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August 11, 1902.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
103
diction within a certain radius of Macao, and I suggested us this one friend. It is not at the entrance upon the scene of the French all necessary that Russia should know much missionaries, without the consent of the about the ideas of YUNG Lu's party. Her Portuguese ecclesiastics, has violated this policy has been such as to encourage the agreement and caused considerable resent- hope which we have referred to above. ment at Macao. It is intended, we have | And, however fantastic this hope may seem reason to believe, to appeal to the Vatican. at first view, it is impossible to feel con- but until the arrival at Macao of the new fident that a tacit support to the ideas of the Bishop who is coming out from Lisbon Manchu and Chinese conservatives would matters are being allowed to rest.
not be lent by Russia-for a consideration.
ANOTHER DEPOSITION PLOT
AT PEKING.
the
THE SHANGHAI GARRISON
QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 8th August.)
officers landed at Yeh-ti, hoisted the nation- al flag, made a survey of the ground, and then departed, taking with them the flag. Consteruation was the result among the villagers and all sorts of rumours were pre- valent. Lord CRANBORNE as in the case of Ca Tai, carefully restricted himself to the task of revealing the Government's lack of information. He did not state that the abnormal activity of French agents in the vicinity of Macao and Canton was receiving the attention of the home authorities. This activity, nevertheless, is a very patent fact, and a few enquiries in the right quarters will readily elicit further proofs. It is easy
(Daily Press, 7th August.) to see that the individual Chinese are will- Our leading Shanghai contemporary, in its That the letter of Admiral Sir EDWARD ing enough to sell land to the French in Notes on Native Affairs," quotes from a H. SKYMOUR to the Times, with reference to the foreign garrisons at Shanghai, will be return for the munificent terms offered, communication addressed to a matice official provided that they can escape any penalties of high rank, temporarily residing in viewed sympathetically in Shanghai, as well as in the other parts of the Far East, we from their own officials. France is making | Shanghai, by a friend in Peking, the state-
These garrisons were full use, as she has so frequently done in ment that it is believed by a large number have little doubt. China, of the assistance of the Romanist of people connected with the various Boards originally brought to Shanghai to guard missionaries of her own nationality, the in Peking that the enemies of the Emperor against the supposed danger of attack from the natives outside the Settlements. That interpolated clause in the Treaty of Peking KwANG HSU are making fresh efforts to in 1860, which entitled missionaries to revive question of His Majesty's this danger was ever in the least degree acquire land in the interior, rendering their deposition. The principal plotters, it is likely we have no evidence for saying, but assistance invaluable. It was, as we have said, are Yuno Lu (as we should naturally the panic was perhaps excusable in view of shown, the French fathers of the Missions imagine) and LI LIEN-YING, the Empress the reign of terror in the North. However, Etrangères who bought the land at Ca Tai, Dowager's favourite eunuch, who in himself the troops having been sent to Shanghai though the object of the purchase is to erect 18 the patron of numberless officials all over for a specific purpose and the object of the months ago on the hillside a naval and military sanator-China. YUNG Lu, the Peking writer points despatch having very many ium. It may well be asked, why is this out, bas gained in influence since his ceased to exist, justification is required for sanatorium to be built in the neighbour daughter's betrothal to Prince CHUN and the maintenance of the garrisons in so hood of Macao, when there are excellent that of his niece to the legal heir to the peaceful a port as Shanghai. The military situations for such a building in the French throne of China, Prince Pu Lus. He aspires lands no doubt help to enliven the life of colony of Indo-China And is there not now to see some one closely connected with the foreign residents, but in other respects Kwanchauwan?
