-252
The
WANT OF POLICY IN CHINA,
(Daily Press,
and ought
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY FRESS AND
BURY has deserved well of the country, and has earned the approbation of all parties by his vigorous prosecution
[4pril 14, 1900.
false assumptions of a power we did not possess; the Empire has well stood the strain War involved. Fortunately the object lesson
Is there are 7th April Peking? Buth Africa. The victies of those of the have the moment of been thrown away well seem childish, Opposition who proposed a vote of censure but to utilise the newly discovered power it
have certainly not met with the approbation of the nation. But Lord SALISBURY has not had the excnse in his paltry policy in China that he has been held back by any factious opposition. The fact is, of
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any
is necessary to prove that we are not pre- pared to repeat the errors of our past policy of ever turning our cheek to the blow of the smiter. The world is not yet quite con- stick to, and we shall, unless we convince vinced that what we say we are prepared to our neighbours that we intend to have some- thing to say in the future of China, find eventually involve greater sacrifices then ourselves relegated to a position which will
even our campaign in South-Africa. -
DISINGENUOUS MINISTERIAL
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EXPLANATIONS.
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in ordinary tines, we should be open
charge of foolishness for ask ing it. The fact is, however, that, for all useful purposes, we might as well at once withdraw our Legation, and trust to the good offices of some friendly state, as concourse, that from the very beginning he tinue our present system of practical self formed a false idea of the circumstances of anihilation. We are not to be taken as the case, His policy of suporting China casting the slightest reflection on Sir as a natural counterpoise to Russian en- CLAUDE MACDONALD, who under most croachment has long since died an ignomi- difficult circumstances has sought to uphold nious death; the succession of dilletante the honour and p:estige of his country; but Ministers, who for years misrepresented we speak of the utter absence of any sense persistently the position at Peking, hus of the position which has been the marked | long ago failed to exist: Sir THOMAS characteristic of every British Government WADE and his pro-Manchu tendencies have for the last thirty years. This neglect is long since ceased to influence men's unfortunately the appannge of neither side minds, and yet Lord SALISBURY has
(Daily Press, 10th April.) The speech of the Rt. Honourable ST. of the House; indeed no statesman of mark been unable to extricate himself from the JOHN BRODRICK, Lord SALISBURY'S Un- has been able to free himself from that web uet, and still compels his Minister in Peking der Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in reply of ignorance and indifference which has been to pose as the supporter of misrule, and the to Mr. WALTON's complaints of the neglect. the hall-mark of British diplomacy in the complaisant coadjutor of France and Russia by his chief of Chinese affairs, can hardly Far East; and it is only at long inter-in their well-laid scheme to reduce to a be looked upon as a disingenuous statement vals that the veil is momentarily lifted and nullity the Imperial power. One of the of the position, nor can it be considered as we hear a few words of intelligent comment. strangest features of our traditional policy consonant with the Prime Minister's pre- We would hardly, it is true, be entitled to in China has been the persistency with vious record as an honourable Minister of number Lord CHARLES BERESFORD Amongst which the British representative at Peking the Crown. We have indeed only Lord the statesmen of the day, and his appoint-
has been ignored in favour of the represen
Salisbury's own word for the ment by the Chambers of Commerce to in-tations proceeding from Portland Place, able statement that British interests have very remark- vestigate the position of affairs in China Sir CH CHENG LO FENG Lo is doubtless suffered no loss of prestige at Peking; if we was not likely to carry much weight with a very interesting personality; he has a are to judge of the opinion of the Con- the Ministry of the time; still, Lord CHARLES charming manner and possesses a wonderful tinental Powers by their actions, we must BERESFORD did utter some unpleasant knowledge of the English Innguage and arrive at a very different conclusion from truths, which it would have been well had English prejudices, and privately his sym- that so perseveringly put forward by our the Ministry taken to heart. Instead of pathies would lead him, no doubt, to a much Foreign Office, and believe that British iu- this, Lord CHARLES' words have been re-needed reformation in his native country;
terests are altogether neglected. At all legated to the receptacle of disagreable com-
but the Chinese Minister is the representa- British Minister is the very last to hear of munications. And Lord CHARLES himself tive of the Government de facto, not of
