January 30, 1904.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
been rife about the spreading of revolt and the troubles threatening even Canton. What is the explanation of it all? We cannot say.
79
a book just written by an Englishman, Mr. CHARLES H. HAWES, the first of his race to. penetrate into the interior of Sakhalin. But it may be argued that as Sakhalin is reserved for Russia's worst criminals,
It is true that RUSSIA AS A CIVILISING POWER it is unfair to dwell too much upon its savage
to disturbances in the Kwang provinces, much of it must be supplied by the less reputable "Reformers." At any rate it is very singular that even in Hongkong, a hot- bed of Reformers, one does not hear so many startling stories of Imperial reverses and notable rebel successes. within the past fortnight there have been rumours in this Colony of threatening symptoms on the neighbouring mainland of China, and even of another projected China New Year attempt. But of a new out- break in acute form of the Kwangsi revolt and its spreading to the very Canton neigh- bourhood we have no trustworthy intimation. Our Canton correspondent in his letter of the 21st instant mentioned the growing persistence of stories of an Imperial defeat; but it is hardly credible that nothing more than tea-bouse rumours should have got to Cantou by now, had any serious mishap occurred to the Government forces. Viceroy SHUM continues in Canton, practically on the sick-list, and rumours about his return ing to Kwangsi are quite vague, which could hardly be the case if the more alarmin reports were true. It is not, however, with out interest to see what Shanghai believes about the Southern troubles. In one of the latest issies of the North-China Daily News we find in the column of "Notes on Native Affairs," and under the heading of "The Crisis in Kwangsi," a long Canton despatch quoted, recounting a general recrudescence of restlessnces among the malcontents of both Kwang provinces, due to the recent arrival of considerable quantities of arms and am- munition as well as of money from Chinese resident abroad. In the part of Kwangsi bordering on Hunan, moreover, it is reported, considerable bodies of rebels are alarming the. Hunauese officials, who are hastily raising new levies to resist any incursion, A picturesque part of the tale reports two women leaders, wives of dead rebel chiefs, at the heads of 400 or 500 men each, sworn
these is known as
+
(Daily Press, 27th January.)
After
government. We will turn therefore to a book called Sixteen Years in Siberia, by Mr. LEO DEUTSCH, & translation of which has been issued by Mr. JOHN MURRAY. This is the The phrase "Russia's civilising mission sober record of the Siberian experiences of is one which we have heard very often of a Russian revolutionist. Mr. DEUTCH was late years, particularly during Russia's push originally, it is true, arrested and imprison- forward across the Amur River into Man-ed in Kiev for participation in an attempt churia and down to the sea and the western frontier of Corea. It is a phrase which has group. He escaped from prison in 1878 on the life of a traitor in a revolutionary been on the lips of many Russian officials and left Russia for Switzerland, where he and in the writings of countless Russian gave up his sympathy with Terrorist ideas journalists. It has been felt that it is a and became a Social Democrat, a rather phrase which splendidly justifies Russia's constant encroachments on the territories of in 1884 he was caught in Baden, and, rare thing in Russia then. Unfortunately her Asiatic neighbours. Here is the op- the German Government being anxious portunity for them to put before the eyes to oblige Russia, was handed over to the of Europe and of America a picture of a authority of his own countrymen. great, white nation bringing to the less brief imprisonment at the fortress of Peter fortunately coloured peoples of the Asiatic and Paul and the House of Detention at S. continent the priceless benefits of Western Petersburg, and after trial at Odessa, was civilisation, with its railways, telegraphs, sentenced to thirteen years' and four months' schools, churches (though with Russia penal servitude and started for Siberia. The proselytisation is not a great weapon), bulk of the book is taken police, and
with a descrip- up trade. Must not such a tion of those weary years in Siberia, told spectacle compel the admiration of the with a remarkable restraint of language Western world, rejoicing to see heathen and and absence of exaggeration. It is of imperfectly, because Orientally, civilised peoples brought into forcible contact with idea of the work, but it may be said that course impossible for us here to give any the fruits of Occidental culture? It seems the impression produced is oue of disgust to us that Russia was almost justified at that so-called civilisation, of which this in expecting her near-sighted neighbours prison-system is part. in the
Ignorance, seemg West to applaud her noble to be the distinguishing mark of the crusading spirit. Unfortunately, somehow whole official régime in Siberia, mingled in or other, there has not been an universal the majority of cases with barbarity of a chorus of approval in Europe, and people particularly stupid kind. The political have been found to hold that the Asiatic prisoners, it must be remembered, are nearly nations themselves have a right to say all persons of considerable education, to something about their own future. It has whom the degradation of their lot in Siberia been hinted, too, that Russia is not the best must be most bitter. The number of suicides
exponent of Western civilisation, even among Asiatics; and further, that there is a good deal of civilisation wanted in Russia before she can without presumption pose as the missionary of the West to the East. We can imagine that considerable pain must have been caused to the officials and journa- lists above mentioned at hearing their country's cherished pretensions questioned
that is to say, if they are sincere in up holding these pretensions. But it is worth while to reflect whether all Russians, or indeed whether any Russian who is at once honest and highly educated, can look on Russia as a country fitted as yet to stand forward as a civilising Power.
