4
December 2, 1905♫
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
war.
adopted finally has been that of screw-piles, | affairs to recur, and by vacillating action, a method unsatisfa tory at best, and only leave the door open to renewed trouble such practicable where there is the possibility of as that which brought about the arriving at a sufficiently permanent and Against this, however, there is one feature unyielding subsoil, which in this case has which leaves room to conclude that the old certainly not been attained. In this respect difficulty will not recur. Japan having the alluvial plains of China have acquired | once viudicated China's position, and saved an evil reputation, and like difficulties have her from threatened appropriation of her been met with and, it is right to add, sur-territory, will have every right to insist mounted on the more northern portions of upon her taking measures to prevent the the line in the province of Pechili. It is old state of affairs again arising; and, true that by almost superhuman efforts a from all that can be gathered, there is little shift was made to pass over the opening doubt that Japan will do so. For some train, but our advices go to show that time past China has been employing Japanese subsequently traffic over the bridge has had instructors in military matters; and the to be suspended. We have no desire to Japanese, who are nothing if not practical, exaggerate the importance of the failure, have no doubt had in view the direction in nor to point a finger of scorn at the labours which it would be necessary for China to of those entrusted with the task, at all make use of such improvements in the first times an auxious one, of having to carry a
instance. It is probable, therefore, that line of railway over what is practically a China will be able to have sufficiet force floating bog-the more especially as the in Mancharia, first to preserve the peace conditions required, or seemed to require, against roving bands which have always the exercise of the utmost economy. Had
been a trouble there, and secondly to safe the inception of the line a clearer record, guard the country in a way which has the question of a starve-all economy been hitherto impossible against hostile would not have entered at all into dis-invasion. It is to be hoped that this cussion by its promoters. Even as it is, in the eyes of a particularly suspicious people like the Chinese, the failure is likely to cast a reflection not easily removed on Western engineering in general. The failure, under not altogether dissimilar con- ditions, of the foundations of the Nile Barrage near Cairo, being carried out by continental engineers, for many years kept back all engineering progress in Egypt; and it was only last year that the magui- ficent undertaking of the Assouan Dau, and the partial restoration of the Barrage, showed how, under clearer conditions, the industrial resources of the state could at one stroke be almost doubled.
In apportioning the blame it must not, however, be forgotten that China at the time the concession of the line was grauted had, with her eyes open, placed herself unreservedly in the hands of Russia, who insisted on the work with all its con- comitant understandings being placed in the hands of her nominees, the Belgian Syndicate; who had, moreover, in addition to building the line to Russia's require ments, to do all the financing.
THE FATE OF MANCHURIA.
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result will be brought about, otherwise there will, of course, hq room to fear that in process of time the Chinese my relax their vigilance and that, notwith- standing all that has taken place. Russia may be allowed to again advance towards Chinese borders. There is unfortunately
30 much room to distrust the Chinese in this direction that it is not surprising that those who look with most favour upon the terms secured by the Treaty of Portsmouth, still feel some misgivings on this score, and. look forward with excusable: anxiety to the time when both Russia and Japau are to finally vacate Manchuria. The period fixed is 18 months-a long interval-during which much may happen. The persistence of Russia in her policy of advance is known to be such that grave fears may be enter- tained whether she may not be yet tempted to interfere with China, the recent Treaty notwithstanding. Her being pledged to respect China's integrity will be of little value in the absence of some means either moral or physical to induce her to adhere to the understanding. If winded to push on towards China, plausible excuses might readily be found. A safeguard against this will, however, no doubt, be found by Japan. In anticle which appeared on question in the Morning Post, evidently written by someone well acquainted with the subject, the writer, after pointing out that the Chinese might, if they so desired, offer formidable opposition, goes observe :-
the
on to
territory might not at once lead to a coali tion between China and Japan which it would be perilous to face.
