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114
THE ANGLO-JAPANESE
ALLIANCE.
ment from
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE POW RS IN CHINA.
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February 15, 1902.
Dowager by accepting an invitation to her reception of the ladies of the Legations. (Daily Press, 11th February.) In the light of Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD'S (Daily Press, 14th February.)
In the multitude of councillors there is apt experience, intensified as it was by the We imagine that the satisfaction which to be silliness, especially if it be in the in- subsequent attempt of the hostess to murder our Shanghai correspondent_records as terest of one or more of them to play the her confiding guests, it seems scarcely
fool. being felt there--among the British com- Some such interpretation we must conceivable that a second British Minister munity, of course--at the Anglo-Japanese place on the recent conduct of the Ministers should be found agreeable enough to repeat agreement sigued on the 30th ult. will be of the various Powers assembled in Peking. the error, which can be accepted in but one felt equally over the British Empire by all Perhaps the most silly, however, of all the way by the lady in question, and that is as a who have any knowledge of Far Eastern sillinesses-and they are many-being en-direct invitation to follow up the insult by affairs. The understanding between the acted in that metropolis is the assumption a similar act of barbarism to the last. two Powers, according to REUTER'S tele that there is amongst the body of Ministers | Plainly, facts are not wanting to indicate gram, is that they will jointly maintain there assembled a thing which they call a that the lady, so far from feeling remorse peace in the East and the integrity of China. Concert." From the very beginning this for her previous crimes, is quite ready nl Coren; and further that they will supposed concert has been the fruitful | should the opportunity arise to repeat them co-operate in the event of either being source of nearly every trouble and indignity on a still more extensive scale, The only engaged in war with more than one other to which we have Iwen subjected in our nation that has gained anything from the Power. The satisfaction expressed at this intercourse with the Chinese Court, and it recent events in Teking is Russia, and it is new alliance is eminently justifiable. It is still remains as a stumbling-block in the at least suspicians in the light of recent not too much to say thai no more important way of every attempt to return to the region disclosures that it has happened, accident- union of two nations has ever heên con- of good sense: This blind following of the ally Russia of course would have us believe, cluded in this part of the world. The blind, which it might have been suppose that the only nation that has had no crimes to redress is Russia. That Russia should a Anglo-German agreement of the 16th recent events had been sufficiently grave to October, 1900, which was hailed with such have dissipated, is still the rule in Peking, second time accept the Dowager's com. acclamation in England at the time, has and we see being re-enacted in the Yamens placency is thus quite on the programme; turned out to be a far different arrange of the city the identical blunders which she has thrown off all concealment as to We of her intention if left alone to swallow what it was then dormed brought on the events of 1900. to be. Beyond ending the talk about course refer to the extraordinary scenes Manchuria, and she has not by word or the Yangtze Valley being "the" British which marked the receptions of the Ministers deed taken the trouble to disclaim the xphere of influence in China, it
and their wives by the intruding Dowager charge that has been openly made against seems to have had wonderfully little Tsz'm, and which have, not unnaturally, her of complicity in the Palace Plot for the effect on affairs. By the action of the been accepted by the Dowager and her destruction of the other Legations at Pek- German authorities in excluding Manchuria entourage as a complete condonation of all ing, and the expulsion of the western from the action of the clause affirming the the crimes of the Regency. That it suits Powers. But it is the Minister's business determination of the signatories to maintain the game that Russia has been playing as to see these things for himself and not to China's territorial integrity, that clause the protector of abuses, who came at the wait till they are pointed out to him by became nearly nugatory. Apart from eleventh hour to save the prestige of this others. This is however the crying shame in Manchuria, it is true, China remains in wretched woman, who has amidst the grino-Peking; traditionally the British Legation possession of her previous estate; but evening applause of more than one Power on the in Peking is the last to learn what is going without the Anglo-German agreement fear Continent been strutting through her part on round it. The shade of Sir THOMAS WADE still lingers round the British of a general scramble must surely have kept in the farea of "China Partitioned," is so the Powers from any attempt at partition. evident on the surface that we should have Legation, and his successors still hanker The