events it is invariably the case that the has been got rid of in a manner better party, and has to conform to the wishes of what is going on; and as for consulting him known to the politicians of a past than of his momentary mistress. Would Lord or asking his opinion beforehand that is a the present age, and given promotion which | SALISBURY have him act the traitor's course which never enters into the minds of a gallant sailor could not refuse, by being part, and, nominally representing his Go-anyone. Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD is indeel advance to the second command in the verument, be really the agent of what, Mediterranean. At best, however, Lord however right may be its aims, still CHARLES BERESFORD lay under a disability fortunately in China only an aspiration ? in bringing the neglect of the Govern- If this be not the idea of the Prime Minis- ment before the House, in that he was a ter, it is difficult to discover any other Conservative pure and simple, of the old ground for his action. We have recently type, who, whatever his personal views, had occasion, almost ad nauseam, to point was bound to submit to the exigencies out the intrigue being carried on at Peking, of party discipline. These circumstances having for its object the destruction of combined did, doubtless, tend to take away British influence; it is by no means reas- from the importance of the views promul-suring to find that Lord SALISBURY has by gated by the Member for York, and have his indifference been the most able promoter certainly had their natural effect in increas of that intrigue. It is, we are prepared to ing the neglect of the Government. It may state unhesitatingly, mainly owing to Lord therefore be looked upon as a matter for SALISBURY's credulity that the present some little satisfaction that Mr. JOSEPH crisis has been brought about. It is not WALTON, the Liberal Member for the Barns for us to point out what our course of policy ley Division of the West Riding, who has should be; we do not know all the been recently visiting the Far East, should other circumstances of the case, but we have taken an early opportunity of declaring have no hesitation in stating openly that if the conclusions arrived at by him after his any amelioration of our present inferior visit to the East. Mr. WA
VALTON, though a position is to be looked for, it must be in an member of the Liberal Party, was one of entirely different course of procedure from those who refused to countenance the fac- that which has lately met with acceptance tious attack on Lord SALISBURY's administra- at Lord SALISBURY'S hands. Mr. JOSEPH tion raised by Lord E. FITZMAURICE, and WALTON's remarks will meet with the may therefore be held to be actuated by approval of every man capable of forming motives higher than those of mere party. an unbiassed opinion, to whichever side What he said is worthy of note.. Of Peking of the House his political opinion may told us that he found that "whereas our incline, aud sincerely hope that influence was paramount four years ago, before it is too late, Lord SALISBURY to-day, owing to a policy of drift and sur- will wake up
to the importance of render, it counts for nothing." Unfortu- the issues really at stake. These issues nately this is a view which we ourselves have are not merely commercial; they extend to had to hold, and which we have in duty felt our position as an imperial power in Asia. bound to impress, in season and out of sen- It is one of the penalties attaching to great son, on the powers that be. It is also theness that we should always have to stand view held without exception, by everyone acquainted with the facts of the case, irre spective of party or faction, Lord SALIS
he
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We
un-
prepared to resist attack on every side; the course of the war in Africa has indicated that our Empire has been founded on no
left severely alone, and has to possess his soul in such self-complacence as may befit the case. Nor is the reason far to seek. Lord SALISBURY is not an adept at the gine of brag. He tried it on in Peking, and the result has been eminently unsatisfac tory; so unsatisfactory, that unless he holds better cards than he has as yet been able to show, he had almost better throw up the game. Even more unworthy of Lord SALI8- BURY's previous réputation was the insinu- ation that the shortcomings of the Govern- ment were to be attributed to the neglect of the English Syndicates to enter on the concessions grante . The Government knows well that, at the time the concessions were granted, there was every intention to proceed at once with the works required; it knows also equally well that the reason why the concessions have not long ago neen taken up has proceeded from political causes; and that the chief of these was än entire want of confidence, amply justified by the facts, in Lord SALISBURY himse.f. But even more injurious to the character of the Government in this wretched business has been the attempt to curry favour with the Chinese government by a distinct warp- ing of fact. China was justified, the telegram tells us, in requiring some substantial pro- gress and asking that a serious undertak- ing, such as that of the Peking Syndicate, should be pressed onward. Herein, we are willing to confess, really lies the point of the issue, but the delay and listlessness, lies at the doors of the Government and not with the Syndicate. By a curious coincidence the very despatch which brought Mr. BRODRICK's speech also brought the news of the decision of the arbitrators in the ense
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