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GREAT BRITAIN'S POLICY IN CHINA:
(21st January.):
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Reuter to-day supplies us with two im- portant items relating to China. The first is a declaration by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the effect that Great Britain does not desire territorial acquisition in China, but that she does desire to open the door of that country to the world's commerce, and that the Government is absolutely de- termined, even if necessary at the cost of war, not to allow the shutting of the door of commerce against us. That is a perfectly correct attitude, which we trust the Gov- ernment will firmly maintain. Commerce is our vulnerable point, and it is there that Of this we have our rivals try to strike us. an instance in the opposition of Russia and France to the conditions of the proposed British loan to China, which is the second item contained in Reuter's telegram. Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD, WE are told, has informed the Tsungli Yamen that Great Britain is willing to provide a loan on the following conditions, namely the opening of three treaty ports, including Talienwan and Nanning, the non-alienation of the Yangtsze Valley, and permission to Great Britain to extend the Burmah rail- way through Yunnan, China approves of these conditions, but the Rus sian and French Ministers oppose them. On what ground can this opposition be based, and what right have France or Rus- sia to have any say in the matter at all? The opening of additional ports would be to the advantage of France and Russia, as well as to that of England, in proportion to the trade of the respective countries. Eng- land seeks no exclusive advantage for her self, but simply that certain ports shall be thrown open to the trade of the whole world on equal terms. Equal terms, however, do not suit our rivals; they want special terms for themselves. We fail also to see what right either Russia or France has to object to the extension of the Burmah railway into Yunnan. England has not objected to the scheme of Russian railways in Manchuria nor to the extension of the Tonkin railway into Kwangsi or Yunnan. In fact the more China is opened by the establishment of railway communication with the surround- ing countries the better. But if England re- frains from putting spokes in the wheels of other Powers in their relations with China she may fairly claim that they shall also refrain from putting spokes in hers, or, to change, the metaphor, she is justified in saying that she has paid for her seat at the show and is not going to be elbowed out. It is true that if Russia really entertains the design attributed to her of ultimately annexing Manchuria, the establishment of an open port at Talienwan, in close proximity to Port Arthur, might be an inconvenience to her; but it not open to her to take that objection, in the first place because she has no special claim to Manchuria, and in the second place be- cause at present she is affecting friendship towards China, which is incompatible with designs of plundering her of her territory, Thus in acquiring the use of Port Arthur she has been careful as yet not to proceed to direct annexation, but ostensibly relies simply on a friendly arrangement, the port remain ing nominally Chinese. England's avowed policy is to maintain the integrity of China as a field for the world's trade, and although some doubt may be entertained whether in the long run it would not pay us better to let the empire fall to pieces and take our share of the fragments, the policy
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
decided upon must now be consistently carried out. A correspondent of a London paper the other day neatly remarked that the present idea of a quid pro quo at the Foreign Office appears to be that, if we have two shillings and one is stolen, it is agreed the one stolen may be kept provided the other is not taken. We are glad to say that, as regards the Far East at all events, a more correct idea of the national interests and dignity is now entertained, and we trust there will be no retrocession from the posi- tion taken up by the Government, as defined by Sir MICHAEL. HICKS BEACH, namely, that even if it involves war Great Britain will not allow the shutting of the door of commerce against her.
(25th January.)
