186
The disrUPTION OF CHINA
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
demnity to Japan, and thereupon, accord- Speaking in the House of Commons the ing to the Shimonoseki Treaty, Japan
should withdraw other day Mr. CURZON said the British which she holds as
from Weihaiwei, policy was to prevent or postpone the dis- faithful performance of the Treaty. But a guarantee of the ruption of China as long as possible. And since the Treaty was made circumstances how long will that be? It must be admitted have altered. Germany has seized ino- that British diplomacy, backed by a respect chau, Russia is now taking possession of able display of force, has at last, accord- Port Arthur, and Japan apparently con- ing to present appearances, achieved a sub-siders she is entitled to some conces- stantial success; and British subjects in the Far East will all be glad to see that Sir cessions granted
gion
AS an equivalent for the con- to the other Powers CLAUDE MACDONALD's services in the mat-named. What Russia and Germany will ter have been officially acknowledged in Par-have to say to the Japanese demand remains liament. British prestige, which had sunk to a low ebb, has been re-established and is different now from what it was when, in to be seen, but the position of those Powers what Great Britain now says commands
conjunction with France, they compelled attention. All this is highly satisfactory; 80 Japan to retrocede the Liaotung Pensinsula, far as it goes, but the question still presents for they are now themselves engaged in the itself, has our diplomacy been directed to the game of grab. It was reported the other best end? If all that has been achieved is a postponement of the disruption of China, demanding the withdrawal of Russia from day that Japan had presented an ultimatum would it not have been better to allow the Port Arthur, but that was on the face of it disruption to take place and to have improbable as it would have thrown on protected our interests by participating Japan either the humiliation of withdrawing on an adequate scale in the territorial her ultimatum or the necessity of following redistribution? Great Britain may have it up by war, for Russia would not have sufficient influence to prevent the
yielded. Instead, therefore, of demanding Powers swooping down upon China, the withdrawal of Russia she asks for an but can she possibly stem the forces equivalent advantage for herself, and it will of disruption operating within the Empire be left to Russia, with or without the co- itself? If the entire administration were operation of Germany, to turn her out of placed under British control British officers Weihaiwei if her presence there is objected might accomplish the same reformation in to. France, which joined with Russia and China that they have accomplished in Egypt, Germany on the Liaotung question, would but against such control all the other probably not interfere again in the Powers would protest; and if the govern- North, but may possibly look for ment be left in native hands it is difficult to
some advantage for herself in the South. see how the country can be prevented drift-
She gave an assurance the other day ing to a catastrophe. Already there are in that she had no intention of following dications of trouble, as will be seen from the example of Germany and seizing a port. an article from the N. C. Daily News but since Russia and Japan are both to get reprinted in another column. The provin- something she may perhaps conceive that she cial Governments are now resisting an Imperial order to disband the territorial regiments, which are useless and in large part non-existent, and to utilise the money saved thereby for the maintenance of foreign drilled army under the direct control of the Central Government. The provincial authorities object to the order because it would deprive them of the hand- ling of large sums of money, diminish their influence and patronage, and probably cause trouble with the dismissed officers and men, who might raise the standard of revolt, There is also discontent at the diversion of a portion of the lekin to the service of the new loan. The interests of the central and provincial Governments are in these matters antagonistic and there is danger of the friction resulting in an open defiance of the Imperial authority. If the difficulty be tided over for the time being it will arise again on future occasions. CURZON's use of the term postponement "of the disruption sceins to show that Her Majesty's Government anticipate that it may in the long run be found impossible to save the Chinese Empire. That being so, would it not have been better to let the dis- ruption take place at once?
"
Mr.
THE DEMANDS OF THE POWERS ON CHINA,
..
The demand for the occupation of Wei- haiwei in perpetuity is, it is reported, Japan's reply to the cession of Port Arthur and Talienwan to Russia. The cession in the one case as well as in the other may be made under the name of a lease for a term of
years, but for all practical purposes the lease may b be considered a complete surrender of the territories in question. China has just negotiated a loan which would enable her to pay off the remainder of the in-
also is entitled to a slice of the cake. In the meantime the situation is not without its humorous side, which was rather cleverly depicted by a writer in the Avenir du Ton- kin the other day. The Emperor of China is represented as melancholily contemplat- ing a heavy mail, and the following con- versation takes place:-
The Secretary-A despatch from Berlin. The Emperor-Read it.
