70
REBELLIONS IN CHINA.
The weakness shown by the Central Go. vernment at Peking vis-a-vis Foreign Gov. ernments, as displayed by the various con- cessions extorted by the latter, is pretty certain to have a disintegrating effect in the Empire. Reverses are cleverly dis- guised in China, being mostly dressed up by the mandarins to look like victories, moral if not material. But all the tricks and lies of the entire mandarinate would hardly avail to blind the people entirely to the loss of prestige suffered since the con- clusion of the Chino-Japanese war.
That was humiliation enough, and no amount of casuistry would serve to explain away the loss of Formosa and the payment of a huge pecuniary indemnity to Japan. When, however, following on these most apparent reverses, came the successive German, Rus- sian, French, and British demands, the latter being a consequence of the former, there could be no lingering doubt in the minds of the Chinese people that the Peking Government was a mere sponge to be squeezed whenever the outside barbarians though tproperto repeat the operation. That a fresh insurrection should have broken out in Kwangsi-always a turbulent province, difficult to control-is not surpris- ing. The rebels, however, are frebly armed and indifferently organised, and already the movement appears to be collapsing. The rising seems to have been only a premature ebullition of the forces of revolt and dis- order, an advance murmur of the more impor- tant revolutionary movement known to be in incubation in the Two Kwang and which is believed to have powerful and widespread support. If the projected rebellion in Kwang- tung and Kwangsi really takes place and the undisciplined bands can procure arms of precision and a leader capable of giving them some sort of training and organisation, it will prove a hard nut for the weak administration of Canton to crack. Of course, while the Chinese Government holds all the ports, and is able to cut off supplies, it enjoys an immense advantage over any rebel force, but it is not clear that even the officials are loyal to the dynasty, and it would not be surprising to find some am- bitious provincial satraps setting up business on their own account if they could get the very faintest encouragement from foreign Powers. Great Britain is not likely to afford any favour to rebels, in any part of the Empire, her experience of them in the past having been unfortunate. The follies of the Wangs were as egregious as the assumptions of the reigning dynasty, and as the latter had at least some prestige to fall back upon, even though it was fast getting musty, Eng- land acted against the Taipings, who so far from attempting to create order, "made a desert and called it peace."
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Who will say, however, that Russia may not secretly foment the new rising in Kau- suh? It is close to the Russian frontier and if there be any fighting it may easily be con- strued into an interference with Russian rights. Probably the rebellion is due to Mahomedan intrigues, always active in Kansuh, where the population is fanatical and easily roused to demonstration against the hated Manchus. The Russian agents have long been quietly and unostentatiously at work among the Mongols and possibly among the Mahomedans in Chinese Turkes tan. In Mongolia they have simply worked by force of example, treating the Mongols who have crossed the border with a liber- ality and justice contrasting most favourably with Chinese methods of administration, and so attracting many of these tribes to live un der the rule of the Great White Czar.
July 29, 1898.
The Mahomedans in the annexed khanntes | "will remain erect. That was the course
"assumed the direction of Japan's foreign "affairs in 1897, and it is the course
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蒙蒙
of Central Asia have been ruled with much "mapped out by Count OKUMA when he tact and impartiality, and travelling traders of their peregrinations in Kashgaria and and others have no doubt in the course North-West China drawn comparisons be- tween the lot of the followers of the of their co-religionists in the Chinese Em- Prophet in the Russian dominions and that pire most unfavourable to the latter. Nothing could play better into the hands of rebellion on her Siberian frontier, caused Russia at the present moment than a by religious grievances. In the interests of
the
preservation of peace and on behalf of suffering humanity-for Chinese risings are usually attended by frightful butcheries and
wholesale cruelties-Russia would consider it her sacred mission to intervene and in the name of civilisation to put a stop to the atrocities. It is true she did not feel called upon to save the Armenians from massacre, but in that case the Powers generally were interested; on the Siberian frontier Russia alone could act. It is easy to see how, if the rebellion waxes into a great movement, and bids fair to be a prolonged struggle, Russia may be compelled to intervene in the in- terests of humanity, which would certainly In the case of a general in surrection in the Two Kwang it is also quite conceivable that Great Britain may have, for the salvation of the industrious millions and for the protection of her own trade, to step in and put down disorder. We have undertaken the administration of Egypt for these reasons; they would be quite sufficient justification for intervention in
be her own.
the Kwang provinces.
