306
THE CRISIS AND BRITISH KELA-
TIONS WITH CHINA,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
likely to be a focus of intrigue, in which the least scrupulous of the contestants are likely to prove most successful. The action of the EMPRESS DOWAGER will unquestionably tend to complicate the rela- tions of China with Foreign Powers and is therefore to be regretted on that score alone. It is also deeply to be lamented as a serious set back to the Reform party and a great discouragement to those Chinese who have the real welfare of their country at heart.
(Daily Press, 8th October.) At no time probably in the history of Foreign relations with China has the situation been so ticklish as at the present moment. The Chinese Government of the day a usurpation, based on criminal violence. The Emperor KWANG SU, now known to have grown up in the seclusion of the Imperial Palace at Peking into an No doubt the simplest way out of the dif amiable and well intentioned young man, ficulty would be for the Treaty Powers to had become imbued with a desire for reform, merely recognise accomplished events and and was anxious to promote it. Mean- treat with the usurper as the successor of while, whether through outside pressure or the Son of Heaven. It is to be hoped, how- internal dissatisfaction, L. HUNG-CHANG, ever, that no Foreign Representative at the great prince of corruption in the Em-
Peking will receive instructions to that pire, had been dismissed from office. The Em- effect. To do so would be unworthy of any press Dowager, the confederate of that civilised State. It would be openly endors unprincipled man, efther instigated by her
ing usurpation and sanctioning crime. Least own alarm or prompted by him, decided on
of all would it become Great Britain to re- a coup d'état. Probably by the plentiful cognise a ruler whose accession to power use of bribes-both conspirators are well
had been signalised by violence and whose supplied with the sinews of war-they known policy it is to reinstate the man who succeeded in isolating the Emperor from his has so recently been accused of selling supporters, and the EMPRESS successfully his country to the Russians. It is certainly grasped the reins of power. Concerning what not the interest of Great Britain or the has followed comparatively little has been United States to see LI HUNG-CHANG re- allowed to transpire. The EMPRESS Dow-turn to power and place at Peking. Indeed, AGER as assumed full power and has made use of it to issue edicts against all enemies real or supposed. The luckless EMPEROR has not been seen since the coup and is believed to be dead. The EMPRESS Dow AGER, whose avarice and lust of power are about on a pir, has thus secured a third term of supremacy, for it will not be difficult for her to select some youthful scion of the reigning family and bring him up in the way she wishes him to go, namely, to ca.ry out her behests. This old harridan has had previous experience of how to play the game. The Emperor Trxa Curi was for a long term of years obliged to move as his guardihus directed, and the Emperor KWANG SU was not less obedient to her com-
it is not too much to say that these Powers ought to resist any attempt to restore this descredited mandarin to the Tsung-li Yamen at any cost. Rather than submit to such a slap in the face-for it would be that--the Anglo-Saxon Powers and their Allies should take upon themselves to remove the capital to Nanking and there set up a new Government with a new dynasty. This may sound arbitrary, but it may prove the only practicable solution of the difficulty.
THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS COMMISSION.
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[October 15, 1898.
'ness in this colony amongst the European population is not in excess of the amount "found in other ports and cities," and as there are not many ports or cities where liquor is sold as cheaply as in Hongkong, there being no Custom's duty upon it here, it would seem to follow that cheap spirits in proportion to the quantity consumed cause less drunkenness than more expensive spirits, since Hongkong, where the consump- tiou must be larger than the average owing to the low cost of the spirits, shows only the normal amount of drunkenness. The evi- dence as to the amount of drunkenness not being excessive seems fairly conclusive Lieut.-Colonel The O'GORMAN reports that. "Drunkenness in this garrison is not exces- "sive; oue seldom sees à drunken soldier by day in the streets and not often at night;" and similar replies came from the captains of the nien-of-war in port at the time the in- quiry was in progress. True Commander ST. JOHN, of the Peacock, expressed the opinion that the amount of drunkenness on the station was excessive compared with other stations on which he had served, but this opinion was coupled with the definite statement that no cases of drunkenness had occurred amongst the men of his own ship whilst at Hongkong. Commander ST. JOHN's own evidence may therefore be cited against his opinion. But although drunken- ness is not excessive in the colony there re- mains the question whether in individual cases the character of spirit consumed pro- duces unusual effects of the nature of temporary insanity. Lieut.-Colonel The O'GORMAN says: "The Chinese liquor
(commonly called 'Bazaar liquor ') has · very frequently the effect of making men violent.