The Secretary-"I have the honour to inform your Majesty that the Government of the Germanic Empire, finding a certain Chinese harbour to its taste, has ordered our fleet to
capy.
The Emperor-Well, well! The next?
The Secretary-"St Petersburg. I inform your Majesty that, Germany having occupied an excellent port in your realm, my Govern. ment has deemed it right, in order to maintain the Asiatic equilibrium.
The Emperor-And the next.
J
The Secretary-"London. It being reported that Germany and Russia have each annexed a Chinese port my Government is evidently entitled to demand.
The Emperor-Pass on.
The Secretary-"Tokyo. My lord and master the Mikado, seeing that Germany, England, and Russia are preparing to occupy three Chinese ports, thinks that a fourth, under the Japanese flag.
The Emperor-That is enough. Are there
any more P
The Secretary-Rather! Listen!" Vienna.
His Majesty the Son of Heaven will himself agree that as Germany. Russia, England, and Japan are occupying Chinese ports there is no reason why Austria
"
The Emperor What! Are the little powers in it, too?
The Secretary-"Rome. The Quirinal con-
siders that in view of the occupation of several ports of the Middle Kingdom by Germany; Russia, England, Japan, and Austria it would be unseemly that Italy.
The Emperor-It is irrefutable. And France, has she claimed anything ?
[March 12, 1898.- The Secretary-She will claim undoubtedly, but the last. It is a tradition.
The Emperor(moved)—Honour to the politest
read the despatches of the little Powers ? nation of the world!
The Secretary-Do you wish that I should
The Emperor Certainly,
of the Venezuelan Government:
The Secretary-Here is the communication Considering that Portugal has for four hundred years pos sessed on Chinese soil the Chinese town of Macao.
11
The Emperor-It is a case in point and the stroke might have been foreseen.
The Secretary-There is also the Sultan. The Emperor-Does he also want to
avenge the Catholic missionaries ?
The Secretary-It is to protect his well be- loved subjects the Armenians who may be trad- ing in the Chinese ports.
The Emperor (walking up and down his room). If every State takes a town from me
I will only have Peking left.
despatch.
An Aide-de-Camp (entering)-Still another
The Secretary (opening the despatch)- Berne. The Helvetian Republic, in view of the naval demonstrations that may be necessary in the Yellow Sea and the Gulf of Pechihli, baş
instructed its Admiral.
"
The Emperor (decidedly frightened)—It is no use talking. I must abdicate or submit. to you. (To the Secretary.) Write what I shall dictate
The Secretary-At your service.
The Emperor (dictating)—“ Confidential cir- cular to the Powers: The Son of Heaven, Sovereign of the Middle Kingdom, King of half-cousins, saluting. China accepts the honour Kings and Conqueror of the Nations, to his good which the Powers wish to render her by each taking a port upon her coast. But as a polite ness cannot be allowed to pass unreciprocated, and since it is believed that the reputation and progress of Chinese goods amongst merit attentive study on the spot by the the peoples of Europe are so great as to Chinese themselves, the Son of Heaven has given orders to his glorious and invincible
fleet
to
осспру Liverpool in England, Marseilles in France, Hamburg in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Trieste in Austria, Odessa in Russia, Yokohama in Japan, and Geneva in Switzerland, and to plant the Chinese flag there with pleasure this exchange of complimente." for ever. No doubt the Powers will receive (Stopping.) Does that seem all right?
The Secretary-It is perfect, Sire, too per- fect. It will be our destruction. There are two things that can never go together, logic and diplomacy.
The Emperor (scratching his head)—It is true. What shall I do? What precedent can I follow? How shall I preserve the inviolability of my territory? Ah, an idea! (To the Aide-de-Camp.) Let two or three hundred thousand Christians be massacred.
MR. DRUMMOND ON THE JUDICIAL- COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL.
than
The lecture delivered recently by Mr.: W. V. DRUMMOND on the Secret of the British Empire was more interesting and suggestive
actually instructive, There's nothing like leather, says the cobbler; and there's nothing like law, says Mr. DRUMMOND. Perhaps we are all given to magnifying the importance of our own profession or trade, and on Saturday Mr. DRUMMOND Conveyed a very exaggerated
law idea of the importance and influence of represented by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. That court occupies a quite unique position and affords an interesting study for the student of our judicial system. But it is a rich man's court and has little to do with
as
the ordinary everyday administration of justice in the distant dependencies of the Crown. And it is by the ordinary everyday administration of justice that the great mass of the natives would have to judge of our