November 4, 1897.]
ns affecting private individuals we may mention a circumstance that occurred some years ago. The present writer was discus- sing the exchange question with an old China hand who was reputed to have ac- cumulated a comfortable competency. The old hand said he had just sent all his money home at 2s. 6d., and that he had been ad- vised to do so by his brother, a banker in Edinburgh, who told him that it was no use waiting until the rate went to 2s. The writer, being at that time still a believer in the future of silver, scoffed at such an idea. The old hand did not live to follow his money home, but, like so many old hands, went to Happy Valley instead. The result showed, however, that the policy on which he acted with regard to his remittance was a correst one. It would probably be equally correct for any one similarly circumstanced at the present time to remit at 1s. 11d. instead of waiting for the rate to go to 1s. 6d.
CHINA AND HER LEADERS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
+f
per-
energy
339,
CHINESE DUAL ADMINISTRATION.
some.
demonstrated to the Central Government that, while he has courage and enterprise to start new and important under- The problem of a dual administration has takings, he has never had the had a long trial in China, and it is curious severance and administrative
to see how it works out. In former days,, to see them carried out efficiently. Thus he before the necessities of the Imperial Go- is perpetually instituting some new in-vernment had been largely increased by the novation, although those already com- lagacy of debt left by the Chino-Japanese menced are seldom allowed to arrive at War, matters accommodated themselves in fruition. For instance, he has just im- a certain degree and the rapacity of the ported from the United States a Mr. G. D. mandarins was held somewhat in check by BRILL, who is engaged to start a Model fear of popular demonstrations and of ex- Farm and a Museum to exhibit the posure by the Censors. But now that the different agricultural implements in use in
Customs revenue is fully eaten up by in- Europe and America. The iden is a good terest on the loans effected, and other one, but the chances are that, like most of sources of Imperial revenue, such as the His Excellency's projects, it will never Post Office and Telegraphs, have to be de- get beyond the experimental stage. Some veloped before they yield a very large sum,. years ago CHANG founded School of the impropriety of having competing Cus- Chemistry at Wuchang, but it now consists, toms and Lekin Offices established in the we are told, of the Professor, two students, interior is plainly evident. Nothing could, and one other, who by his ignorance of for instance, be more illogical and foolish English and Mandarin is disqualified from than to maintain dual Customs services in acquiring any knowledge of this science. the Two Kwang. Yet this is done in order Then again, the spinning mill erected at to create a monopoly which is farmed out great cost and containing valuable plant, to a Manchu official, who is expected to make is a failure owing to his objection to his "pile in five years. He is also regarded. employ foreigners to superintend the opera- as a milch cow to be bled by the Imperial tions. The Wuching correspondent of our Court, who requisition from him annual sup- Shanghai morning contemporary says that plies of silks, embroideries, and other lux- among other peculiarities this mill contains uries produced in the southern provinces, are a number of excellent English jennys and for which no payment is either asked
which have never been unpacked, but
or offered. When the Haikwan returns to "their place is to be supplied by inferior Peking with the wealth he has amassed from machinery from Japan which requires his monopoly he is compelled to disgorge "new buildings and another set of en- a portion of it, amounting to
gines." Obviously this is a job on the tens of thousands of taels, before he part of the official underlings. CHANG him- is suffered to pass through the Anting gate self is superior to the, avarice which has and proceed to audience with His Majesty wrecked Li HUNG-CHANG's reputation, but the EMPEROR. All this is matter of noto- he is strongly prejudiced against foreigners riety, and it is probably because the
sent from Canton and puts confidence in his officials, which is luxuries
are parti grossly abused. All his numerous schemes cularly acceptable to the ladies of the for the development of Chinese resources are Haren, and the cost of them, if pur- therefore doomed to failure, and he becomes chased, would be considerable, that "the Central Government are content to put up with a serious loss from the receipts of the Imperial Maritime Customs caused by the competition of the Haikwan's tariff, Owing to the concession of preferential or lower duties charged by the Haikwan on cargo borne in native bottoms the steamers trading on the Canton River have for many years been deprived of the carriage of various articles of produce. There was a time-long years ago, we fear-when the steamboats carried cotton, cassia, rattan, and other products. They have ceased, however, not only to carry these products, but they have now, through the same cause, been de prived of the carriage of tea and