to foreigners; they will induce the boatpeople | both places of very limited trade, whereas him that the Chinese themselves have for to believe that the introduction of steamers they ought to be extremely busy centres. upwards of twenty years been more or less on the rivers will ruin their trade; and Greet sums of money have been voted by under female government? The Empress they will endeavour to perside traders the French Government, and if it had been Dowager, lately the Empress Regent, cer- that they will not be benefited by a direct judiciously applied much development might tainly exercised as much real power as the trade with the "barbarian.” isas well have taken place; but it has been fritterel Queen-Empress VICTORIA, though she was to know and be prepared for these obstacles; away in creating monopolies and snug French officials. The mines a much less conspicuous personality? It is they will be the more easily met But there billets for true the Empress Regent was never seen by is, underlying all the innate will and are still non-productive, and it may the myriad subjects of Tuxa C and hostility of the mandarins to change and be doubted whether, when the respective KWANG SU, but she had much to say in the their hatred of foreigners, a further and companies working them have got to the direction of affairs, and even in her retire deeper reason for their opposition to ny
end of their resources, they will not be ment has been able to influence the admi- fresh facilities being given to foreign traile, allowed to lapse again. There are gold, nistration. We are not among those who They rely, not on their salaries for their silver, antimony, iron, and coal, all to be profess much admiration for this capable incomes, but upon the squeezes they en found in considerable abundance, yet it can but designing woman ; but if everything is levy on trade, and if they are debarred scarcely be said that any one company so faultless in the Central Kingdom as from collecting lekin on goods which pay formed to develop these valuable deposits the writer of the proclamation makes out, the charge for the transit pass, they are de- has succeeded so as to render them self: why cannot he admit the possibility of even prived of a large slice of their revenue. A supporting. Planting is still in the most a "barbarian" queen being a wise ruler?
remely might be found for this if the experimental stage, and appears likely never Cotton and coffee could Central Government would agree to a divi-to get beyond it. sion of the duties, or if they would pay the be most successfully produced, and experi- provincial oficials fairly. But in a corruptments have been made showing that only country like China, where the squeeze capital and perseverance are needed to pro- But at the first hint system is as the breath of life to the official, duce the best results. it is hopeless to expect either reform or of either article becoming a possible export, compromise, and the only thing for Foreign the lyux-eyed Government would be certain Ministers to do is to stand find on the letter to inipose a duty and handicap the pluter. and spirit of the Treaties, a insist with The railway from l'hulangthuong to 1 - unwavering and unsleeping determination son, at present a kind of nowhere to na s upon their strict fulfilment.
line, so far as traffic is concerned, languishen-
What is of far more importance, however, than the opinion of this detractor of all things foreign is the possible effect his venomous accusations may have upon the people of Wuchow-fu and surrounding district. It is not to be supposed for a moment that these libelous ursi us will be questioned by the citizens i Wuchow. They will be received is gusto truths, and in all proba- hility will prove the seed of a riot when fo eigners make their appearance. No
here
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