able to receive from her the vital touch that
(Daily Press. 29th November.) Although there is every reason to believe that the terms which have been agreed to between Japan and Russia will secure peace for many years to come, there is still, in many quarters, a feeling of doubt with
"It is a reasonable assumption that before reference to the course of events in Man-restoring Manchuria to China Japan will take churia. The maintenance of the integrity every precaution to ensure the safety of its fron of China is naturally the salient feature in tiers; will organise, discipline, and reinvig rate the Chinese forces; and will in time convert the policy which is considered necessary for them into a formidable instrument of defence. the preservation of peace. This, however, That the Chinese can fight was sufficiently proved must obviously depend very largely upon during the Tai Ping rebellion; that they are will- the action of China herself, and unfortuing to receive from Japan the training, and are nately her past conduct does not offer much encouragement for the future. One of the chief causes of the late war was the weak ness of China, and her yielding policy as regards Russia, and, now that that province is restored to her, the question arises whether she will take proper steps to maintain her position; or, as time wears on, may not again leave an opening for Russian aggres- sion. The lesson, however, which she must have learnt from the war, ought to make her alive to the necessity of maintaining her position in the Province which good for tune has restored to her. If left to herself, there is too much reason to fear that she would before long allow the old state of
UNDIVINE AFFLATION.
(Daily Press, 30th November.) TheNELSONCentenarylevoked much poetry. The Poet Laureate, Mr. ALFRED AUSTIN, has surpassed all his previous efforts with "Wardens of the Wave," the first two stanzas of which we here reproduce:
I.
Not to exult, in braggart vein, Nor boast of victories on the main,
Over our gallant foes.
Which Heaven alone bestows; Vainglorious clarion, clamorous drum,
For which the vulgar crave,—— Not these, not any such, become The Wardens of the Wave. II.
No, but when slumbering war-hounds wake, Face combat for one's country's sake,
To one's last gasp of breath
With male disdain of death. 'Twas, thus did Nelson live, did dia,
Far from his Land and home, Making his roof of storm-swept sky,
His pillow of the foam. effusions of the present LAUREATE, we will As it is the fashion to poke fun at the forbear present comment; and introduce our second illustration, from the more popular pen of Mr. GEORGE MEREDITH. We find it advisable to quote it in full:
I.
The hundred years have passed, and be Whose name appeased a nation's fears, As with a hand laid over sea; To thunder through the foeman's Bars Defeat before His blast of fire; Lives in the immortality That poets dream and noblest souls desire,
II.
Never did nation's need evoke Hero like him for aid, the while A Continent was cannon-smoke Or peace in slavery: this one Isle Reflecting Nature: this one man Her sea-hound and her mortal stroke, With war-worn body aye in battle's van.
III.
And do we love him well, as well As he his country, we may greet, With hand on steel, our passing bell Nigh on the swing, for prelude sweet To the music heard when his last breath Hung on its ebb beside the knell, And VICTORY in his ear sang gracious Death.
JV.
Ah, day of glory! day of fears! Day of a people bowed as one! Behold across those hundred years The lion flash of gun at gun: Our bitter pride; our love bereaved; What pall of cloud o'ercame our sun That day, to bear lis wreath, the end achieved.
Y.
Joy that no more with murder's frown The ancient rivals bark apart, Now Nelson to brave France is shown A hero after her own heart :
And he now scanning that quick race, To whom through life his glove was thrown, Would know a sister spirit to embrace.
These writings, which, it must be remem- differentiates an Army from a mob, seems estab-bered, have thousands of readers who profess lished by all that is known of the discipline, to understand, appreciate, and admire them, equipment, and morale of General Ma's Army seem to show that English poetry, is not the and that Peking will seek to flood Manchuria
most useful vehicle for the transmission of with colonists, and will henceforward zealously guard the province that contains the ancestral merely probable but almost, if not quite, certain." tombs of the reigning house of China, is not
Of course what was done during the Tai Ping rebellion, where one set of Chinese fought against another, is no guarantee that the Chinese could make headway against a European Power; but that in any such contest they would be largely assisted, both morally and physically, by the Japanese there can be no doubt-if, indeed, any serious threat to again seize Chinese!!
thought. The exigencies of rhythm and rhyme are not favourable to the presenta- tion of reason and right. Chinese and Japanese poetry being less mechanically complicated, is not quite so hopeless. The Chinese poet who compares his mistress's eyebrows to a moth's antennæ is straight- forward reading; us also the Japanese poet who in five measured lines gives us a vivid picture of the autumn moon making visible against white clouds the silhouetted wings of wild-geese.