64
now adopted by Lord SALISBURY, It is interesting to note at how many points "the policies of Japan and England touch. "It is interesting to note, too, that the people who describe China as moribund, “and declare the hopelessness of attempt. ing to galvanise her into military com "petence, are the very people who point "with awe to the potentialities of an army
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of Manchu Tartars led by Russian officers, Why not an army of Manchu Tartars led 'by English officers plus an army of Chi- nese similarly led? The development of "China in Chinese hauds being the policy "of British statesmen, their logical and "rational plan of procedure is exactly the procedure adopted by Lord SALISBURY. If "that plan succeeds, there will no longer be any ground for the apprehensions sug- gested by Mr. CHAMBERLAIN. Certainly England is bound to utilize to the utmost "the opportunities naturally presenting "themselves, and happily she has some years "of leisure to mature her arrangements."
In reply to our contemporary's question we should say that China's potentialities for self-defence are decidedly inferior to those of Turkey, for the Turks are naturally a fighting race, whereas the Chinese are not. Under exclusively foreign control a Chi- possibly be developed, but Turkey main- nese army of some real strength might tains her army without foreign control, and it
is a fighting force that must be regarded with respect. Turkey possesses inherent power, whereas in China the stiffening of BRITISH INFLUENCE AND POLICY to be supplied by external influence. The which our contemporary speaks would have
IN CHINA.
In an article suggested by Mr. CHAMBER- LAIN's Birmingham speecli the Japan Mail says:"A few English critics of the Spec- tator type denounce the notion of Great Britain's undertaking in the Far East a "second task of the kind that has already "cost her so much in the Near East-the “task of bolstering up a moribund empire. "These critics seem to be weary of strong "efforts.
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task would be much the same as that of stiffening a sack of flour. But the point on which we would chiefly join issue with our contemporary is that advanced in the closing sentence of his article, namely, that England happily has some years of leisure to mature her arrangements. Nothing could be more fallacious or dangerous. Events of moment are succeeding each other in China with startling rapidity, and for the nation that aspires to influence. Their advice is that England the destiny of the country there can be no "should fold her hands and resignedly ac-pausing for a few years to mature her cept bad results lest resistance should ren-arrangements. Any action to be effective "der them worse.' "}
This is a complete must be prompt. The anti-foreign riots in travesty of the policy favoured by the Specta Szechueu the other day will involve China tor, which is, not that Euglaud should fold in an embroglio with two or more Powers, her hands in the face of bad results, but that she should use her force only in a good South a rebellion is in progress which, one of them being Great Britain, and in the cause. Whether the maintenance of China though possibly its importance has been under her present corrupt Government is somewhat exaggerated, has nevertheless a good cause or not is a point on which given rise to rumours of an offer by France opinions differ. Our Yokohama contem- to restore order, which would be a con- porary goes on to many :- "Now if England venient preliminary to the occupation of has any characteristic that makes for the the disturbed province. "The development permanency of her growth it is her im- " of China in Chinese hands" which is said placable resolution in face of great pro- to be the policy of British statesmen, means "blems. She has never confessed defeat to in plain language the development of herself, and the consequence is that she has China under British influence and con- never been defeated. Should she unhap- trol, and unless British statesmen are pily lose that characteristic, the day of prepared to assume the natural respon "her decadence will have dawned. It has sibilities of that policy they had better "cost her much to maintain Turkey, but frankly abandon it and let the Chinese "Turkey has been maintained." Whether Empire fall to pieces. In that case Great the maintenance of Turkey redounds much Britain could take what she required and to England's glory let the Armenian leave the other Powers to divide what massacres answer. Proceeding, the Ja- pan Mail asks,
"Will any
was left amongst themselves. "ture to assert that China's latent poten- "tialities for self-defence are inferior to those of Turkey?" and goes on to argue as follows:-"The natural course "always the safest course. In this case "the natural course is to set China on her feet and try to stiffen her back so that she
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At Shanghai on Sunday afternoon, 10th July, a sailmaker of the German mail steamer Bayern lying in the stream and moored to the Com- pany's buoy-let himself over the side of the he climbed the buoy, took a header into the ship and began swimming about, after a while water and was not seen to rise. The body was recovered subsequently by the river police.
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