waste silk. Energetic remonstrances have been addressed by the Chamber of Commerce to Peking, and once, for a brief spell, the trade was allowed to return, but not for long. Latterly the myrmidons of the Haikwan have been widening the field of their opera- tions, and the river steamers are now threa tened with the loss of the carriage of all principal articles of up-country produce. No doubt further representations have been or will be made to the Tsung-li Yamen, but it is to be feared that whatever pledges may be given, the lost traffic will not be per- manently regained, as the temptation to divert it is great and the risk of detection small. The great and only effective cure for this evil is the abolition of the Haikwan. He is absolutely unnecessary. The duties he collects could be more economically collected by the Imperial Maritime Customs, and they would be saved loss of revenue by the cessation of this concession of preferential duties through the native establishment. It would be argued, perhaps, that the local revenues would suffer, but this, if true, could
As was recently remarked in this column, it is much to be regreted that China has not, among her officials, a single man of com- manding influence and intellectual force who is able or cares to administer the go- vernment honestly. Li HUNG-CHANG, the best known and undoubtedly the most cen- tral figure in Chinese politics, is put out of court on account of the corruptness of his administration and his comparative lack of influence at Peking. The fact that the work of providing for the defence of the Empire had for about a quarter of a cen- tury been practically intrusted to him, together with well nigh unlimited power and abundant funds, with the result shown during the war with Japan, would have been sufficient in any other country to have secured his permanent disgrace. In China the failure of the costly but ineffec-discredited thereby. tive army and navy he had built up simply discredited him in the capital. His knowledge and experience of foregin affairs were too nvaluable to admit of his being banished 'n disgrace. He was wanted in order to re- pair, by diplomacy, a part of the ruin he had created by greed and misgovern- ment. But though Li has not been exactly dismissed from office, he is now regarded with suspicion and dislike. His influence is no longer paramount in the Grand Council. Nor is it, on the whole, to be regretted that a man who has had such large possibilities in his grasp should be relegated to a secondary position. His attitude towards foreigners, moreover, was always inimical, and, had he dared, would have been pronouncedly hostile. He was not animated with any fervent love of country in his actions, which were influenced almost solely by love of gain. He succeeded in amassing a colossal fortune, and accord- ing to all accounts he still holds on to this supreme consolation in his age. The pos- session. of countless acres in Anhwei, his native province, is no doubt balm to his soul, no matter how he may be wounded by the indifference of the Tsung-li Yamen and the frowns of the EMPEROR.
Taotai SHENG and Governor Hu, who was recently appointed Director-General of Railways North of the Yellow River remain for consideration. SHENG is an apt pupil of the mis-called "BISMARCK of China," and has improved upon his pre- ceptor both in daring and originality. Whether he will ever win the trust of the EMPEROR is another matter. We should hardly think that this was possible. He is too notorious. At the same time he may prove clever enough to restrain his squeezing proclivities within bounds until he has achieved some successes and made himself indispensable. His peculations might then, like those of some of his predecessors, be overlooked. Hu is a man of a better stamp, but he will have to fight against the unpat riotic mandarins who regard office as a mere step towards fortune. The honest official in China is a rara avis, and he is not long before he finds that there is no room for him in the official ranks. For these reasons we are not inclined to take a very sanguine view of the success of schemes for the material progress of the Empire. The trail of the serpent is over them all.
While the servants were busy at work at the Astor House, Shanghai, the other day, about 11 o'clock, a native quietly entered the Astor Hall and commenced removing the electric light, globes, and after taking eight from their position marched out with them, as bold as brass. The servants thought he was a workman so, of course. did not interfere, but after he had been gone the light-fingered fraternity. He did not return for the remainder, but it is hoped that the police will soon be on his track. The ways of the He has heathen Chinese are peculiar !—Mercury.
His ancient rival CHANG CHIH-TUNG is still in the plenitude of his power at Wu- chang. His reputation was not tarnished during the recent war; his patriotism has never been suspected, and no rude hands can tear away the curtain that hides the true official and reveal the corrupt and self seeking mandarin. But though CHANG'S undergone no political influence · has sensible diminution, his administrative sagacity has sustained a shock.
some time it was discovered that he belonged
to
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.