CO129-018 - Others - 1846 — Page 519

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BRITISH POSITION

Russia, Turkey, Greece, Belgium, Egypt, Persia, and other coun- tries have been benefited by the scientific skill of Europe. Here is a region open to us for the same purpose, far exceeding in value and in extent all those kingdoms put together. If we refuse to avail ourselves

China by the celebrated jesuit P. Verbiest, who, by casting cannon (then unknown in China), enabled the Emperor to put down a very formidable rebellion, organ- ized by the famous Chinese general Ou-Sang-Guey, who had been the means of introducing the Tartars into China for the extermination of the rebels, and who now sought to dethrone the Tartar dynasty, and restore the Chinese sovereigns. In a short time, Ou-Sang-Guey made himself master of the provinces of Setchuen, Yunnan, and Kweitehou. His example was followed in the provinces of Canton and Fokien; and Coxinga, a naval co-operator, with a large armament, took pos- session of Formosa. The rebellion would probably have been successful but for the cannon cast by Verbiest for the Tartars, which they conveyed to the attack on the encampment of Ou-Sang-Guey, and which he was unable to resist. On the death of Verbiest, the Emperor himself wrote the eloge which was read over his grave. The Mahometans had, during 300 years, the direction of the tribunal of mathematics in China, and the preparation of the calendar; but this important duty was taken from them, and vested in the jesuit Adam Schaal; and they con- tinued to hold this, and other important stations, until their final expulsion from China, after the death of the Emperor Canghi, in his 69th year, A.D. 1722 (20 December) and on the ascent of his third son, Yong-tcheng to the throne at Pekin, who refused to check the persecution of the Christians.

The Emperor Canghi is described by the jesuit missionaries as a man having a lofty genius, great penetration, and a faithful memory; with a solid judgment, a sense of right, and a firmness of soul; always master of himself, and capable of forming and of conducting great enterprises. He did not repose upon favourites, but took cognizance of all things, and regulated them himself. He was tender towards his subjects, and never lost sight of judgment and of justice. He studied and acquired the European arts and sciences; and geometry, physics, astronomy, medicine, and anatomy, were successively objects of his careful study. He loved to have the learned jesuits around him; he esteemed their morals; protected them and their fellow Christians; and bad given hopes, that but for his sudden death, he would have openly embraced Christianity.

In 1620 the Chinese sovereign (Tien-ki) and Government at Pekin, called in the aid of the Christian missionaries, and of the Portuguese, to aid by artillery in repelling the Tartars. This aid was given, and tranquillity was restored at Pekin, to within seven leagues of which city the Tartars had penetrated. In 1628 the Emperor Tien-ki died, and his brother, Hoai-tsong, known also under the name of Tsong-tching, ascended the throne of China.

In 1636, two leaders or chiefs of plundering banditti, organized a large force, combining all the discontented persons in the empire, as well as all who wished to profit by plunder. They marched towards Pekin, plundering towns, cities, and The rebels laid siege to Pekin, provinces, and devastating the land with civil war, and the Emperor fearing to fall into their hands, put himself to death. The com- mandant (Ou-Sang-Guey) of a body of Chinese troops on the frontiers, solicited the aid of the Tartars, to relieve Pekin; this aid was granted by Tsong-te, the Tartar chief, who retook Pekin from the rebels; and as the Chinese Emperor, Hoit-song, had committed suicide to prevent falling into the hands of the rebels, the vacant throne was seized by the Tartar general, Tsong-te, who, however, died very soon, and his son, Chuntchi, then only six years of age, was proclaimed Emperor of China by the Tartar garrison of Pekin. The uncle of Chuntchi, named Aniavan, became the guardian of the young prince, who at fourteen years of age ascended the throne, the sovereignty of which was still disputed by the Chinese, particularly in the sea coast and midland provinces. The Tartar troops advanced to Quantong (Canton) and Quangsi provinces, where they took some towns, but were repulsed by two Chinese generals who were Christians. The victorious Chinese declared Yang-tie, who was a prince of the imperial family, emperor, and fixed his court at Chao- king, in the Canton province. The mother of the Chinese emperor, his chief wife, and his eldest son, received the rite of Christian baptism, together with twenty

AND PROSPECTS IN CHINA.

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of the offer thus benignly vouchsafed to us; if we reject the means of thus benefiting ourselves and myriads of our fellow-creatures, either from apathy, selfishness, miscalled prudence, or erroneous political con- siderations, the opportunity may never again occur; and that which might have been converted into a source of national strength, of indi- vidual good, and of general benefit, may be converted by others, and by different means, into an engine injurious to our own interests, and pro- ductive of great and permanent national injury. Are we prepared to run the race of competition with other nations? or, after enjoying duration as a kingdom for upwards of one thousand years, and holding for the greater part of that time the dominant power of the Earth, are we disposed to shrink from the competition and descend in the scale of empires? Other kingdoms and nations are ready to rise, to build, and to strengthen their power on our downfall. We cannot shut our eyes to the fact, that we are envied and feared, rather than trusted and loved, and that if we be not true to ourselves there are none in whom we can trust.

It has not been by a timid, hesitating, dubious time-serving policy, by a craving after petty immediate gain, by crafty devices, or by subtle intrigues, that a small island in the Western Atlantic has become the mistress of the world-her power seen and felt on every shore, her flag triumphant on every sea.

Great ends can only be achieved by great means; a nobility of object consecrates the endeavour for its attainment.

If to pour a quickening life blood into China, to vivify a vast and almost stagnant mass of human beings, and thus incalculably increase our commerce*; if to construct and organize a power on the extreme East, which may eventually counterbalance the gigantic empire which stretches from the Bosphorous to the Arctic circle, from the Baltic to the Pacific; if to diffuse intelligence and science among three hundred millions of people; above all, and before all, to implant the inspiriting doctrines of Christianity over such an immense portion of the globe, that their diffusion would eventually influence all mankind; if to do this

ladies of rank at the court. The Chinese empress (baptized Helena Taming), and the other royal Christiaus, sent a learned missionary (Michael Bagm, a Pole) to Pope Alexander VII., to render obedience to the court of Rome.

The Chinese dynasty in the southern provinces was but of short duration. Hordes of Tartars poured into China, and three grand armies obliged the Emperor Yang-tie to flee. A sanguinary leader of theirs having overran the provinces of Honan, Kiangnan, Kiangsi, &c., and committed the most appalling massacres, the peaceful Chinese were glad to accept the Tartar yoke, for the sake of secure enjoy- ment of their lives. And for two hundred years, 1644 to 1844, the Tartar dynasty has maintained by corruption, by stratagem, and by force, the throne and government of China.

* China has rich mines of gold and silver, but it has also accumulated large quantities of the precious metals from other countries.

It is computed that 400,000,000 dollars passed from Acapulco to Manila dur- ing the 250 years of their intercourse; of this sum it is estimated that one-fourth passed from Manila to China. Since 1784, about 100,000,000 dollars have passed from the United States to China. Siam and Cochin send large quantities of gold and silver in ingots to China. Japan, it is estimated, has poured into China during sixty years of free intercourse, at least 100,000,000. From all other sources during the past century, China has received about 50,000,000. The estimated metallic circulation is equivalent to 500,000,000 dollars.

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