386
CHINA'S FOREIGN ADVISERS.
•
November 12, 1898.
the express sanction of the Sultan, who alone is competent to declare that French rights are not equal to British. The new French Cabinet having endorsed that view it seems improbable that Major MAR- CHAND should have been simultaneous ly instructed to evacuate the territory in dispute, though the chances are that, he will ultimately receive such orders, for we can hardly believe that France really intende to invite war over the question. Should she do so, however, it would perhaps occasion little regret in Great Britain ex- cept such as might be caused by sympathy with France in her disaster and grief for the inevitable loss of life on both sides. It seems almost inhuman to-express-a-pre- ference for war if peace is at all possible; but the relations between France and Great Britain have reached such a point that it
doubtful if they can
seems
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PŘESS AND
however, is like a game of chess, with players on each side, each trying to win in his own way. Sir ROBERT HART has been playing for the Chinese. Whether he has played well or ill must be left to posterity to decide, but he has played the game fairly. There has never been any doubt as to what his views were upon the opening up of China. He committed them to priut soon after his appointment, and for thirty-five years he has steadily adhered to them. Whether recent events may have shaken his faith in the soundness of those views we are unable to say, but writing in 1869 he said that ever since his first arrival at Peking in 1861 he had been urging the Yamen to move in the direction of what the West understands by the word Progress, qualifying this, however, by saying that for progress, involving radical changes in the customs and institutions of a country stretching so far away into the almost for be re-established on
a satisfactory, foot gotten past as China, time must be given and ing without a little blood-letting. For patience displayed. "I therefore," he con- years past France has been consistently tinued, "am daily more inclined to believe pursuing a course dictated by a desire to "that the true policy is to 'leave her alone' annoy. Great. Britain, and that not in any -not that I am satisfied with the rate at one particular quarter of the world, but "which she progresses, but that I think, everywhere; wherever she has been able "given the conditions which do exist and to get close enough to twist the lion's tail "cannot be ignored, China is most likely to see has not failed to take advantage of her- come to good in the end with benefit to opportunity. At Fashoda she has gone a "herself and harm to none, if allowed to little too far, but has still an opportunity
go along at her own rate, than if dealt of avoiding an open rupture. If the affairs "with after a fushion of which the is settled, however, in the only way in "chief characteristics would be con- which it can be settled, namely, by France's stantly resuming acts of violence and withdrawal, it is to be feared that she will "that foreign dictation which breeds revolt redouble her efforts "and checks healthy growth and natural directions where one thinks he in other
she may do so.. "action." That is a view that seemed at with greater safety. We have seen her the time fairly open. to defence, and it is steadily acting in excess of her rights in the view that the British Government long Newfoundland. In West Africa she has acted upon, either because they took it succeeded by sharp. practice in securing from Sir ROBERT HART or large tracts of territory which should pro- because they arrived at the same conclu- perly have belonged to England, and at the sion by independent reasoning. The very time when an agreement was being events of the last few years, however, concluded which it was hoped would adjust have clearly shown that China cannot be all differences between the two countries allowed to take her own time to reform; in regard to their African possessiona she must either do so at once or abide the she was quietly pushing on an expediu consequences, which promise to be unpleasant tion to filch a slice of the Khedives..