himself on the throne in place of H.M. the presence of soldiers of four different The fact appears to be that there is a KWANG Hsu. But though YUNG and nationalities hardly contributes to advance in good deal more in the French scheme than are conscious of their great influence, the any way the progress of the place. When we come to consider the international point the establishment of a hospital at Ca Tai. letter goes on to argue, they look to a We have it on the best authority, though greater power to obtain the consent of the of view, we are bound to agree with the the source naturally cannot be revealed at army and the Chinese in general to His late Admiral on this Station that there is This power is nothing no reason that can diplomatically be alleged the present moment, that the main object Majesty's removal. of the French in their busy attention to less than Russia, to whom the intriguers | openly which demands the continue l this part of China is to carry out their tail- are willing to give the protectorate over presence at Shanghai of the troops from way projects in Kwangtung province. In Tibetand, in event of the complete sucerss | Europe and Japan. Viceroy LIU KUNG-Y{ fact, nothing less is desired than the of their schemes, the same position in has sent a complaint from Nanking to Chinese Turkestan as the foreign consuls at Shanghai remon- privilege of constructing a railway line Mongolia and
Now strating about the detention of the garrisons through the exceedingly rich districts | Russia already has in Manchuria. which lie between Macao and Canton. we are not compelled to accept all the in a town within his jurisdiction, and no fair-minded man can say that he has Such a statement will no doubt be dismissed | details of this plot as necessarily authentic.
so doing. The by those at home who are supposed to To do so would perhaps be to argue YUNG acted unreasonably in watch over British interests in China with | Lʊ and his associate too simple-minded. | alleged dangers which threatened the foreign the remark that no information has reached We cannot believe that they can he still so community at Shanghai and which were the Foreign Office. This is quite probable, | ignorant of the world as to imagine the thought to necessitate the presence of quite But the lack of knowledge on the part of other Powers looking on at the despoliation a small allied army in the Settlements have Lord CRANBORNE will not hinder the French of China for the sole benefit of Russin. long ago faded into oblivion, and yet Shang- Ini contains still the barracks of British, scheme from being pressed forward with | Even Yung Lu, even Li LiEN-SHING must the utmost energy. We cannot imagine, have learnt something from the crents of French, German, and Japanese soldiers. It is But that there should not the first time that H. E. LIU KUNG-Yı, on international grounds, that it will the last two years. be permitted to achieve success. There is he a reactionary intrigue, aiming at the the Powers' most valuable ally during the another government which surely has the deposition of the reiguing Emperor and the crisis brought about by the Peking reaction- prior claim to build any railway from substitution on the throne of a connection aries, has pointed out the unfairness of Macao, if China does not build one of the most prominent Conservative, is only holding Shanghai as a foreign-garrisoned herself, and the whole question of too likely. We remarked recently that it port. The British, French, and Japanese France's rights in the Canton-Macao neigh- was the reacti maries, not the reformers, who Consuls at Shanghai, REUTER recently told us, concurred with the Nanking Viceroy's bourhood will not bear investigation. had made the most progress sure the return There are next to no Freuch trade and of the Chinese Imperial Court to Peking. views, subject to reference to their respective certainly no other French interests in the Optimists looked to the return of the Court Ministers at Peking. No information is vicinity. A great parade of activity will to the capital as the one thing needed to given as to the attitude of the German not create rights, though it may impress start reforms throughout China. They have Consul-an omission which we fear is sigai- the more ignorant among the Chinese. In been grievously disappointed. The Emperor ficant. this connection we may legitimately wonder appears to be as much caged in as ever, the whether the constant visits of French gun- Dowager Empress to be as prominent as boats to Macao are expected to overawe before, YUNG LU and his friends have the inhabitants. We are glad to see that more, rather than less, weight in the the Moorhen, one of the best British river- Imperial councils, and the provincial themselves gunboats, is now at Macao, since the general | Progressives hardly nake
hen the | tendency seems to be to leave South China | heard, certainly not as much as stripped of British warships throughout | Court was still at Taiyuen-fu. In view of these facts, what is more probable than hopes should be inspired that the compulsory retirement of H.M. KWANG HSU is at least feasible and certainly worth aiming at, if but one friend can be found among the Great Powers? tionaries
the summer.
We almost omitted to mention a curious complication which has arisen from the intrigues of the French missiouaries near Macao. A long-standing arrangement with the Vatican has given to the Portuguese Roman Catholic authorities religious juris
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To the reac- Russia would inevitably be
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been known that the three first mentioned Powers were ready to withdraw their useles garrisons from Shanghai. On the other hand, ia February last the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baron von RICHTHOFEN, stated in the Reichstag that a German battalion would still be required at Shang- hai "owing to the importance of this point d'appui to Germany, in the absence of a nearer base." Such an excuse, if admitted would justify Germany in settling down on any place in which she could get a foothold between Europe and South China. the excuse is of course ridiculous and is no palliation for a gross breach of faith toward
It is some mouths now since it has
.
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