to avenge their husbands' deaths. Oue of Queen Wu," and she is accompanied by her twenty-two and eighteen-year old daughters, in male attire and astride their horses. The people of the districts frequented by these warlike ladies are reported panic-stricken and fleeing to safer regions. It is curious how these titles of Amazons recur in Kwangsi. We dis- tinctly remember similar stories years ago— a fact which does not, of course, disprove them, but perhaps renders them harder to credit in full. According to the sime des- patch quoted in our Shanghai contemporary, Viceroy SHUM is soon about to leave Canton for Kwangsi, accompanied by a force of 15,000 well-arined troops, which are ex- A great number of boks have been pected to crush the rebellion. This also is published recently in English, either an old tale. Every detachment of regulars original or translated, dealing with Russia's which started from Canton has been off administration of her Asiatic possessions, crush to the rebellion. We have heard particularly Siberia. Their authors have of great quantities of men borrowed beeu English, American, or Russiac, for the from other provinces to crush the same most part. We may leave on one side the rebellion. We know little about the rebel. non-Russian writers (though one of these, lion and still less what all these troops are Miss ANNETTE MEAKIN, in her book about doing now. Indeed a cloud of mystery, at hussian Turkestan is distinctly favourable present impenetrable, hangs over Kwangsi, to the Russian rifiers in that part of Asia), as it has hung for many years. It seems and look rather to the Russians who have even to envelop Canton and H.E. Viceroy dealt with the subject. We quoted some SHUм as well. The latter produced the time ago in these columns from a work ou impression on the Europeans who met him the government of Sakhalin, the remote of being a very strong an, and he had too island which Russia uses as a penal settle- such a reputation among the Chinese. At ment for her worst criminals. The author, first his advent in Canton seemed to pro-whose name escapes us, though we have a mise the beginning of better days, and his appearance in the field in Kwangsi was marked by an immediate dwindling of alarmist rumours as well as, by all accounts alike, a collapse on the part of the rebels. He returned to Canton, however, fell ill, and since then all sorts of stories have
vivid recollection of his book, drew a terrible picture of orutality, alike of prisoners and of those who looked after them, of general official coruption, and in short of a state of affairs compared with which the civilization of any tribe of hel-hu.ters would shine. This account has been borne out exactly by
recorded by Mr. DEUTSCH bears witness that this is the case. In some instances this was due to the treatment of " politicals' in exactly the same way as their criminal fellow-exiles, by flogging, etc. The most striking story is that of a young lady who died after a flogging-administered for an "assault" on the commandant whereupon three of her female companions took poison and died, followed by two of the men in prison with Mr. DEUTSCH, who killed them- selves as a protest against the treatment of the women. However, as we have said, we cannot give a just idea of the book, which effectually disposes of Russia's claim to civilise others. We quoted recently from a home paper Mr. DEUTSCH's account of the Blagovestchensk massacre. He was in the town at the time and gives in his book a photograph of the scene of the atrocity. Apologists for the massacres, he tells us, were found even among people of culture! Yet, for all the evil he is bound to speak of her, Mr. DEUTSCH does not despair of his country. "The Tear and his Ministers,” he says, "endeavour by the most cruel an d "severe measures to quench the torch that "has been kindled in the land; the greater "part of Russia has been placed under "martial law; the prisons can hardly contain "the numbers of their captives; those who "protest against such a régime are sent to "Siberia by the trainload But nothing can "stem the tide of the movement; it will "rise Higher, embracing ever wider circles "of the people, and the hour is not far off "when autocracy will be laid low, as it was "in Western Europe so many generations
ago. It may, it must be so.
But mean. while, until such is the case, Russia, cannot be ranked as a civilised and civilising nation.
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