(Daily Press, 11th November.) In a despatch of Sir FREDERICK BRUCE to Earl RUSSELL referring to the appointment of Mr. (now Sir) ROBERT HART as In- spector-General of the Chinese Customs, and dated 27th November, 1863, the writer said “It is very desirable, with a view to "the maintenance of the Custom House "administration, that the head of it should "not be permanently at Peking, for if he is supposed to act as the adviser of the "Chinese in matters not appertaining to his office he thereby incurs the odium of "the errors they commit." The soundness of this judgment is to some extent illustrat- ed in the position to-day. In the impatience excited in the mind of the foreign public by the recent course of events in China there has been exhibited a tendency to turn on the Inspector-General and blame him for not having used his influence more actively in favour of progress and reform. Had he done so, it is believed in some quarters, not only would the present crisis never have occurred, but China would long ago have been thrown open to trade and to develop- ment by means of railways and the naviga- tion of her magnificent waterways by steamers. That Sir ROBERT HART in his long and successful career in Chin has committed errors of judgment goes without saying. The loss of the tea trade, for instance, must in part be laid at his door, owing to his opposition to the removal of the excessive duties levied upon the article. To blame him in any degree for the generally non-progressive character of the Chinese Government, however, is unjust. The Inspector-General is in the employ of the Chinese Government and like an honest servant has set what he deemed to be the interests of his employers first in his es- timation. If the British Government has chosen to be guided in its policy by a servant of the Chinese Government, so much the greater fool the British Govern- ment. No mau serve two masters, and in the diplomatic contests of Peking Sir ROBERT HART waз permanently retained for the dynasty and present administration, | dominions on the Nile. Coming nearer
can
on the Chinese side, and openly and avowedly so. The service over which he so ably presides was brought into existence in order to ensure an honest administration of the Customs, and that object has been very creditably fulfilled. Beyond that the head of the service was not supposed to use his influence for the advancement of British or other Foreign interests, and the reason the British Government has made it a stipula- tion that Sir ROBERT HART's successor shall be a British subject is, not that they may have an unaccredited representative working for their interests in the Chinese camp, but simply to ensure that the holder of the office shall not be inimical to Bri- tish interests. An honest, and impartial administration of the Customs service is all that is, or ought to be looked for, from the Inspector-General.
It is to be feared, however, that the British Government has too often allowed itself to be led by Sir ROBERT HART in matters outside his proper sphere. Know- ing the character of the man we may feel assured that his advice has always been given disinterestedly, but it must necessarily have been affected by the posi- tion he held as a Chinese servant. It is urged that it would have been to China's interest, to have complied with the recom- mendations Great Britain has from time to time made, and that it was therefore Sir ROBERT HART's duty to so advise the Pe king Governinent. The game of diplomacy
fi
on
trust
if not for the race.
The British Govern- ment therefore can no longer afford to be guided solely by SIR ROBERT HART or to adhere blindly to ancient traditions. Much less should they allow their policy to be influenced by Sir. HALLIDAY MAC ARTNEY, the Secretary of the Chinese Legation in London, who from his position is necessarily more subservient even than Sir ROBERT HART to influences of Chinese thought and policy. The Go- vernment must now play its own game and no longer be led by the advice of players on the opposite side..
THE FASHODA QUESTION.-
(Daily Press, 5th November.)
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1
ix
to our own field the recollection is still green of how France induced China to make over to her certain territory which had just been conceded to the latter, by Great Britain on the express condition that she should not cede it to any other Power; and France's intrigues and overbear ing conduct in relation to Siam, with a view to provoking quarrel with that country and ousting British trade and influence, are still proceeding as ac tively as ever. If war does not break out over the Fashoda incident it is almost cer- tain to break out over something else, un- less France develops : a more reasonable mind. Persistence in a course of conduct calculated to provoke a quarrel will in the long run reach its natural result, for how- The two references to the Fashoda ques-ever great the patience of the provoked tion in Reuter's telegram published to-day party it must in the long run become, age contradictory. On the one hand it is exhausted stated that M: DuruY's Cabinet has prepared a programme which endorses M. | DELCASSÉ's Fashoda - views, and on the other haud a statement by the Daily Graphic is given to the effect that Major Marchand has been instructed to withdraw from Fashoda to the Upper Ubangi, evacuating posts east of the frontier indicated by the Anglo-German agreement. M. DELCASSE's views, as given in a previous telegram, were to the effect that the rights of France to Fashoda are no less than the rights of Great Britain to Khartoum, and that the occupa tion of the Soudan cannot proceed without
"i
BRITAIN'S
WARLIKE" PREPARA; TIONS AND THEIR MEANING.
(Daily Press, 7th November). It being officially stated in Paris that the^ French Government has decided to evacunte Fashoda, the immediate danger of war- between France and Great Britain may be considered at an end. An impression prevails, however, that it was not with refer-. ence to the Fashoda question alone that the recent warlike preparations of the British » Government were made, and that impression
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