៩
March 6, 1905.1
BRITISH TRADE IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 4th March.) There is a remarkable unanimity observable about the comments of the Home papers, dealing with a lecture that Mr. BYRON
BEENAN delivered to the Colonial Section of the Society of Arts on January 24th. Mr. BEENAN was formerly Consul-General at Shanghai, and his lecture was concerned with the prospects of British commerce in China. Most of the journals note the absolute failure of British policy," the indifference of the Foreign Office," the unreasonable and inconsistent policy of the Government," and so on. Such a unanimous damning of the British Govern- ment would appear to demonstrate in itself that the Government deserves such censure. Does it? Is it not possible that some of the Government's alleged "total ignorance" of the conditions in China is shared by the critics of the Government? Is it not a symptom of inability to instruct the Govern- ment, to present some positive information, when they so generally and enthusiastically adopt the comparatively safe and negative line of criticism, of blaming the Govern- ment for not doing some things which they omit to specify? The most definite and outspoken criticism is that which says the British Government has not shown itself strong enough. What was wanted, it ap. pears, is embodied by one journal in the phrase, a Palmerstonian mailed-fist." Apparently this conveys a regret that the
British Premier is not a cross between the
ate Lord PALMERSTON and the German KAISER, What, precisely, should have been done that was not done? We have no doubt that there are many in China who will be ready with an answer; but our com- plaint is that these sapient critics at Home, who are, like the apocryphal PADDY, ,"agin the Guv'ment,' do not provide any. Is it their opinion that the British Government has been guilty of blameworthy neglect in not seizing upon every plausible excuse to declare war on China? We have already published a summary of Mr. BRENAN's paper, and have read other and fuller reports thereof In not one do we find sufficient for such suggestions as that it is a
"story of Government incompetence and neglect almost without parallel." We are not defending the British Government.
Its sins of omission in the matter of our relations with China may have been many. We may, however, protest against this "stinking fish" policy of condemning it in season and out of season, on the strength of such a shadowy and vague indictment as these critics have last month brought forward, Mr. BRENAN mentioned that British merchants make little or no use of the newly opened Treaty ports. Is that the fault of the Government, which secured heir opening? One says: "No Govern- ment for the last half century ever mastered the facts concerning China and her trade with this country, of which the first is that the Chinese Government would
never con-
cede anything except through force or fear, and would never keep, a promise unless sheld to it. Government after Government, therefore, allowed the Chinese Government
to evade its obligations, and the Chinese Government was thus encouraged in the practice. That was the first cause of failure. There was no policy at Downing Street. The second was that no Cabinet ever kept its eye on what foreign Governments were doing to promote the trade of their subjects, or at any rate none ever ventured when a foreign Government exerted itself to assist competition against British trade to lift a finger to help British
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
"hustle the East."
own
man who
on
misses
""
the nail and hits
145
it is a decided negative. As things are, the right answer will disappoint them, for
stagnation and annihilation that would we cannot profess regret. The inevitable follow the realisation of such dreams might mity by the pessimists, but those who say be, in advance, contemplated with equani-
would not welcome the prospect. Mr. " yes "to the query "Is life worth living ?" CHOKEI's analogies are of the unfortunate kind. nature he means the absence of strife,
If by the unity and harmony of
a barmonious whole, but strife and the he is quite in error. It is, of course, features he regrets are indispensable notes the idealists whose attention is almost of the harmony. It is natural that wholly attracted to the shadows of the
universe, to the spots on the sun, to the brutality and callousness of Nature's work, but it is decidedly curious that the faithful should be constantly seeking to improve it; believers in its supernatural design and purpose should so consistently fail to note whole, and the beauty and. harmony of nature as a share the wish to mend
foreign Governments are doing 80 much for their nationals, if in foreign achieved so much in successful combatting spheres of influence the Goveruments have of Chinese obstructive policy, how is it that the English settlements, content to share we find so many foreigners glad to remain in the neglected and waning British trade? Is it not that the Foreign Governments have failed where ours has failed, to over- come the mulish obstinacy of the Chinese? The horse is led to the water, but no amount of "Palmerstonian mailed-fist made him drink. He is sipping now, of course, has yet somewhat to the profit of the foreigner; but it is to his own interest to drink heartily. more time yet is required to show him that We have been told that it is useless to This clamour at our Government by our own people is useless thing; or it is simply the cackle of either intended to make it attempt that impatience, of no more import than the expletives wasted the the
hammer by his thumb with it. Is China any more amenable as the result of her frequent ac- it. quaintance with the mailed fist ? Is she taken in the mass; and the alleged It is beautiful, and it is right, not thereby confirmed in her hostility, more blemishes discovered by these people cannot sullenly determined to diddle the foreign be taken apart, like the mechanism of a invader than before? chaut in China," said Mr. Beenan,
"The British mer- watch, and substituted by some humanly after his own interests, but did not seek as they are is bigger than a watch.