Auglo-Japanese treaty is of a very hardly thought it necessary to mention the after the easy-going methods which seem lifferent character. There need be no fear fact. So interested has the British Govern- to have crystallised round the dreamy in this case that either nation will attempt ment become in the comic element of the play, precincts of the Liang Kung Fu. As the to explain 'away the terms. These, of that it has forgotten that it has a serious protector of abuses hereafter to be turned. course, in the absence of more definite in- side, and that in that serious side the in- to her own advantage Russia can afford to formation, it is impossible to discuss. We terests of Great Britain, or as Lord ROSEBERY stand by; England, however, has no such shall have the opportunity of doing so when uently put it, "All the Britains," are very designs and does not look for the reversion further details reach us. In the meantime, closely and deeply concerned. After the of any portion of China. But the fact that we feel sure that in this port, as in Stang, experience gained of the part being played she does not should make it doubly in- hai, the general opinion won the now agro. by the continental Powers during the last cumbent ment will be one of the atmost satisfaction. three years, and the scarcely concealed in dignity carefully in her intercourse with Those who, have lived in the Far East and fention that the main point to be aimed at the present intrusive Government. She are acquainted with the way in which news was not the punishment of Chine's misdeeds has already had what any reasonable man is distorted before it reaches Europe and but the acquisition of her territory, and would suppose was sufficient experience of America never felt any sympathy with with it the exclusion from the hunting the danger of listening to interested advice, the people who, on the strength of manu- grounds of Great Britain, it is regrettable and it is really time that, even though late factured stories of Japaneses atrocities to find the British Minister falling into in the day, she must, if desirous of saving in the China-Japan war, denounced the precisely the same mistake as did his pre- China, act on her own council. In the last Japanese as impossible allies for a white decessor, and lowering the dignity of not lamentable exhibition of ineptitude there nation. The home public must by this only himself but of the country be re- was positively no reason for England being time have been taught better by the presents, by taking part in such recent cajoled into a repetition of former blunders. events of 1900 than to credit reckless representations as have been given in the With China, and with the lady who assumes aspersions on the magnificent troops who Palace. We believe the British Minister is to guide the "peror of China, she would serve umler the Japanese flag. We have credited to the Emperor of China, and as have stool on a far higher pinnacle of had occasion in the past to refer to the such we should have naturally conceived greatness had she presumed to be absent prospects of an alliance between Britain that the dignity of the country was con-
from the mocking ceremonies, mainly in- With infinite and Japan, and we have expressed the cerned in presenting his credentials to any tended as a slight to herself. opinion that if Britain could offer Japan one but the Emperor himself. Inthe face of trouble a form to be adopted in future sufficient inducements to bring about a
the universal practice of nations, we find the diplomátic intercourse was drawn up and definite understanding the union would be Minister submitting to the indignity of inserted in the Protocol, the signature of advantageous to both. The discovery of having himself in the person of the Emperor which was to mark a new departure in our suitable terms of agreement is the most placed on a lowly stool, while the real per- relations. Sir ERNEST SATOW had this sonage in the State was not the Emperor to documeat to fall back on in case any whom he was accredited, but an intrusive departure were suggested; yet we find on woman, who had signalised her short term the very first necasion he had of showing of uncontrolled power by an insult on inter- his independence be permitted__hinself national law and usance hitherto 1111- to be made the tool of the Dowager paralleled in the history of the world, and her amiable friend the Russian This was not vét ¡L sufficient amount Minister. No wonder we find Viscount II. M.S. Glory, with Admiral Sir Cyprian of humble is for the Minister to CRANBORNE in the House of Com- Bridge on board, is visiting Bangkok before
enjoy, but Re find him indulging mous feebly complaining that in spite she returns to Ilongkong. H.M.S. Bramble is also at Bangkok. The Glory's Association in a repetition of the great blunder of of all his charming the Russia Bear does football match with Singapore ended in a draw Sir CLAude Macdonald, and becoming a not seem inclined to loose his hold on of one goal all.
party to the private enlargement of the Manchuria and all its good things.
welcome news whica has reached us for a
very long time, and we look on the treaty as a guarantee at once of the peace of the Far East and of a sensible British policy in this quarter of the Globe.
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on her to maintain her
Own