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CHINA AND TIBET.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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in the ball laughing and chatting, ther❘ geniality and cheerfuluess being in mrk contrast with the sullen manner in which they had expostulated with us on the road. Such behaviour, of course, is just as plau-i- bly accounted for by suggesting that they were genially "speeding the parting guest," and Hughing because he had asked so little. He took no money: only a chit-and in the case of the Lamas there is something paralel to that of the chit-signer who said "Thank goodness. That's paid." That they were surprised at the simplicity of the settlement is proved by Router's report, that ther thanked our representatives for not doing to the shrines what they, in our shoes, would We have no undoubtedly have done. pleasure in thus acting the part of a blank t to the rejoicing at Home; but w shall be as much surprised as relieved if th events of the next twelve months do not require a return visit of our troops to the mountain fastnesses of the treaty-breakers.
RUSSIA AND GERMANY.
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[October 8, 1904.
leeds. a very unpleasant reminder of the act in the shape of a grin and a shake of he chain appears in the near distance, It 8 true the influence at present is but aoral; but to a mind brought up in the narrow grooves of tra-lition, as has been the case with the German Emperor, this means the most intense hondage of all. This tradition mplies the seniority of Russia in what may be regarded as a family compact ; and under the peculiar couditions of the two States this ctuses, and has always caused, a public langer, and none the less so that it is un- written. Lately it is true the Gerınan Emperor has not proclaimed so openly the loctrine of a divine right, but the doctrine
• there all the same. This of course means that the personal rights of the sovereign tre in all cases where they come in contact with the interests of the State to be con- sidered paramount. In Russia these rights are more than a theory, and 'constitute the fundamental law of the Empire. It was in pursuance of this law that after the close of the French revolutionary wars was founded the so-called Holy Alliance, and in accord ince (Daily Press, 6th October.)
with it Russia took upon herself, after the Recently the Times has been taken to task troubles between Austria and the Hunga for having stated that there exists au under-rian people had broken out in open warfare, standing between Germany and Russia with regard to the proceedings of the lat er in Asia. Of course if this is to be taken as meaning that a regular plan of operations has been formally drawn un, and is to be found in the archives of the Foreign Offices in Berlin and St. Petersburg, the Times is egregiously in the wrong, and the Prass of Germany is quite justified in its indignant repudiation of the suggestion evau. This does not, however, touch the pith of the matter, nor in any way invalidate the state ment of the English paper. The curious tie that connects the royal house of Prussia with the TSAE is of far older growth, anl was already in existence in the eightee th century. In 1786 Frederick WILLIAM II #scen-led the taroue of Prussia. One of the greatest, and with ut exc-ption the most unscrupulous of her sovereigns, the Empress Catherine II. was then on the throne of Russia, and was arranging the plot for the great drama-The Partition of Poland. FREDERICK WILLIAM offered his services, and became understudy. The play was not finally put on the stage till 1793, but had n successful run, and for his part of the profits FREDERICK WILLIAM got a little estate of some 16,000 square miles, the heroine taking for her share some 72,000. On a readjustment after the treaty of Tilsit Russia and Prussia ha I to disgorge some of this territory, which was formed into the so-called Grand Duchy of Warsaw; after many vicissitu·les, nearly the whole of this went back to Russia under a mock con- stitution. The usual thing happened, and in 1831 the TSAR NICOLAS I. finally ex- tinguished the last trace of Poland as a separate State.