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[January 27, 1898. rivals in business have been educated up to the point of agreeing to a fair field and no favour, it may become practicable to discuss some scheme for the more effec- tive administration of the eighteen provinces which at present groan under the mis- government of the mandarins. It is per haps matter for regret that Great Britain should have to assume an attitude of isola- tion in China, but this is not her fault. If other Powers were prepared to support her policy she would be only too willing to work with them, but apparently, as in former years, they are willing to allow her to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for But Great Britain their delectation. has had to face a hostile Europe in past years, and what has been done before As we remarked the other day, it is satis- can be achieved again, if the Colonies stand factory to at last have a declaration of their by the mother country. There is, too, little policy in Eastern Asia from Her Majesty's real danger of war.. Neither of the Powers Ministers. The pronouncement by Sir desires to enter upon a struggle the issue at Swansea of which would be so uncertain in its final. MICHAEL HICKS BEACH was plain, strightforward, and unmistake- results and so absolutely sure to prove able. It had already been declared by immediately disastrous to all combatants. Lord SALISBURY's Government that they At the same time it is well to recognise the would be no party to any scheme for the fact that the situation is a strained one, and partitionment of China, and this is a reit- that the utmost tact is needed to bring eration of it in even more definite language.matters to a peaceful and satisfactory con- It is at all events reassuring to know the clusion. That the negotiations have not yet Government have a policy, though we may reached that stage is amply proved by the differ from them in thinking it hardly latest advices and the fact that the torpedo- goes far enough. In principle the British boat destroyers have been despatched Government are unquestionably correct, north while the cruiser Edgar is still detained It would be better far to uphold the here instead of proceeding home at oñce Chinese Government and preserve the with the relieved crews. Central Kingdom intact, if only there was any prospect of its being properly administered by Chinese rulers. But those who have had any experience know only
The despatch of the German expedition too well how utterly hopeless it is to expect progressive reform from the mandarin. As to take possession of Kiaochau and thus well might we expect the leopard to change-establish a coaling station and ultimate his spots or the Ethiopian his skin. To lie, colony in Shantung is regarded variously to scheme, to deceive, and to rob are a in different countries of Europe. The second nature to the Chinese officials; it is an French Press, not altogether unsympathetic inevitable result of their system. It is vain in a policy of colonial expansion, even with to expect reform, for none of the officials their rivals, and not perhaps sorry to see have learned better, and they must, in Germany acquire some further responsi- the slow course of the ages, be educated bilities abroad, have expressed the opinion that the acquisition of Kinochau was a to it, Meantime if the administration is to be placed in competent hands, if measures fitting reward for the service rendered to of reform are to be inaugurated, and if China by Germany in joining France and China is really to be opened up it will be Russia to prevent the annexation of the nccessary to do more than to accept a few Liaotung peninsula by Japan after the war. proclamations or promises from the Peking authorities that they will mend their ways. Such pledges would incontinently be broken before the ink was dry on the paper. The Chinese officials, from the Emperor down to the meanest yamen runner, are not to be trusted, and any project of amendment which involves their continuance in power must prove entirely valueless. The day for partitioning the corrupt carcase of Cathay may not yet have arrived, perhaps, There is no health but it will surely come. in the body politic, and no reform seems likely to come from within..
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In the meantime it is Great Britain's mission to preserve her trade in this vast though rotten empire, a trade which we see imperilled by the shortsighted selfishness of other Powers who are anxious to reap where they have not sown and create a private preserve for themselves out of what by Great Britain's unselfish efforts in the past
'was. made a market for the world. We do not wish to pose as the special defender of China, for it is doubtful whether the preservation of her indepen- dence would prove a boon to her people; but the present juncture, when her would-be heirs are intent only on procuring ex- clusive advantages for themselves, is not the time to discuss a partitionment. When our
THE KIANCHAU QUESTION AND INTERNATIONAL RIVALRIES.
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A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind, and France is possibly still on the lookout for the completion of her reward for the same service. The continued presence. of French men-of-war on the Hainan coast may be taken as an indication of the tendency of Gallic inclinations. The Rus sian-Press, on the other hand, at once, expressed profound dissatisfaction at the action of Germany, and though the Govern ment of St. Petersburg did not choose to openly endorse this outburst of feeling they certainly permitted it. The reason for this; also, is not far to seek. Kinochau was the very port under the secret convention said to have been negotiated by Count CASSINI, which Russia had specially marked for her own, and great must have been her dis appointment at being thus outwitted and forestalled. Having, however, repudiated the reputed convention, Russia could not publicly protest. In the face of her own already large acquisitions in Manchuria and her intended encroachments in 'Koren, she could not so openly play the part of dog in the manger to Germany-to whom she was indebted for assistance in overawing little Japan and snatching from her the fruits of victory-as to actively protest against the cession of this port in compensa- tion for the outrages on German mission-