May 20, 1901.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
1405
dthis
can
THE ENROLMENT OF CHINESE its advent with -- satisfaction, and the worth investigation. Out of all the men of
FOR MILITARY SERVICE.
warlike races were eager to serve under the First Chinese Regiment—we trust it will the British banner, both to free them also be the Very Last that went to the Paldies (Daily Press, 14th May,)
selves from tyranny and to obtain re-front in North China, only quite a small We were in hopes that the idea of enrolling venge for past injustice In China none number, not more than 200 in all, returned Chinese for military service in British coal of these conditions obtain. The people of to Weihaiwei. Few casualties occurred ing stations was being re-considered by the the eighteen provinces yield willing obedi- among them, but the large majority of the War Office. This journal has always con- ence to thé, to them, somewhat mythical rank and file, who had devoted themselves sistently opposed the scheme, whether for Throne at Peking, and no one race, class, or most industriously to the collection of loot, the mere enrolment of submarine miners caste in the Empire has ever had the simply deserted with this spoil. They did attached to the Royal Engineers or for the opportunity of exercising domination over not go over to the enemy, but, having creation of battalions of Infantry out of another. Chinese raw material. The Chinese have ances to be redressed as against the ruling off with it without the formality of asking There are, therefore, no griev-secured a lot of plunder, they merely made been a conspicuous failure as Police, and Power; there are no jealousies. no hatred of for leave. All the cost and trouble any Administrative Body less pig-headed any special race, not even the Manchus, training them has been thrown away, and than the Downing Street authorities would though latterly a feeling of dissatisfaction presumably the arms and uniforms are also long since have ordered their disbandment, with the dynasty has grown up among the lost. We should be glad to receive exact or at least the cessation of their enlistment. friends of Reform in the Empire. This, particulars of this matter, being most As Police the large majority of the lukongs however, has not been confined to any one anxious neither to exaggerate nor set down have proved hopelessly incompetent, and an province; it is common among all those anything that is not strictly correct. It in enormous percentage are open to bribery Chinese who would like to see abuses in the a duty we, in common with every British and corruption. It is notorious, and has administration put down. been frequently proved, that the Chinese
journal, owe to the British taxpayer, to see The other arguments against the enrol- that his money is not wasted on useless or constables are and have been in the pay of ment of Chinese as soldiers of the King are dangerous experiments. We regard the gambling-house keepers; and it is not far to seek. They are not a martial attempt to make soldiers out of the equally notorious that if there is a row pro- people and have no stomach for fighting. do " Chinese coolie as an experiment, and ceeding anywhere the lukong is almost with- They could not be relied upon for a moment we earnestly advocate its early abandon- out exception conspicuous by his absence. if the majority of their officers were shot ment. If some of those who are possession The men of the Chinese Regiment were for down: they would then become victims of the exact facts with regard to this ques. the most part faithful to their salt, probably of panic, and, as happened in the Chino- tion will supply us with reliable particulars, because they could not get better terms Japanese war, they would tear off their they will be rendering a service to both from the other side, and because the opera- uniforms, tbrow away their arms, and seek King and Country by thus making them tions were commenced too suddenly to ad-safety in flight. They are naturally slip-known. mit of any serious plans being taken in shod and slovenly, and have a great aversion advance. For them there was little chance to discipline of any sort. They cherish the of their surrender being accepted by the queue, and they dislike any attempt to Boxers, who saw in them betrayers of their lick them into shape as a body. They join country, and the vile mercenaries of the the service simply for pay or for plunder, fan kwei. Had any private. of the Chinese and they only regard the career as a tem-| The telegram from our Shanghai corres- Regiment offered to lay down his arms, his porary one, a stepping-stone to something pondent which reached us on Wednesday surrender would have been quickly followed more lucrative. They are not to be trusted night too late to admit of any comment by his merciless slaughter. Cases of at- with valuable arms, which, if left long in shows that the reports tempted treachery there were, we believe, their charge, would soon become utterly use- published in the Japanese papers about the have been which and some instances of cowardice, but as a less. This is the case with all