358
THE CASSINI CONVENTION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND garrisons in Siberia consisted of only a few thousand troops instead of numbering, as at A very casual perusal of the clauses of the present, more than 70,000 men, that com- Special Convention between Russia and munication was infrequent and far less rapid, China negotiated by Count CASSINI will while the Trans-Siberian Railway was still a convince the most prejudiced person that dreana, and that the Russian Pacific Squadron China has been induced to pay very hand- consisted of only some half dozen indifferent somely for the intervention that preserved vessels instead of forming a powerful fleet. for her the Liaotung peninsula. It must Allowing for all this, there was still, in the be conceded that Russia has been most ably minds of all the Western Powers, a certain served by her Representative at Peking, amount of respect for the potential resources Count CASSINI has pressed for the reward of China, which was generally regarded as a no doubt promised to his Imperial master, force to be reckoned with in the politics of and he has obtained it in black and white, Asia. As we have said, however, Japan has in the form of a Convention which the CZAR dissipated that illusion, and shown China will not suffer to be mutilated in theas she is, nerveless because corrupt, impotent manner which befel the Shimonoseki Treaty. because unteachable. A great deal of casuistry must have been employed by the astute Minister,fed no doubt by judicious exhibitions, at vals, of the hand of steel concealed by the silken glove, to induce the Tsung-li Yamen to sign this. It is a circumstance worthy of note that this epoch-marking agreement was ne gotiated in Peking while the ablest and most experienced Chinese statesman was on his travels round the world after a visit to Russia to represent China at the coronation of the Emperor NICHOLAS II. This absence of the astute negotiator of the Shimonoseki Treaty was very timely if accidental, for it gave Count CASSINI a chance to snatch a truly great diplomatic triumph. That the Russian Minister was aware of the import- ance of reaping his harvest before the return of LI HUNG-CHANG is pretty evident by the manner in which he rushed the Convention through. His Excellency left Peking for Russia on the 30th September, and he had been ready to depart for three weeks prior to that date, but he would not leave until he had got the signed agreement to carry with him. Knowing the slippery nature of the mandarins, and the many chances that might meantine intervene to upset his work, the Count determined to secure the com- pletion of his magnum opus before leaving China. That it is a great work must be conceded by friends and critics.alike, and its consequences must be of immense im- portance to Russia,
"
|
November
absolute safety of their own tions with China, and serve and extend the tra acquired in these seas at
an
us to be
of blood and treasure in Russia can so readily obtain concessions from Peking, difficult for Great Britain to rectification of the boundaries of I the return of Chusan as a further” station, and to insist upon the opening of the inland waterways of Souther China to foreign trade.
THE COERCION OF CHINA.
·
rrived
onths
It might prove unfortunate for China if she - By this Convention Russia has acquired were to take too literally a statement in the a footing in China which if judiciously utili- N. C: Daily News to the effect that the sed-and Russian statesmen may be trusted British Foreign Office long ago made up its to watch their opportunities and make the mind never to be provoked into coercing most of them-will result either in establish- China by force. The statement is inaccurate, ing the CZAR as Lord paramount in the no such determination having been Chinese Empire, or else in its gradual at. It is little more than twelve dismemberment. Time will show which it ago, indeed, that it became merely a question is to be. Like our Shanghai morning con- of hours whether China would comply with temporary, we believe that at the moment England's ultimatum or submit to reprisals the Russian Government has no desire to along the Yangtsze. The Admiral had his see China partitioned, but the establish- instructions, the whole programme was ar- ment of Russian owned and managed rail- ranged, and had Peking proved obdurate ways through Manchuria will be pretty the programme would have been carried certain to lead to complications. The Chi- out. That was in connection with the de nese Government no doubt cling to the idea mand for the degradation of the ex-Viceroy that, at the expiration of the term of thirty of Szechuen as a punishment for having al- years, they will be in a position to purchase lowed and instigated anti-foreign riots in the railways and obtain full control both his province. The occasion was unfortu over them and the country through which nately chosen, it is true, for the official in they pass. But is not the probability much question had in fact already been dismissed, greater that long before that period Man- and while the correspondence in the case churia will become Russianised and the was slowly proceeding