July 7, 1900.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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we have no right to of genius, which capable of forming an opinion, or entitled no political duties, which remained as beforet
consequent danger to the lives of all foreignment of the Tariff had drafted a notable | imate trade. The abuses became so grave residente in Peking. They could so have scheme, which, except that it reckoned with that the three Powers principally interested done
e we say, but we admit that the step out its host, was decidedly ingenious, for appointed each an Inspector to look after would have been unconventional and would the solution of this eminently simple affair. the collection. Beyond the mere control indicate an anticipation of the future We say "simple" advisedly, for all interests over the collection the department exercised and almost a touch
look for in Minis- to be heard in the settlement, have, as we in the hands of the officials. This whole- ters. The advantage of the presence of pointed out, practically agreed on the details some tradition lasted for many years, but the Ministers in a place where they could be of the revision. The question has long circumstances by degrees compelled the In- in touch with their naval forces is indubit-ceased to be what China will give, but what spectorate to assume closer connection with able. The Ministers are men experienced will, in her own as well as foreign interests, the Chinese Government. In the abstract in n Chinese affairs; the Admirals for the be required of her. Knowing these facts, this was natural and need have led to no *most part are not. Had the former been in which have been strengthened rather than misunderstanding. Unfortunately the Bri- a spot where they could keep up a com- the contrary by recent doings in Peking, it tish Government could never come to com- munication with their home Governments, is instructive to see what the Empress's prehend the altered position, while at the we should not have seen all this friction and Government, apparently with the assistance same time it withdrew the agis of protec- waste of time which has been occasioned by of the Inspectorate-General, was laying out tion it had at first thrown over the office. The the division of authority, when the Admirals its for next concession. The proposal was natural consequence was that the Inspec have been obliged to telegraph to the home carefully worded so as to appear to the eyes torate came in the hands of crafty politicians Authorities for instructions in matters of of the half-informed as a graceful yielding to be an advanced post against British en- which the latter have next to no knowledge, to insular prejudices; China would, it ex-couragement. This position probably cul- cut off from those whose business it is to plained, seek no increase of the Export minated in the period when Sir NICHOLAS know. It must be granted that no ordinary duties on her own products shipped; "she O'CONOR was Minister in Peking, and it is man could be expected to foresee accurately would, moreover, again promise for the no secret to the initiated, really procured that the rapidity with which the danger deve hundredth time, we may remind her that gentleman's removal from that post. Had loped in Peking, and when once the crucial lekin, and further charges on Imports would Lord SALISBURY taken to heart the lesson he moment for escape had passed any attempt be abolished. In return for this benevo- would have avoided a like position of affairs to retreat from Peking would merely have lent action on her part, we were, however, to growing up under his eyes; unfortunately brought on a terrible disaster. After the agree to the unconditional increase of Im- as we know he did not, but abuses, under first week in June the Ministers rightly saw port duties to a tariff of 15 per cent. ad the false sources of information mainly that it was their duty to remain, if they did valorem, or, say, an immediate increase of patronised by the British Prime Minister, not wish to precipitate a general outbreak at some 500 per cent. That is to say that in were permitted to grow up and prosper. once. Next week the line between Peking return for an indefinite promise, of whose The present state of affairs at the Capital of and Tientsin was wrecked, and all thought negative value we have proof every day, we Chihli, for it can hardly be called the of escape, had such been entertained, would were to make an absolute surrender of the Capital of China, is the result. Meanwhile, have been necessarily abandoned.