(Daily Press, 5.h October.) In returning to the subject of our own affair with the Tibetaus, there is no neces. sity for devoting much consideration to the statements that China at the last moment made a futile attempt to prevent the signing of the treaty. The allegation tant the AMBAN was telegraphically ordered, from Peking, to oppose the settlement has since been contradicted by the Waiwupu, that enlightened corporation which has to do with foreigners and foreign affairs, and which is rapidly acquiring a knack of doing them. It was only to be expected, assum. ing such an attempt were male, and proved abortive, that the Waiwupu would deny the whole thing. That is to "save face," and since our recognition of China in the matter at all may have been prompted by a similar care for appearances, we need not be too severe. If the incident is of sufficient importance to call for an opinion, we should incline to the view that there was such an attempt made to intervene, and to open up a course of that haggling over terms and phrases that is so dear to the Chinese heart, There was sufficient evidence in the Blue Book on the affairs relating to Tibet to warrant more than a suspicion of China's absolute sincerity in the preliminary uegotia- tions. It was evident that China not only lacked the power and influence in that far corner of Asia to reader adequate support toour just claims, but that she lacked as well the hearty goodwill that we had every right to look for. Since our Government was compelled to abandon the roundahout pro- cedure via Peking, and to approach the foun- tain-head, there has been a very noticeable disturbance in Mandarin circles. Our con- temporary the Peking Times has referred to it in this way: "There is a flutter in Peking now over the Tibet Treaty, and the Chinese Government are attempting to make out that England has in some way defraud-d China and stolen Tibet from her. China will have precisely the same power there now as formerly-ie. nil." In addition to that suggestion of a "flutter," we have heard that Prince CH'ING and a strong section of the Waiwupu were most jealous of our apparent success where they had failed. It is disappointing to find that in spite of experience the Chinese in high places should continue to betray such ignorance of our methods. Had it been some other Powers in like case, it is ques- tionable if China's rights in the matter would have been so scrupulously regarded. Our own fear is that we have been too squeamish altogether; and that once in L'hassa we should have taken a hint from the historical Scotch assassin who returned to “mak' siccar." It was pleasant to read in the despatch we published on Monday morning of the release of the DALAI LAMA's political prisoners; but with all credit to the humanity of the writer of it, we are not disposed to admit that "the restitution to liberty of these wretched men is in itself sufficient to justify our advance to Lhassa." Nor are we so certain as we would like to be that the signing of the treaty will prove a sufficient satisfaction for the lives and money expended in its obtention. It was because of persistent breaches of a treaty previously signed that the expedition went to Lhassa at all; and it is just possible that the Tibetans, who are, on the authority of the Chinese AMBAN himself, incredibly ob- stinate, treacherous, and stupid, regard the new treaty merely as a ready and cheap means of getting rid of the obnoxious and simple-minded intruders. We read that after the settlement, "the Shapés lingered
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to send an army across the frontier. The result was the restoration of Austrian supremacy, but affairs were thrown into such confusion that the Emperor FERDINAND had to rexigu, and the present rul-r, Francis JOSEPH, was called to the dangerous throne. Reforms 100 were attempted, but were frowned down by Prussia and Russia, and the young Emperor had to give way and reintroduce the policy of the curb and bridle. So things went on till Italy, heade! by the House of Savoy, began to move, and France threw in her air. Then the Aus. trian Emperor was left free to return to his first love, and make friends with his people.
This line of conduct never met the ap- proval of the other two member of the Fmily, who, however, a tim ne-liat ly able to strike, had to content thems Ives with
growls of disapuroval till Bismarck came to the front.
A man of action, he set him-elf from the beginning to humble recalcitrant Austria, and hind Prussia still more tightly to Russia and Russian ways. But he did more; and while ostensibly making av alliance with Austria to defend western Europe against the advances of Russia, was secretly planning with that Power the parti- tion of his ally in punishment of the part she had taken in recognising thể nationality of Hungary.
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When after the surrender of Paris the House of Hohenzollern succeeded to the German Empire, another object of ambition was unfolded which ran on all fours with the former, and that was the formation of El Pan-German" State to be composed, in addition to the present German Empire, of the German provinces of Austria, and the partly Germanic peoples about the head of Although Germany as the successor of the Adriatic, Germany was to stretch from Prussia has never succeeded in getting the Baltic to the Adriatic, and thus hold possession of the whole of the estate pro the key to the entire of Europe. To do mised in her first title deed, she placed this it was of course essential to keep close herself so unreservedly in the hands of to Russia and the old family un ferstand. Russia from the very first that she nevering; and what is of even greater importance, has had the opportunity of protesting; and to ensure Russia beforehand of her sare of Russia is not a nation to act for Russia, on her side, has never failed to the swag. unpleasantly jog her memory and remind philanthropic or even frieally ends without her of the conditions whenever she showed payment, and having a greed. for land with- any symptoms of squirming. Germany is out much question as to its condition, pro. in fact very much in the position of Faust vided only it is capable of being represented after he had sold his soul to the Devil. on a map, the thing was easily settled. She would like to be free, and londly pro- Russia has evidently claim d as her own But talk, Hungary, and all the parts of Austrin which claims to the world her freedom. even of the most a Ivinced kind, is oue thing: can lay claim to Slavonic blood in their action is quite a different; and the moment populations. Probably she would like to Germany attempts to put her thoughts into have Posen-and herein lies the rub-to
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