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THE DRIFT OF EVENTS IN CHINA.
to
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
onco
[December 8, 1900.
What could have
serious, and from all the provinces we hear and one man-of-war setting the example, the same complaints from the people of the the rest, sheep-like, have stupidly followed presence of local terrorism, and from the suit. We do not like to think-when it is (Daily Press, 6th December.)
officials of the absence of funds to keep a moot point in the minds of right-thinking The position in China seems still to be within bounds the elements of disorder. people whether the EMPRESS-DOWAGER drifting steadily from bad worse. Along the coast piracy is reviving, and the would not be hanged without ceremony if This is to be ascribed to several circum- peaceful trading junk finds itself at the her punishment were made to fit her many stances, not the least of which is the mis- mercy of the robbers, who, if they do not crimes-that any of the Foreign Representa- taken action of the foreign Powers, in which plunder direct, levy exactions under the tives could so far forget what is due to their we are sorry to say Great Britain has been name of safe escort. Reports from the flags as to thus drag them through the the worst offender. Our latest advices tell coast of Shantung and Kiangsu, as well as Celestial slush. It surely cannot be that the us of continually increasing disorder every- throughout the Chusan Islands, all confirm | Governments of civilised Powers could so forget the horrible crimes and where throughout the empire, and of the this position of affairs. On shore it is no soon growing process of disruption within. It is better; Shantung, Kiangsu, Kiangsi and outrages committed on their subjects and apt to be forgotten that the movement of the Hukwang are all more or less in disorder. citizens by order of this base and brutal the Court to Hsian is not the outcome of The news which we published yesterday morn-woman as to authorise such a compliment Those mere chance, nor to be attributed entirelying from Shanghai reveals a most dangerous to be paid to such an object! to the action of the Powers in the capture of state of affairs at Tientsin more. guns would be-we still hope they are not defiled, those ships polluted, which fired Peking More than a year ago the clique Even from Chekiang, one of the wealthiest which the Dowager has selected as her ad- as well as generally the most orderly of the such a salute. The act would be an out- visers made no secret of their desire that whole of the eighteen provinces, we hear rage on civilisation, an insult to the mur the seat of government should be removed similar complaints. In the Ningpo and Chu-dered victims whose wrongs are still but to that distant and inaccessible city; and san districts the peacefully disposed have to partly avenged. Have national jealousies the reason given was that thereby the go about armed; and robbery and housebreak-and electioneering needs brought us 80 low Is this the outcome of all the Imperial Court would be removed from ing, generally accompanied with violence, are as this? foreign pressure, and the reactionary party of daily occurrence. Complaints made to fiery indignation which but a few weeks would have full scope to put in practice its the authorities meet with no success, as the agone found vent in the Press of every intentions of ruling the state in its own officials complain that their treasuries are European country and throughout the Great peculiar manner. That such a course must denuded, and they have no means to pay American Republic? of itself result in the break-up of the Em- the troops, who take this way of making up brought about such a change, the his pire was pointed out at the time, but of for the absence of wages. The state of the torian of the future would ask? What Self interest, sordid jealousy, course, though warned in time, the Legations Liang Kwang is known to our readers, and indeed! were above obtaining information or taking everywhere throughout the Empire the same morbid sympathy with assasins and ravish- arrant cowardice, or shameless in- advice from any external sources outside tale of unrest and disquiet reaches our ears.ers, their own Legations or the precincts of the Now, as we pointed out at the beginning, difference to the sufferings of kin? Some Superintendency of Foreign Customs. That much of this disorder might have been of these motives, none less unworthy, must the Superintendency was really the worst avoided by the presence of a little common have dictated such abasement if accom- informed organisation in China has been sense. The great provincial officers were plished. We cling with despairing tenacity made clear by recent events, and by then on our side; but, our Government acting to the hope that our informant vas misled, none more than the ignorance of any as it has under false and treacherous advice, for to think otherwise would be to dull our movement being on foot displayed by Sir there is too good reason to believe that their faith in humankind, to compel us to regard ROBERT HART himself, who of all residents good feelings have been outraged, and that all Governments as void of self-respect, and in Peking was the most ur conscious of we may have to see with the return of spring our state smen as so steeped in the dirt of danger to life or property; and the curious the Empire in a blaze of insurrection from diplomacy as to be insensible to honourable result of all this has been that it is to this north to south. The blood of the Chinese or manly feeling. Surely at this time, on source that the principal Powers in their general stagnates during the cold weather, the very threshold of the twentieth century own ignorance have in this last hour of trou-and it requires the invigorating effects of of the Christian era, they are not so de- ble found themselves applying for informa- the warmth of the early summer to thaw it graded as voluntarily to proffer honour tion and advice. This is, however, probably sufficiently. Once in circulation, from their where nothing but indignation and con- We cannot, we will not the least of the accumulating evils of the very numbers the mildest become dangerous. tempt are due. moment. It was pointed out at the time Even amongst the Chinese themselves after believe it. It must be a grievous and that this projected movement of the Court the occupation of Peking there was a
re- ghastly hoax. to the remote recesses of the Empire could turning feeling of confidence, but that is have but one practical result, and that was being everywhere succeeded by a returning the loosening of the reins of government, appreciation of danger, and unless some already well advanced by the growing weak-policy be early decided on, we fear that ness of the central power since the Taiping | events will drift still further into the open Rebellion. The recent insurrectionary move- sea of disruption.