dreamed invention. The scheme of things to develop traile unless he saw a personal be admired, and should be admired more It may
trade without gaiu? The open door night as he now is, to tinker with it. gain." Why should he? What good is thanit is; but man is not big enough, big as well remain shut if it cannot be entered uglier details of civilisation, as the late profitably. The British Government has EMILE ZOLA and others have done, to dwell opened many doors, some of which, we are told, have not yet been entered. The lack
on them, and say "This is civilisation," of capital or enterprise may be a reason;
was admittedly inartistic and wrong. It is but is it not more likely that most of the the sun spots, and quarrel with the solar no more wise or right or useful to point to old exploiters are too busy making money system on their account. to turn to fresh fields, while new blood and touching allusion to the peaceful behaviour possible pioneers are scared away by such of the heavenly bodies ignores the fact that so fond of? The Morning Post winds up tween the larger bodies for possession of raven croakings as our British Press seems there is a constant struggle going on be by saying "We are not sure that as regard, the smaller. So dangerous is the analogy British trade in China the verdict will not as an argument. have to be Too late." That sort of spirit created things have their own places in the The statement that all is not thinking Imperially." It is not universe is true enough. It is also even thinking sensibly. At all events it is true that they have to fight hard Mr. BYRON BRENAN sentiments to which he the vanquished. The fir tree that springs not right to impute to an authority like to keep them, and that no mercy awaits did not give utterance. He clearly spoke up where grass grows, fights the latter for of individual lack of business enterprise, its place, and the weaker has to die. The than the other, for it could soon be mended not of national failure. One is less serious same finite, human outlook that inspires if the Home papers were to adopt a calmer sponsible for
the prayer for universal peace is re- and more reasonable tone.
the attacks on the vital principle of natural order, the law that Civilisation the most fit only can survive.
U8
{
War
seems to be
"looked
UNIVERSAL PEACE.
(Daily Press 6th March) horrors of
The latest idealist to be impressed by the Yoshimura, Citizen of Japan," who sends "Chokei
Universal Peace." He paints in vivid a pamphlet entitled "A Plea for English the more painful aspects of war, and submits that fighting is contrary to the natural order of the world. Nature, he and the moon hang brilliantly in the sky.. says, is all unity and harmony.. "The sun All created things have their own places in the universe, and order and harmony prevail
among
[
humans, whom he regards very much as them." All, that is, except the Dr. WATTS did dogs, who
$4
bark and fight
For 'tis their naturs to.'
Can the tragedy of the stronger devouring the weaker never be made a story of by-gone days ?," he asks; and as this Japanese types, it gentleman has numerous European proto- seems that someone must
To take the
Mr. CHOKET'S
is constantly trying to overcome that law, but not very successfully. The same mental limitation has led to the description estimate of this law as wasteful; but that is the of а shillings and pence opulent as she is. Now and then, when reckoner. Nothing is wasted by nature,
nounces that even war has its uses and good some person like RUSKIN, for instance, an-
points, his originality startles the world. Yet he is only standing a little further off, and getting a larger view. Even then he
has not seen it all. The old Buddhist fable of the blind men examining the elephant all that men have said and thought of such was a marvel of condensed expression of
matters. It sums up the position so ad- mirably. One mau felt the truuk, and said
"CHOKEI
touched a leg, and declared the elephant to this animal is like a snake. Another
be like a tree. Whereupon ensued much argument, about it and about." YOSHIMURA, Citizen of Japan," seems to occasionally have to give them
have touched ouly the trunk of the elephant of war; and his view of the elephant of trade." If answer they ask for. We are afraid nature has not embraced its tushes. We
the
2