another anti foreigu territory included in the dominions of the outrage occurred in another province, in- Great White Czar? Russia desires, and finitely more serious than anything that had must have, control over the terminus of her happened in Szechuen, namely, the Wha great railway, and that terminus will be, sang massacre, the barbarity of which not at Vladivostock, but at an unfrozen startled and horrified the whole world; but port. She has further secured by this Con- the ultimatum was presented in refer vention the right to use the port of Chiaochow ence to the lesser Szechuen affair, and in Shantung in the event of a war. A lease the demands having been complied with, of the port has been granted to Russia for the energy of our Foreign Office seemed fifteen years, but that Power covenants not to be exhausted and the Whasang to enter immediately into possession of the affair was allowed to drop out of notice The Japanese have unwittingly done "said port or hold the important points after .a shamefully inadequate repara- an immense service to Russin. By dominating the port, in order to obviate the tion had been made. The whole thing their invasion of Manchuria and "chance of exciting the jealousy of other was a muddle, but still the fact remains the crushing defeat they inflicted upon Powers.' This is politic and no doubt con- that JOHN BULL, as represented by Lord China they most effectually pricked the siderate, but now the fact has leaked out the SALISBURY, had his hand on his gun, and bubble reputation of that vast empire's re- actual occupation can make little difference. was determined to fire if he was not obeyed. puted resources and power! They revealed The publication of the text of this Conven- China may perhaps be inclined to doubt now to the world that China, though a giant in tion ought to do much good. It throws a whether after all force would have been bulk and stature, was saturated with corrup- lurid light upon Russia's aims and ambi-used had she continued to flout the demands tion and palsied with decay. They stripped tions. It will be a beacon to British states- made upon her, but it is very undesirable the shield of effrontery from her and exposed men, and they can now shape their policy that she should be encouraged in such the sawdust and the tinsel. Without this Eastern Asia not as before upon probable doubts. As the English newspapers are revelation Russia would not have ventured eventualities, but upon accomplished facts. read in some of the yamens such a state- to dictate such a Convention as that just Russia will, on the completion of her Trans-ment as that made by our Shanghai morn- concluded. Had she known the rottenness Siberian Railway, be in this position. She ing contemporary is indiscreet, as being of China's defensive preparations, she would has established a great arsenal at Vladivo calculated to create a false impression in the hardly have suomitted in 1881 to the re-stock, where is also massed an army that minds of the mandarins that might lead to jection by Peking of the Treaty negotiated
actual and serious mischief. It is true that by CHUNG HOW, nor would she have readily
England is slow to resort to force, but it is conceded the terms of the Convention sub-
entirely inaccurate that she has formed any sequently negotiated by the Marquis TSENG
determination never to do so in the case of by which she retroceded the province of Ili
China. to China. The times and the circumstances are changed indeed since 18811 Then, Russia was compliant and yielding, and China insistent. For the sake of recovering a province in Turkestan of doubtful value to her, China was even prepared to assume a threatening demeanour, and the sacrifices made and the dogged persistence shown in reconquering Kashgaria from YAKOOB BEG so impressed the CZAR that he deemed it politic to comply with the urgent demands of Peking. It is true that it was then a very ery Vladivostock, that the Russian
*
will doubtless be maintained at one hundred thousand men. To support this and make her power, supreme in the Pacific she has sent out a fleet already superior in arma ment to the British Squadron, and contem- plates considerably further augmenting it. The article in our contemporary in which With the railway at her disposal she can the statement referred to occurs is a cúrio indefinitely increase the army in Eastern mixture of fact and imagination, of sou Siberia, and keep it supplied with arms and and false argument. We are told that muhitious. Altogether she will be prepared was simply by bluff that Japan was induced to wage a great war as from her European to retrocede Liaotung, and that the con- base. China will never be in a position to cessions made by China in the CASSINI resist her dictation and must become her Convention were also obtained by bluff obedient vassal. It is well for British which is all very true."Our Foreign Ministers to keep these facts before them, Office, on the other hand, being and while maintaining friendly relations gifted with a certain bull headed di with Russia they must take such stepsness than with finesse, declines necessary, first, to ensure the threaten where it does not intend
as
. are
-
蒙蒙
*
2