January 4, 1902.]
out.
an effort
A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
1
THE MANCHURIAN CONVENT ON
(Daily Press, 30th December.) On the 23rd instant the Peking correspon.
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14
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$4
Department staff, a reform for which we made, on the 10th ultimo, by some members of much wonder that corruption should be have long been asking. Turning to other of the secret societies--the Kolao Hui and `ralapant, or that the Government should be domestic affairs, we have to record the Tatao Hui-to fire the temporary palace at rotten and untrustworthy to an extent un- severe blows received by the legal profession | Kaifeng during the celebration there of Her known in Western countries. The Chinese in Hongkong in the deaths of Messrs. J. J. Majesty's birthday. This event gave em-Government has been through the furnace FRANCIS, K.C., and E. ROBINSON, and the phasis to YUNG Lu's persuasive eloquence, of adversity, but, it is to be feared, has departures of Sir JOHN CARRINGTON, and he drove home his arguments with so emerged little the better for the experience. C.M.G., Chief Justice, and Mr. H. E. much effect that the Court is now really
en route for the old capital. At POLLOCK, K.C. Among pleamanter items are
any rate to be noted the numerous visitors who arrived reports are current in native circles that the at this port in 1901, including Prince Court will reach Peking about the middle CHUN in July and October, Admiral of January next, unless YUAN SHI-KAI'S SEYMOUR, M. DE GIERS, and within the advice be taken and a halt cried at Paoting-fu,, dent of the North China Daily News tele- last week Senhor Conselheiro CASTELLO- pending the evacuation of Tientsin by the graphed to that journal the following BRANCO. Externally our relations with foreign troops.
message:-" I learn from a most reliable the neighbouring government at Canton So far it is clearly apparent that the source that the following is the present have been marred only by the visit of the fountain of authority in the Central King-"position of the negotiations as to Man- miscreant who committed the Gage Street dom is still the Empress Dowager. It is churia, which were opened on Friday nurder on the 10th January; this case Her Majesty who decides on the movements between the Peace Plenipotentiaries, Prince CHING, and WANG Wen-suao, and unfortunately has never been fully thresled of the Imperial Court and Her Majesty
the Russian Minister. The Russian Min- The present Viceroy, H.E. TAO MU, only. The Emperor KWANG Hsu, the Son
"ister said that there was no need for has shown himself in general anxious to of Heaven, the occupant of the Dragon' act in the best interests of his country by Throne, the sole sovereign within the "further discussion of the Convention, the more "terms of which had been already settled maintaining excellent relations with foreign-Four Seas, the absolute lord of
with LI HUNG-CHANG, and he must insist ers. The opening of a new year, with than three hundred millions of people,
His "that the Peace Plenipotentiaries should at its promise of an amelioration of trade has really no say in the matter. conditions and the knowledge that at last wishes do not seem to have even been "once accept it as it stands. They answered being made to grapple with the consulted; he is merely a puppet Emperor," that they are not very well acquainted most serious drawbacks to life in Hong-no more than a name. Even those officials" with the details of the previous negotia- kong, is to be welcomed, and with the best who would fain nct under bis orders and by "tions, and as Li Hung-Chang was dead, hope for the future we wish our readers, in his authority alone, are compelled to seek "they did not feel bound to accept the the time-honoured phrase,
directions and sanction from the old lady Convention as it stands, but must demand who sways the destinies of China. Even" re-opening of negotiations.. The matter the new Grand Secretary, YUNG LU, has "could not be settled on the spot, and the been obliged to defer to this usurper of "conference was ended, the Plenipotentiaries THE RULERS OF CHINA. power, as will be seen by the following "promising to write to the Russian Minis- remarks contained in a letter he recently "ter after they had re-considered the (Daily Press, 30th December.) sent to some high officials in Central China,, "question. WANG WEN-SHAO's desire is to The decision of the Chinese Court to return in which he exhorted them to "keep up"abandon the terms arranged by LI HUNG- to Peking has no doubt been influenced by their hearts, as he was using all his best,"CHANG, but he is afraid that China will a variety of reasons. The inconveniences. endeavours and influence with the Em- be helpless if any disastrous consequences attending the location of the Palace retinues press Dowager to persuade her to listen to follow her rejection of the Convention, and in cities where no sufficient accommodation his advice and return to Peking, and that "he seems inclined, if no other course can exists except of a very temporary character he would guarantee that their Majesties" be found, to yield to the Russian Min- would