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ANTI-FOREIGN OUTRAGES AND
THE TSUNG-LI YAMEN.
In September, 1891, a protocol was signed by the Foreign Ministers at Peking record- ing their joint view of the situation arising from the serious anti-foreign outrages that were then the subject of representation to the Chinese Government. The concluding para- graph of the protocol was as follows:-"The undersigned can only state once more their conviction that the situation is an exceedingly serious, if not actually for the moment a critical one; and that unless it "be possible to impress upon the Chinese "Government and the people that the foreign Powers are fully prepared to see their subjects and citizens protected and "the stipulations of the treaties carried out, "further outrages and attacks, of much greater importance even than those which "have already taken place during the last "four months, may be expected with cer- tainty, and will in that case probably lead to graver complications than if a deter- mined stand were now made by all the Treaty Powers conjointly, as a formal warning to China that she will not be allowed to set at naught her solemn engagements." We have given this quotation on a previous occasion, but need make no apology for again bring ing it before the public at the present juncture, when it is peculiarly a propos. Had the determined stand recommended by the Ministers been made in 1891 the outrages which have since occurred, culminating in the fearful massacre at Kucheng, would never have taken place. It seems more than ever important that a determined stand should be made now, but, unfor- tunately, appearances point rather to a repetition of the former farce. A trial is in progress at Kucheng, which may result in the execution of a numbe. of coolies accused of being concerned in the massacre, but of what avail is that? Life is cheap in China, when it is only coolies that are concerned. The parties to be got at are those who instigate the outrages, men of po- sition and education, in whose hands the actual perpetrators are mere tools. The latter may be called Vegetarians or by any other name, but behind them are the literati and officials, at whose behest they act. In a despatch to the Marquis of SALISBURY in July 1891, Sir JOHN WALSHAM said :- "With regard to the alleged degradation "of several mandarins, this is precisely what "has been continually demanded by the foreign representatives, but the Chinese "Government decline as yet to adopt this measure, which they declare to be the business of the local authorities, and not that of the Central Government. How- ever, they have owned to the dismissal of "the Magistrate at Wuhu, who is generally admitted to have been the only officer who "did his duty." The indifference of the Pe- king Government was at that time well es- táblished, indifference so pronounced as vir- tually to amount to approval of the outrages that had been committed and an encourage, ment to their repetition. In another des patch Sir JOHN WALSHAM, who, whatever his failings, seems on that occasion to have formed a very just appreciation of the situation, ex- posed the shortcomings of the Tsung-li Yamen, and concluded as follows:-" Instead, how- ever, of our finding the Ministers of the Tsung-li Yamen showing zeal and cuergy "in carrying out the Imperial commands, we "discover that they are treating the whole "matter as if it really hardly concerned them, and as being a passing trouble to be "dealt with by local authorities alone. If
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[September 4, 1895.
the foreign representatives venture to otherwise occupied. Had the railway, which "demur to this indifference they are was practically sanctioned by the Throne quietly put off with the excuse that, some five years ago, then been commenced according to Chinese etiquette, it is not it would probably have been available for customary to do this that, or the other use during the struggle, and would have thing, and that we must not be impatient." been most invaluable for the carriage of In a despatch to the Tsang-li Yamen itself troops, arms, and supplies. But the pedant the Foreign Ministers wrote: Had there patriot CHANG CHIH-TUNG had dazzled the "been no foreigners concerned, had the minds of the Imperial Council with his pro- outrages been committed by Chinese on ject to make the railway with steel rails made Chinese, there would have been no lack in Central China of native ore from Honan, "of energy and activity in dealing with the and he was allowed to postpone the work until “offenders, and the Gazette would have been he could procure the material from Chinese "filled with the accounts of punishments soil. Vast sums of money have since "awarded and of rewards bestowed for been sunk in mining and the construction "meritorious services in discovering and of ironworks, and the Viceroy is now able bringing to justice the guilty parties, but, to point to huge works at Hanyang, which "as usual, nothing of the kind has now been yet, however, cannot turn out the steel rails done, and, while the reports of successful for the Grand Trunk Railway of China. “attacks on foreigners and native Christians "While the grass grows the steed may "have spread over the whole Empire, the starve is a proverb the erudite