so-called difference between Mr. MOLEAVY BROWN body the Chinese Regiment drilled at Wei- Chinese "braves";. their arms are speedily and the Corean Government were not at all haiwei proved faithful. Had circumstance- reduced to inefficiency by rust and the loss exaggerated. We may recapitulate the favoured their profitable desertion, it is to of various fittings, which are promptly dis- Japanese official statement of the case, as be feared they would very quickly have posed of to the first hawker, unless, as in already quoted in these columns from the gone over to the enemy with their arms and the case of the Customis guards, the rifles vernacular papers. It is said that the Corean accoutrements. We can give them little are not allowed to remain in their custody Government called upon the Commissioner credit for disinterested staunchness; it does except when in actual use. The Chinese of Customs to give up his official residence not exist in the Chinese. They are troubled are not British subjects; very few naturalise in April last (this should be March), with- by few scruples, and would fight for the best or become in any way attached or accus-out giving him any notice beforehand. The tomed to British customs or usages. It is, British Acting Minister to Seoul lodged a Quite apart from the question of their therefore, inadvisable to raise mercenaries strong protest with the Corean Government fidelity, however, there are many good and from such material, more especially when against this action, and the matter was
paymaster as a rule.
*
TREATENED TROUBLES IN
COREAF
(Daily Press, 17th May.)
cogent reasons why Chinese should not be there is no lack of recruits within the limits dropped for the time being. Later, how- used by the British Government as mer- of the British Empire. If the supply of ever, the Corean Government sent an official cenaries. In the first place it is immoral to raw material should really fail us, it would document of a decisive nature, and demanded hire them to fight and kill their own be time to look round and consider from the transfer of the Customs business and the countrymen. The facts that the Chinese what source it would be most prudent to seek surrender of the official residence of Mr. are a singularly callous race, and that people mercenaries. Except in case of absolute MCLEAVY BROWN. Mr. BROWN's engage- of one province are virtually strangers to necessity, however, we those of another, should not be used as deprecate the engagement of mercenaries Corean Government is using all possible would strongly ment does not expire for five years ; but the arguments in favour of such a course,
of any sort to fight the battles of the Empire. means to compel him to leave their service. They are to some extent arguments in favour Let the honour and the danger be alike re- The recent demand for the surrender of the of the likelihood of their faithfulness to served for the sons of that Empire, who are Customs business, it is presumed, is intended their employers, but they do not count for far more likely to fight with enthusiasm, to enrage Mr. BROWN to such an extent much when the question of morality comes when they find only fellow-subjects of the that he will throw up his position. in. The fact that the different races of India King-Emperor standing shoulder to shoulder have been used to keep one another down with them under the Union Jack. King may perhaps be quoted in favour of EDWARD'S army may be, compared with the employment of Chinese as soldiers, some European armies, numerically small, but if so, it does not apply, for the but let it at any rate be composed of the circumstances are not the same. The best material procurable. people of Ching
are far more homogeneous than the varied races of India. That pen- insula was split up into
number an
different empires, kingdoms, and
(Daily P
16th May.)
had
With regard to the above, we informed last month that the aff been amicably settled between the British representative and the Emperor of Core If this was ever so, it is evident that the
J:
settlement was of brief duration, the Corean demand was renewed immediately. It cannot, of credited that the whole difficulty
of The remarks in this column on the 14th Come states, instant on the enlistment of Chinese for of a paltry question about. inhabited by diverse races, professing service as infantry at Weihaiwei have elicited McLEAY BROWN' house. The different and hostile religions, practising, some interesting comments from our sub-level-headed Commissioner in many cases, very different customs, and scribers. So far nothing but concurrence hnd many enemies around' some of them had been hereditary foes for in the views expressed had reached us, in spite of his invaluable generations. It
because the establish- | opinion being pretty strong generally against Corean Government wodle ment of the British Raj brought peace the employment of Celestial mercenaries. have been ousted where once reigned war rapine, and One esteemed correspondent points out, constant support misery, that the nations of India, hailed however, that we missed one point which is It has been stated, witho