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THE RECEPTION 100ORDED TO FOREIGN AMBASSADORS IN CHINA.
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June 9, 1897.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND JOSEPH. The time has arrived when the
space. The principal sufferers from such musty fiction of the superiority of the Cen- a condition of things will no doubt be the tral Kingdom and the occupant of the “outside” tramp steamers which occasion- Dragon Throne over all outside nations"ally appear and frequently are found laid Little by little the Chinese Government and sovereigns will have to be formally up for want of work. During the are learning what are the requirements of laid aside even in Peking and by the "third quarter of the year there were Western countries in regard to the recep- Chinese EMPEROR himself. The humiliseven British ships aggregating 12,039 tion of their Ambassadors, and what is ating defeat of the vast, but inert Empire t
ons laid up in the harbour for periods meant by terms of equality. Between the by little Japan has fairly stripped the last
"varying from 23 86 days." It would ceremonial that attended the audience given remnant of glamour from the tawdry pre-naturally be
much
more satisfactory if full to M. ISMAYLOFF, Special Ambassador from tences of Chinese splendour and strength. employment were offering for vessels of all Russia, by the Emperor KANGHI, on the Because of the extent of the Empire, its descriptions, but the fact that a number of 28th November, 1720, and that which extensive and varied resources, it was be the older vessels are at times to be found marked the reception accorded to the Baron lieved, as an article of faith, that a war with laid up in the harbour cannot in itself be LA CZIKANN, the Austro-Hungarian Minis- China would be long and exhausting even taken as an indication of declining trade. ter, by the Emperor KWANG SU in May, to a victor. But the rottenness and the It seems, however, that the number of tons of 1897, there was indeed a marked distinction. corruption which have for ages reigned in cago imported and exported did really show On the first named occasion the Russian the administration rendered the overthrow a slight decrease in 1896 as compared with representative, although received with some of the Chinese armies an easy matter by 1897, but in the transit trade there was cordiality, was made to feel that it was a disciplined troops, and the same causes more than an equivalent increase. The great condescension on the part of the son of would make the partitionment or conquest returns given in the Harbour Master's Heaven to be allowed to enter the Imperial of the Empire a comparatively simple task. report, valuable as they are, are not suffi presence; after having formally presented The Russians are about to obtain a footing ciently detailed, owing to the difficulties his credentials he and his suite were made in Manchuria, which they will find no under which they are collected, to enable to perform the humiliating kotow. Nine difficulty in rendering permanent. They an exact appraisement to be made of the times the company were compelled to bow, have only to watch and wait, and the whole real significance of the small apparent every third time standing up and then of the northern provinces will fall into the decrease in the local trade that they dis kneeling again. This degrading ceremony Great Bear's mouth like ripe fruit. With close, and we suspect that if it were has been firmly refused by the Foreign the completion of the great Trans-Siberian possible to make a comparison of values Ministers since the opening of China after Railway a new era will dawn for North there would be disclosed an increase instead the first British war, but it was the work of China, an era of further decay and gradual of a decrease. At all events, no more quite a quarter of a century to induce the drift into the arms of Russia. Had the eloquent testimony to the recent and pre- EMPEROR to grant the audience within the Chinese Imperial Government accepted the sent prosperity of the community could precincts of the Prohibited City. Even up advice of foreigners twenty years ago and be found than the generous response made to the most recent reception every effort was
made great trunk railways through the to the recent appeal on behalf of the made to inflict slights on the Ministers by Empire her crushing defeat by Japan might Indian Famine Fund and the manner in keeping them waiting and, by holding the have been averted, and the obligations in which subscriptions to the Diamond Jubiles function in the Hall of the Tributary Nations curred to Russia would not have been Fund have been flowing in. This, however, so-called, to make it appear to the Chinese
necessary. It is now too late to go back. is an exceptional and extraneous piece of people that they were Ambassadors from It is also, seemingly, too late to hope for evidence. For keeping a record of the vassal states bringing tribute to the Dragon timely reform, for with LI HUNG-CHANG and growth or otherwise of the colony's trade Throne. According to the Peking corres- SHENG Taotai still to the fore and general we must rely on the Harbour Master's pondent of a Shanghai contemporary, Baron helplessness on the part of the Grand returns, and the mercantile community is LA CZIKMANN has improved on this, and Council, the prospect of a stronger adminis indebted to Captain RUMSEY'S department has compelled the Chinese Government to tration being formed seems most unlikely. for the greater fulness with which these admit not only himself and his suite but Like the other sick man, in the south-east have been presented during the past few quite an imposing armed escort within the