results of our diplomacy for the last sixty as was the case with his immediate prede- years; and ourselves aid China in the good cessor, Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD finds: work of expelling the foreigner from the Cel- himself openly discredited. The fault is estial shores. The scheme, as we have sug-none of his seeking, and Sir CLAUDE MAC- gested, bears too evident traces of the work! DONALD under the most trying circumstances of the Inspectorate-General not to raise our has done his utmost to uphold the credit of suspicions as to the source whence have pro- his Government. We urge not a word ceeded many of the other inspirations which against the present Minister at Peking, have enabled Peking little by little to render when we call on the Government to repair nugatory every engagement entered into. We as far as it can the wrong done, by removing do not willingly find ourselves thus called Sir CLAUDE to a sphere where he can on to assume what at first sight will doubt- find himself able to hold up his head as an less be looked upon by many as an attack honourable man, and an ornament to a dis- on Sir ROBERT HART, and the great institu- tinguished service. tion of which he is the honoured chief, and which has from time to time conferred en- ormous benefits, not only on China but on civilisation at large. Recent events have, however, thrown such a lurid light on the methods being pursued, that in the interests of the service itself we must protest against its latest attitude. We are only too well avare that for much of the present difficulty not Sir ROBERT HART himself has been the main offender, but Lord SALISBURY. The Inspector-General has been forced into a wrong position, and the service has been gradually and slowly, but surely, compelled to appear as a political adjunct of the Chi- nese Government. We have lately had fre- quent occasion to complain of the manner in which the British Minister himself has been set aside at the suggestion of the In- spectorate or the Chinese Representative at Portland Place; and our remarks, had they not been founded on stern facts, might well have seemed prophetic. How correct was our forecast the events of the last three weeks are sufficient to show. When the Inspectorate-General was first in- stituted it was founded for no political purpose, but solely to overcome the evils incident to every Chinese official depart ment when money had to pass through its hands. The greater part of the Yangtsze provinces were in the hands of the Taiping rebels; the imperial officers were notoriously
There remains the matter of the ultima- tum which led to the capture of the Taku Forts on the 17th ult. It must be supposed that the naval commanders, like the Ministers before them, could not believe in the deter- mination and solidarity of the forces against them. It seems otherwise hard to justify an order capable of being misinterpreted as a declaration of war, at a time when the diplomatic representatives of the Powers concerned were shut up in the enemy's capital, with a guard quite inadequate in the worst event, and a force of only two thou- sand men were proceeding on a perilous errand at a distance from their base. The policy which was pursued is difficult to ex- plain. Later perhaps we may be able to disentangle the actual story from amid the mass of inconsistencies and false reports. Until then we can but wait and wonder.
TARIFF REVISION.
(Daily Press, 4th July.) Sometime ago we referred to some prema- ture but characteristic cacklings to which we had been treated by certain people who had allowed their zeal to outrun their dis- cretion on the subject of Tariff Revision. We were told by these busybodies in so many words that the question had been set- tled by Sir CLAude Macdonald, and that the British Government had given its con- sent to the alterations, which included an extensive addition to present rates. The wish, as we stated at the time, was father to the thought, and in our recent advices from home we find a considerable amount of light thrown
on the subject. An attempt was indeed made to "rush" the position, and as it is characteristic of Chinese governmen- tal methods, it may be worth while, even in the present crisis to refer to it again, as the attempt is pretty certain to be again made, and probably paraded in the same quarters 888" concession" to Great Britain. Ac-
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WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AS APPLICABLE TO CHINA,
(Daily Press, 6th July.) Wireless telegraphy, which, judging from the slow progress it has been making, finds comparatively few applications in times of: peace, has doubtless its most useful part to play in war. Already in the mimic warfare of the Naval Evolutions it has been found of the greatest service in enabling a distant squadron to announce to an isolated fleet its whereabouts, and this, in spite of the fact that we have no practical means of control- ling its path, will probably be found its most useful service. How useful it could be made we have an example in China at the moment. Had Admiral SEYMOUR'S plucky detachment, when unseconded it went out into the darkness to brave the whole Chi- nese army, been provided with such a signal- ling apparatus, the whole of the Empire would not have watched so long in vain for the slightest indication of the fate of his gallant men. Again had Tientsin been but provided with an installation it would have been practical effectually communicate with the relief party, to arrange a concerted method of attack. It is quite true that the system is subject to all the disabilities of every system visible
cording then to the Times correspondent in dealing with them in arms and supplies of sent tography, and that a
Peking, who had evidently been taken mo- all sorts, and the Custom House was being mentarily behind d the scenes, the commis-worked not in the interests of the Govern- sioners appointed by the Chinese Government, but in that of the officials in charge, ment to formulate proposals for the amend- and to the detriment of honest and legit.
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relieving force will be visible to the enemy. In this,
well to remember, it labours
the same disadvantages There are of course others pec
and