435
China,
3.
Latterly the course of political events in the North appears to have encouraged the bolder spirits among the reformers to excite the minds of young Chinese in a more open manner than they have hitherto considered expedient; and perhaps it is not too much to say that the welcome possibility of driving one European Power out of Chinese territory has begun, through the instrumentality of the Reform Party, to create the wilder hope of administering similar rebuffs to other Western Powers. During the war between China and Japan in 1894 the people of the South were to a great extent ignorant of the fact that China was at war; and those who knew it were apathetic. This is not the case as regards the present war between Japan and Russia. The Chinese press of Hongkong and South China strongly supports the Japanese cause; but it is idle to suppose that the sympathies of the Hongkong and Chinese press and public are with Japan because she has entered into an agreement with Great Britain.
4.
An illustration of the attitude of the press towards Europeans is afforded by the enclosed translations of two extracts from Wei San Yat Po and the Sheung Po, two newspapers published in Hongkong. Of these papers, the Sheung Po is the organ of Kang Yu Wei's party, and he is responsible for its utterances. I also enclose a copy of a letter from the Registrar-General on the subject, in which he gives strong reasons for his recommendation that Kang Yu Wei and the Editors of the papers should be deported from the Colony. I was unwilling to take such a step without
5.
Enclosure.
Enclosure 2. 22nd February, 1904.
the
435
China,
3.
Latterly the course of political events
in the North appears to have encouraged the bolder spirits
among the reformers to excite the minds of young Chinese in a
more open manner than they have hitherto considered expedient;
and perhaps it is not too much to say that the welcome possibi-
lity of driving one European Power out of Chinese territory
has begun, through the instrumentality of the Reform Party,
to create the wilder hope of administering similar rebuffs to
other Western Powers. During the war between China and Japan
in 1894 the people of the South were to a great extent ignorant
of the fact that China was at war; and those who knew it were
apathetic. This is not the case as regards the present war
between Japan and Russia. The Chinese press of Hongkong and
South China strongly supports the Japanese cause; but it is
idle to suppose that the sympathies of the Hongkong and Chinese
press and public are with Japan because she has entered into
an agreement with Great Britain.
4.
An illustration of the attitude of the
press towards Europeans is afforded by the enclosed transla-
tions of two extracts from Wei San Yat Po and the Sheung Po.
two newspapers published in Hongkong. Of these papers, the
Sheung Po is the organ of Kang Yu Wei's party, and he is res-
ponsible for its utterances. I also enclose a copy of a letter
from the Registrar-General on the subject, in which he gives
strong reasons for his recommendation that Kang Yu Wei and
the Editors of the papers should be deported from the Colony.
I was unwilling to take such a step without
5.
Enclosure.
onclosure 2. 22nd February, 19044.
the
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