Commanding Officers "have reported that this cheap Chinese liquor makes men mad for a time and is the cause of most of the ser- "ious crimes. Non-commissioned officers have told me that this fiery spirit takes The Alcoholic Liquors Commission find "effect upon soldiers very quickly, drives mand until quite recently. Knowledge with that the complaints as to the sale of dele- "them off to brothels, and is the cause of him, poor lil, came too late. When he, interious spirits in Hongkong are unfounded. "nearly all the cases of insubordination accordance with advice, attempted to ex-The drunkenness that takes place must
"and other crimes." There seems, however, ercise the authority supposed to be his therefore be due to the quantity and not the to be no scientific evidence in support of prerogative, and to institute some much quality of the liquor consumed. Mr. F. the bad character given to Chinese spirits. needed reforms in the administration of the BROWNE, the Acting Government Analyst, Surgeon Colonel EvATT reports that the government, the Empriss Dowager saw when giving evidence before the Commis- condition of the cases of alcoholism ad- her influence and ascendenty threatened, sion was asked " How is artificial whisky mitted to hospital during 1897 was appar and hastened to procure the downfall of the
prepared?' to which he replied "Iently due to the quantity rather than the puppet she set up on the death of TUNG
"have here the price list of a most respect-quality of the liquor consumed and that' CHIH
able firm, and I see that they sell whisky there were no cases of delirium tremens essence at 22 shillings a pint. One pint which were considered to be the result "of this essence (Scotch or Irish) added of a brief period of intoxication. Dr. to 100 gallons of proof spirit, or ATKINSON's replies are complicated by spirit of the desired strength, forms the introduction of cases of datura and "whisky of a superior quality." In answer Indian hemp intoxication, which were pre- to another question Mr. BROWNE expressed sumably cases of poisoning, but he is of the opinion that the alcohol used in the opinion that the cases of intoxication ad- manufacture of artificial spirits was likely mitted to hospital were due chiefly to the to be a more or less pure product, ie., free quantity and uot the quality of the liquor from fusel oil, etc., or any injurious consti- consumed. The replies of Dr. G. MACLEAN,' tuent. Spirit so manufactured is necessarily Deputy Inspector-General, R.N., are to the cheap, and its cheapness will naturally lead sanie effect as regards his own observation, to its being: consumed in larger quantities but he adds:-" I have heard from than more expensive spirits, when the cou- "medical officers of ships in harbour that sumers are men with only a small amount they have frequently to deal with cases of money to spend, such as soldiers and among their ships companies of men sailors. The deleterious element of the suffering from the effects of what they spirits in question seems in fact to be their have reason to believe to be deleterious cheapness. A strong opinion prevailed that adulterated liquors supplied to them on the cheap spirits sold in the drinking saloons "shore; and I am informed that the cases of were radically bad; the Commission has "intoxication which occur in the Seamen's been of value in dissipating this idea and "Club are invariably the result of inferior directing attention to the real cause of the liquor supplied to the men from outside by evil which led to the appointment of the
"native vendors." It seems to have been Commission, namely, that the drunkenness found impossible, however, to get any direct here is due to the quantity and not to the evidence, evidence at first hand, of the quality of the liquor consumed,' As they existence and sale in the colony of these say in another paragraph that "drunken-alleged deleterious adulterated liquors.
The condition of affairs in the capital is now largely a matter of conjecture. The utmost vigilance is exercised by the party in power to watch persons entering or leaving Peking, and this is a mafter of comparative case, as they have control of the gates. It is to be presumed also that the position of foreigners resident there is not either pleasant or secure. If the capital becomes so disturbed that life and property are unsafe, the Powers will not be long in taking steps to intervene for their own protection, and any attempt to encourage a rising of the populace against foreigners at this juncture would lead very speedily to intervention and the overthrow of the usurping, female tyraut. What would happen thereafter it is difficult to predict. There might be differences of opinion, Russia and France might have some nominee to support, Great Britain, Ger- many, and the United States another, and perhaps other Powers a third. Of course it is possible that they would all agree to support the same claimant, but even then there might be a scramble for his sub- sequent good offices. The outlook is not a bright one. Peking is, more than ever,
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(Daily Press, 11th October).
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