buted by an English, hent in China
(2.)
189
1184
REOP
1 of these men and the difference of their surroundings from those of Protestant missionaries can at all understand or in any way account for the language of M. Lemoine. In our disapproval of this, however, we must not be led into a quarrel with a numerous class of men amongst whom there is a large number whose devotion is simply incomprehensible. Nor must we forget in our disapproval of many of the tenets and much of the political economy of our neighbours across the Channel, that it was to the victorious armies of the allies that we owe our present position in China. How much and how little is the proper share of each in that enterprise, it is not certainly our part to inquire. One thing is quite certain, viz., that the French helped us and that we accepted their assistance, and more than that, there is no doubt that we needed it. We require now to-day the moral support of France in our intercourse with China as much as we required her artillery and bayonets when we stormed the Taka forts, or when Canton was occupied by the allied forces.
So important and intimate have become our commercial and financial relations with China, that we are altogether in danger of forgetting the fact that we are, in all our diplomacy and treaty making, face to face with a barbarism as determined as ever. There is in China a very large and influential party who would not hesitate at any measures which should have for their end the banishment from the Empire of every European and American missionary and trader, and the entire obliteration of every trace of our intercourse. To these men the undoubted importance of our trade in saving the lives of millions of Chinese in times of famine is as nothing. They care not for us, nor do they care for their own people. Their simple aim is to perpetuate the status quo, and by every conceivable means, no matter what, to arrest the march of events and the process of popular enlightenment.
SP 21 JAN 84,
It must ever be remembered in the consideration of Chinese questions that we are wholly unknown to the Chinese people—hence, that they must be in the hands of any designing Mandarin whose supposed interest it may be to mislead them. This is the fruitful source of danger to which all our merchants and diplomatic agents at the Treaty ports and our missionaries in the interior are continually exposed. We are also too much in the habit of ignoring inconvenient and unpleasant facts in our treatment of Chinese questions—such, for instance, as the one that the present Chinese Government have no hold whatever upon the affections of the people; and that influences of Western civilisation, though very slowly, are surely undermining that power. Also that the Chinese Government are taking no steps whatever in the way of concession or reform, by which these powerful influences may be met. A short railway was made between Shanghai and Woosung, but this was bought up by the Government for the purpose of being destroyed. The locomotives and railway plant now lie rotting upon the beach of Formosa Island, and grass and weeds grow upon the track. It is believed that the money for a railway from Canton to Hankow upon the Yangtze Kiang, would be subscribed in London in a week if a concession could be obtained, but every effort in this direction has hitherto met only with determined opposition.
It has always been supposed that the telegraph is the pioneer of the railway, and much has been hoped from the influence of the line which has just been constructed by Chinese capital from Pekin to Kowloon, opposite to Hongkong. The adverse spirit, however, by which Chinese officials are actuated towards other nationalities was sadly manifested upon the occasion of the recent riots in Canton when the British Consul,
1474
requiring
buted by an English, hent in China
(2.)
189
1184
REOP
1 of these men and the difference of their su
roandings from those of Protestant missionaries eau at all understand or in any way account for the language of M. Lemoine. In our dis. approval of this, however, we must not be led into a quarrel with a numerous class of man amongst whom there is a large number whose devotion is simply incomprehensible. Nor must we forget in our disapproval of many of the! tenets and much of the political economy of our neighbours across the Chaunel, that it was to the victorious armies of the allies that we owe our present position in China. How much and how little is the proper share of each in that enterprise, it is not certainly our part to juquire. ! One thing is quite certain, viz., that the French helped us and that we accepted their assistance, and more than that, there is no doubt that we needed it. We require now to-day the moral apport of Franse in our intercourse with China as much as we required her artillery and bayonets when we stormed the Taka forts, or when Canton was cooupied by the allied formos.
So important and intimate have become our commercial and financial relations with China,. that we are altogether in danger of forgetting the fact that we are, in all our diplomacy and treaty making, face to face with a barbarism as Astermined as over. There is in China a very, large and influential party who would not he sitate at any measures which should have for their end the banishment from the Empire of every European and American missionary and trader, sud the entire obliteration of every trace of our intereoarse. To these men the undoubted in- portanos of our trade in saving the lives of mil. lions of Chinese in times of famino is as nothing. They osre not for us, nor do they care for their own people. Their simple aim is to perpetuate the status quo, and by every conceivable means, no matter what, to arrest the march of events and the process of popular enlightenment,
SP 21 JAN 84,
It must ever be remembered in the considera. tion of Chinese questions that we are wholly nuknown to the Chinese people-bence, that they must be in the bands of any designing Mandarin whose supposed interest it may be to wislead them. This is the fruitful source of danger to which all our merchants and diplomatic agents at the Treaty ports and our issionaries in the interior are continually ex- posed. We are also too much in the habit of" ignoring inconvenient and unpleasant facts in our treatment of Chinese questions-such, for instance, as the one that the present Chinese Government have no hold whatever upon the offactions of the people; and that influences of Western civilisation, though very slowly, arg surely undermining that power. Also that the Chinese Government are taking no stops what- ever in the way of concession or reform, by which these powerful influences may be met. A short railway was made between Shanghai and Woosung, but this was bought up by the Government for the purpose of being destroyed. The locomotives and railway plaut now lie rot..." ting upon the beach of Formosa Island, aud grass and weeds grow upon the track. It is believed that the money for a railway from Caston to Hankow upon the Yangtze Kiang, would be subscribed in London in a week if s concession could be obtained, but every effort in this direction has hitherto mot only with determined opposition.
It has always been supposed that the telegraph is the pioneer of the railway, and much has been hoped from the influence of the line which has just been constructed by Chinese capital from Pekin to Kowloon, opposite to Hongkong, The adverse spirit, however, by which Chinese officials are sotusted towards other nationalities was sadly manifested upon the occasion of the recent riots in Canton when the British Consul,
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1474
requiring
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