naturally induce the Imperial per- would leave Kaifeng for Peking on the "ister's demands, with the modification of sonages to consider the advantages a return date fixed." That there are other and "a few points which are most unfavourable to the modern capital of the Empire un- less beneficial influences than those of "to China." The telegram which we doubtedly offer. The drawbacks occasioned YUNG LU at work at the Chinese Court is published in our issue of the 27th instant, by the seat of Government being so far unhappily the fact. The harem influences dated from Shanghai on the previous even- from the coast and the great centres of are there, and they are both pernicious anding, apparently gives the next step in the population must have been very seriously corrupt. LI LIEN-YING, the favourite long and tortuous negotiations over Man- felt by the Court during its residence at eunuch of the Empress Dowager, has Her churia. It will be remembered that there Hsian-fu. The Emperor KWANG HSU natur- Majesty's ear, and is always ready to instil were contained therein four objections ally disliked the withdrawal of the Court poison into it if it suits him to do so. He formulated by the Chinese Plenipotentiaries from the centre of Government and from
uses his influence almost entirely for the against the terms of the Convention. what had to him always been the centre of gratification of his greed and the further- Apart from the four terms to which excep- civilisation. The Empress Dowager was ance of his own ends. The Kaifeng cor- tion was taken they professed themselves probably less affected by the change, though respondent of a Shanghai native paper ready to discuss the agreement at once, but she must have missed many of the conveni- shows how cleverly this knave worked the to those four they requested an answer from ences and luxuries of life to which she had movements of the Court for his own M. LESSAR. been accustomed in Peking. But she prize profit. When the Court journeyed from The difficulty of comprehending the exact the sense of security which the great dis- Hsian-fu to Kaifeng there were frequent state of affairs is greatly enhanced by the tance from the coast and therefore from the complaints made as to the arrangements fact that, like the Chinese Plenipotentiaries, foreign armies.gave. Her Majesty knew entered into for Her Majesty's comfort. So we are "not very well acquainted with the previous negotiations." that the Foreign Powers were incensed soon, however, as they arrived at the Honan details of the against her for the encouragement she or frontier, all difficulties at once vanished, There have been put forward from time to her adherents and advisers had afforded to and no complaints were made. The corres- time various statements professing to give the Boxer conspirators, and she was, not pondent accounts for this by saying that the text of the Convention. At least twice unnaturally, a little dubious as to the re-the Governor and Treasurer of Honan took have we been told that Russia had with. ception that might be given to her were she the bull by the horns, by filling Li drawn her demands, only to learn almost to place herself within their reach. It LIEN-YING's pockets first and then arrang- immediately that she was making others required no little persuasion, no slighting for the comfort of Her Majesty the nearly identical in form. encouragement, to induce this astute old Empress Dowager, while the authorities of cannot say with any approach to accuracy
which the Convention WAS
LI lady to believe that she would be left in Shensi haggled with the eunuch and cut what peace if she ventured back to the scene of down his demands. The Chibli mandarius, HUNG-CHANG was reported to be on the conflict in Peking. Several efforts were profiting by the experience of other pro- point of signing when he died on the 7th made to persuade the Empress to return to vincial officials, went one better than their November. Judging, however, from the Peking, but for a long time she could not confrères of Honau and gave LI LIEN-YING objections attributed to Prince CHING and be got to agree to travel farther, at any all he asked and a trifle over for luck. This WANG WEN-SHAO, we may conclude that rate for the present, than Kaifeng-fu. The is to smooth the way for the journey of the not much change has been made from the Grand Secretary YUNG LU appears, from Court through that province to Peking. terms of the draft agreement published by native reports, to have done his utmost to Nothing can be done in China without us in March last, on the authority of our bring Her Majesty to the right- frame of bribery, and the nearer approach is made Shanghai morning contemporary's corres- mind on this subject, but for a long time to the centre of Government the greater pondent at Peking. The points to which without success, and it seemed probable grow the greed and extortion of officials. the Chinese representatives very naturally that the Court would linger in that city for With such advisers and such harpies take exception are, briefly, the demand that several years to come, but for an attempt dominating the Court, it cannot be a source Bussia should exclusively train the troops-
Hence we