Viceroy great mass of the population has has never unearthed in the Chinese classics, " been persistently left, and is still and with all his experience in dealing with being left, in absolute ignorance of foreigners he has not-any more than the the measures taken to bring the guilty ordinary oriental-learned the value of time. parties to justice." There is no need to go The ignominious defeat sustained at the beyond the official documents to prove the hands of the Japanese has, however, so far absolute futility of negotiating with the impressed itself upon the Imperial Govern- Tsung-li Yamen. We do not hold the ment that, though they may appreciate as view, so often advanced, that the Central little as ever the value of time, they see that Government is powerless. It is well able the want ofmore certain means of communica- to deal with the situation, but it does not tion with the Central provinces may im want to be bothered with it. The Tsung-li peril the existence of the eighteen pro- Yamen is a department specially created to vinces as an autonomous empire. serve as a buffer between the Imperial danger has been near, seemed pressing, and Government and the foreign representatives, is not yet so distant as to have waned to bamboozle the latter with tergiversa materially. Hence there is reason to suppose tion, to tire them out with endless talk, and, the work will really soon be commenced. if something at last has to be done, to re But though this line be made and Peking duce that something as hear as possible to a brought into close communication with the nullity. Imperial decrees may be issued, Yangtsze ports and Shanghai it does not under pressure; it is for the Tsung-li Yamen follow that other great lines will be con- to see that as little as possible is heard of structed. If some rapacious viceroy and them. As there is no satisfaction to be got his yet more greedy underlings see in a at Peking, therefore, it behoves the Powers railway scheme a fine milch cow to be milked themselves to take satisfaction at the places at will, it may happen that such line will where the outrages-occur. A reversion to be constructed, the promoters ruined, and the the gunboat policy is what is required. The enterprise rendered non-productive through giving-in policy has been tried for thirty mismanagement consequent on mandarin years and has proved a lamentable failure. interference. If foreign syndicates or com- When outrages occur let the chief officials panies obtain a concession to make and of the place be scized and carried to subsequently to work them, the railways foreign parts, to be there detained for the may pay handsomely and also benefit the remainder of their lives, punishment being country through which they pass but all also inflicted on the people by the destruc-undertakings of the kind, if built with tion of their property, and soon there would be no inclination to indulge in the anti- foreign riots which now disgrace China. One or two lessons of that kind/would prove quite effective.
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN CHINA AND NATIONAL PROGRESS.
means
The
native capital and controlled by officials, must in the very nature of things prove financial failures. There can be no genuine progress in China under the Chinese flag. Projects for the development of the resources of the country, for the provision of suitable of intercommunication, and for the amelioration of the condition of the people are foredoomed to collapse. through the influence of the great squeeze' system. It will be well for those sanguine It would be a grave mistake to argue, from persons who dream that the recent disasters the decision of the Chinese Government to in arms sustained by China will have an construct a railway from the mouth of the educational effect on the Peking Govern- Grand Canal opposite Chinkiang to Peking, ment to bear in mind the short memory the that the Imperial Authorities had been con- Chinese carry for reverses, the intensity of the national conceit that will not admit a verted into champions of progress. decision has absolutely no political signi- defeat, and the unimpressionable nature of ficance. The silting up of the Grand Canal, the unwieldy empire, so little sensitive as a through which the grain-laden junks whole to reverse or disaster. Material pro formerly sailed for the north with the gress in China will be governed by the neces tribute rice, taken in conjunction with the sities of the hour, and where necessity, does destruction of the Peiyang Squadron by not continue to press there will be certain and Japan, brought home to the mandarins the inevitable retrogression. The more widely peril of being dependent upon their steamers this fact is recognised the less disappoint for bringing it up the coast. As a matterment will be felt by and by when the of fact the fleet of the China Merchants' S. N. Company was scattered during the war, and the vessels had to run under foreign flags, while even then they were liable to seizure had the Japanese Navy not been
The
strain of the war and the momentary fear of some of the Treaty Powers has relaxed. The Chinese Government will learn little or nothing from their recent reverses unless it be a conviction that they must buy more
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