corner of Europe, China may take an un-
years as compared with: former years, a precincts of the Imperial Court. The Barou conscionable time in dying, but unless some
record now being given of the amount of in addition to his secretaries had with him capable hands seize the reins at Peking her cargo carried, and in some instances its a number of naval officers, and on the day gradual decay and eventual dismemberment discription, as well as of the tonnage entering of audience they set out in ten chairs, all in
are inevitable. While therefore the loss of and clearing. Last year the Chamber of glittering uniform, the procession being the substance of Chinese power is not dimly Commerce carped at the character of these headed by two mounted Chinese servants, foreshadowed, the Emperor KWANG Su need returns and Captain RUMSEY in his present while a body guard of ten Austrian soldiers, feel little regret over the loss of the shadow report resents the want of appreciation dis- carrying their rifles, followed, two more of supremacy-never much more than a played. He suggests that it is the duty of mounted Chinese bringing up the rear. On figment of the imagination-over the civilized those who criticise to assist, if they possess arrival at the entrance gate of the place of world so long claimed for his predecessors the means for doing so, in preventing the audience, the guards appeared greatly by a vain and egotistical people. The dis-
returns from being anything less than ac- alarmed at the sight of the foreign escort, appearance of this futile shadow ought, had curate. "In the meanwhile," he says, “there and refused to allow it to pass. An alter- he any strength of character, to teach him ocation ensued, and it was only calmed down to grasp more firmly the substance of power by the arrival of Prince CHING, President of still left him as sovereign ruler of three the Tsung-li Yamen, and a number of high hundred millions of subjects. officials, who attempted to induce the Aus- trian Minister to leave the troops outside. The Baron was, however, resolute, and threatened to return to the Legation without At one period last year there was some having the audience, if his escort, which he talk of commercial depression in the colony, insisted was part of the suite designed speci- founded on the number of ships laid up in ally by his Imperial master as a compliment the harbour. As a matter of fact the year to the Chinese EMPEROR, were not allowed was a fairly good one, as is shown by the to accompany him. The Chinese Ministers report of the Harbour Master just issued. strongly demurred to this request, but the The reason of so many vessels being laid up Minister was inflexible, and rather than al- is clearly accounted for in the report. "It low the ceremony, so carefully pre-arranged," is very apparent," says Captain RUMSEY, to lapse, they consented to allow the escort to proceed to
e Pavilion inside the pre- *-cincta sacred the Imperial Court.
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THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT,
ff
appears no good reason for relinquishing, "the attempt to present a return which though not absolutely correct, is as nearly so as circumstances will permit and which, "as it stands, may be considered a useful "indication of the nature and volume of the "trade of the colony." This opinion is one which should secure general endorsement.
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On the subject of light dues Captain RUMSEY writes rather acrimoniously. He says in effect, “ Here is a valuable trade; "let us tax it" and he either cannot, or affects not to, understand the position of those who contend for the principle of a free port. He says that those from whom the phrase "freedom of the port "that the total amount of cargo to be falls most glibly have not attempted "carried does not increase as rapidly as the to explain what meaning they attach to tonnage available for its conveyance, it. This is hardly in accordance with This was a distinct triumph over Chinese principally owing to the enormous carry- faet. What is meant by the freedom conservatism, and it will no doubt be re-
ing capacity of a great number of the of the port is what Sir HENRY POTTINGER peated when Prince OUKHTOMSKY, the "newer ships. This, combined with keen meant when he declared that “no manner Russian Ambassador, is received in au- "competition, places tonnage at the disposal" of customs, port duties, or any other
actually dience at Peking. The CZAR'S Repre" of shippers in excess of what
charges shall be levied sentative will take good care not to accept required, consequently vessels cannot ships or vessels of whatever nation, or anything less than the dignity accorded to o" obtain full
“sailing under whatever flag, cargoes and
glad to accept the Minister of the Emperor FRANCIS “low rates of freight to fill up vacant
*their cargoes.
At that time there were
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are
$5
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on any
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