ment in the Kwang provinces, temporarily scotched by the Provincial authorities, is only a solitary instance of what is going on throughout the Empire, and what has been distinctly advanced by the erroneous policy of the British Government. This by its mistaken, though we are willing to believe well intended, plan of reducing interference to a minimum, has really been fostering the elements of disorder. It is long since we pointed out the ill effects of permitting the Central and Southern provinces to be drained of their resources under our very eyes, in order to supply the demands of the reaction- aries of the capital. The provincial admini- strations, who would have been only too happy of the excuse that the despatch of men and funds was forbidden by England and Germany, were on the contrary given plainly to understand that they were not to look to the Powers in case they should incur the displeasure on the reactionary party; and in fact every step that a gov. ernment sincerely anxious to advance the adherents of the Empress Dowager's clique could take, was taken under the influence of the advisers in whose hands the British Government had unwisely placed itself. The folly of this course is now becoming
HONOURING THE EMPRESS
DOWAGER.
THE BLAKE PIER.
(Daily Press, 1st December.) The opening to public traffic by His Excel- lency the GovERNOR on Thursday afternoon of the new Pier was an event of some little importance in local chronicles. The pier is the first that has been built on the site, but at the same time it replaces the old Podder's (Daily Press, 5th December.) Wharf, so long familiar to the public, Part of the prediction contained in this which was close to the Hongkong Hotel. column on the 29th ultimo bids fair to come This wharf was built of wood and had been true with a rapidity and completeness no less more than once renewed. Always an inade- startling than humiliating. Commenting quate landing-place for the centre of the on the divergent interests and varied aims city of Victoria, it was also always more or of the Treaty Powers in China at the less of au eyesore, being a rough erection present time, we foreshadowed an inglorious with a somewhat ragged matshed on its peace following on disgraceful concessions, shore end. It was called Pedder's Wharf in which the return of the blood-stained presumably because it stood at the foot of EMPRESS-DOWAGER and ber infamous tools Pedder's Street, and this very central but to power would occupy the most prominent short thoroughfare was named after a for- place. In yesterday's issue we published a mer Harbour Master, Captain PEDDER. telegram from Shanghai, which stated that Now that the street has been lengthened all the foreign warships on the Yangtze and a new pier erected at its termination dressed ship and fired salutes in honour there was, of course, no reason why the "of the EMPRESS-DOWAGER's birthday."old Harbour Master's name should be We most sincerely hope that our correspon-perpetuated in connection with it, more dent was misinformed, that he was made especially as the new wharf at the termina- the victim of a practical joke, even that he tion of Ice House Street has been dubbed has lied to play one off on us: anything New Pedder's Wharf. His Excellency the rather than that such a statement should GOVERNOR therefore could see no objection be verified. If it indeed be true, then to giving his own name to the new pier, which great blame is attachable somewhere. I will accordingly be known as Blake Pier. The Perhaps somebody has blundered again, pier is undoubtedly a great improvement on