CO129-269 - Governor Sir Robinson & Public Offices - 1895 [12] — Page 554

war footing, but I do not think she defeat and humilia-

tion are yet, or will be, folt and appreciated by the

bulk of the officials or people sufficiently, unless the

despised Japanese, occupy Peking, the difficulty of

inter-conrranisation, the ignorance of the people, and the

unblushing lios disseminated by the Kandarina, Prevent

any run idea of the war from getting into the brains of

the people. The officials know thero is a mar -oing on

but at least half of thom do not understand what is

being done, and their price and concait is so great

that they refuse to haliova it possible the Japanese can

defeat them completely.

As for the common people it is only in the

irmedia a vicinity of the operations that they have any

idea of what the wvar 13. - Our presons poliez seems to

be to prevent the Japanese coming to Pexing for fear of

anarchy &c., that is to say for fear the Japanese may

damage our trade by future competition. It may be that

without such occupation China may reforms, but, except

sec

4-

thoas fex Sinolerfas, who are only through Chinese

spsetpolas, I have not gat met a man who detects any

sims or prospect of reformation.

To za form the

the

Chinoge military aystem requires reform of China;

corruption is so all-pervading that to expect honesty in

one

one department when all others are steeped in

dishonesty is impossible. I ad: 15 that there are a few

honest af^icials and that the military 37zten may be

patched up. At present when a foraien instraeter pro-

deads to the drill ground to drill the men, all the

native officers walk off the ground; they are not mine

to be taught by a foreign devil! As they are hopo-

losely, absolutely and wilfully ignorant they do not

assist the foreimar, on the contrary they despise liám

and thwart his ondoavoura, the posacasion of fereien

culture or baine suspoetod of fozotem leanines is

almost a certain bar to advancament, and the military

profession is utterly despisad; until this is altered

there can be no real military inprovenant.

When she

can be induced to send abroad her youths to be educated

and give than a fair chance when they return to China,

something can be done; for yours to crque China, if she

is to have any amy must have it orcanisud entirely by

Europeana (or Japanese!) at present there is no sign of

Thirty years anything of an European officered force.

of foreiza respond,

forts, shirs and instructors have

onl: laid the country at the mercy of the "Dwarf mabels*

and there is not 1 Chinaman in 1,000,000 who has the

sonse to 30s why it is go, and not 1 in 10,000,000 who

will

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