November 19, 1898.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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"Though the transformation of Japan ap- peared to be the work almost of a genera- tion, it was really the outcome of a long preparation on the part of an intelligent "and patriotic governing class.”
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predominance, which may one day eventuate in a formidable combination against her." Even the entry of the United States upon the field of European politics is regarded by the British Premier as a grave event and not conducive to peace, although he thinks it likely to in the long run benefit British interests. There is here a not very remote reference, we take it, to American colonial interests and the evident determination of Great Britain to stand by her eldest born and see that she gets her rights and fair play. Probably Lord SALISBURY sees in a vision of the future the Anglo-Saxon nations standing shoulder to shoulder in a desperate struggle with some other combination of Powers, or perhaps hopes for an alliance that in its timely inception may avert the necessity of any appeal to arms. But in the meantime he is of opinion that Britannia must stand ready, prepared for all emer- gencies, with her hand on her sword hilt, aud her Navy invincible and alert. The axiom that the best way to preserve peace is to be prepared for war was never truer than it is to-day, and though such insurance is costly it is well worth the money for the security it creates.
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This comparison does not commend it- self, the principal difference in the two cases being overlooked. The men of the Choshu and Satsuma claus who effected the Japanese revolution of 1868 had command of the greater portion of the military forces of the Empire; it was less their moral influence than the influence of the "big "battalions" that effected the result. At that time the Japanese nation was probably less permented with modern ideas than the Chinese nation of to-day; and there had been no time for "a long preparation on the part of an intelligent and patriotic go- verning class," for only fifteen years had elapsed since Commodore PERRY's expedi- tion led to the opening of the country to foreign intercourse. The movement was in fact carried through with phenomenal rapidity. In making a comparison between the Chinese and Japanese regard must be paid to the greater mobility of the Japanese character, but, couservative as the Chinese are, the idea of progress and reform has taken firm root in a not inconsiderable proportion of the population, including large numbers of the officials, amongst them being even some of the older generation. If KANG YU-WEI had only been content to exercise a little patience, to go slow, until the reform party was firmly seated in the saddle, the country would have readily accepted the reform measures and any isolated ebullitions of opposition would have been as easily over come as they were in the analogous case of Japan. But unfortunately the reformers were not only impatient, but they also had only moral influence to rely upon, and not too much of that, for it was only with the extremists that KANG YU-WEI's personality carried weight. Had he been content to confine himself for some time longer to the dissemination of modern ideas, instead of attempting suddenly to carry them into effect in the conduct of the administration and to overthrow powerful vested interests without any material force at his back, some of the more powerful mandarins would have been won over to the cause, as CHANG- CHIH-TUNG is believed already to have been at heart, and as vacancies occurred in the official ranks they might have been filled by friends of the reform movement, so that when the time was ripe a successful and probably a bloodless revolution in the ad- ministration might have been effected.
`REFORM IN CHINA,
(Daily Press, 17th November.) The Japanese Minister having been re- ceived in audience by the Emperor of China it would appear to be satisfactorily established that not only is His Majesty still alive, but also that he has neither abdicated nor been. actually deposed. Possibly the Empress Dowager, on assuming the regency, deemed it prudent not to put the young monarch out of the way until she saw how her as- sumption of power was received by the country and by the foreign Powers, and in view of the solicitude excited as to his fate has arrived at the conclusion that it may be convenient to allow him to continue nominally as Emperor while she holds the reins of government. For similar reasons she may be induced grudgingly to let the reform movement slowly progress, instead of attempting to stop it entirely, for it has become evident that the country is ripe for reform and to a great extent desirous of it. The Times in a recent article on the Em- peror's reform edicts says: "That there “ are a certain number of the younger "officials who are aware of modern neces- "sities must be inferred from the fact that "most of these edicts are based upon their reports and memoranda. But the EMPEROR possibly had no power to strike at abuses "in the only effectual way, or perhaps did A golden opportunity was lost, but even not see where to begin in such a weltering now the case is not quite hopeless. The mass of corruption and neglect of public Empress-Dowager herself appears to recog- duty. An individual, however highly nise that progress cannot be altogether placed, has but little chance of doing good stayed, and the conviction will continue to be "when the whole machinery with which he borne in upon the nation that the safety "has to work is in the hands of men im- and integrity of their country depends upon "pervious to his ideas and interested in the acceptance of the principles of reform. opposing innovation. Any considerable We quoted the other day from a memoran- "reformation must be preceded by the dum written by Sir ROBERT HART in "creation of a large class of convinced 1869 on Chinese matters, in which he reformers, and such a class does not maintained that the true policy was to exist in China. In that respect there "leave her (China) alone." In that "is the greatest difference between China same memorandum Sir ROBERT urged "and Japan, although people sometimes that to feel the want of material strength "talk as if what was done in the latter was at the bottom of all wants, was the "with apparent ease can also be done in the parent of all progress. China, he said, is "former. Japan had a patriotic and capable" attempting to satisfy that want; in that * governing class which was ripe for assimi- Inting Western ideas and could think out for itself the methods of applying them to their own country. When that class moved it moved with effect. It had clear ideas, it had concerted plans, and i it was strong in the moral in- fluence it wielded under the old régime.
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"attempt to supply a want to which she has "become keenly alive other wants are mak- ing themselves felt, and the number of wants will increase, and just as she succeeds "of herself in supplying one, so will China's "determination to satisfy the others become keener and be exercised after a more in- telligent fashion, Thus in her attempt to
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"become strong physically China has, to “my mind, entered upon a career of im- “provement and will, step by step, develop resources, create industries, and achieve progress materially, intellectually, mor "ally.
Sir ROBERT HART was too sanguine in supposing that the best policy was to "leave her alone,” but as a matter of fact China has not been let alone, and affairs have now arrived at such a pass that she must either reform or " go under.' The want that Sir ROBERT HART mistakingly thought was so keenly felt in 1869 must be felt in reality now, and has in fact been in- creasingly felt for some years past. Already the telegraph has been introduced, raile
lway construction is proceeding, foreign literature translated into the vernacular is widely read, and it may perhaps even be claimed that the fact of the Emperor's life having been spared in the execution of the recent Palace revolution is in itself a proof of some degree of moral progress in high places, or at least of regard for public opinion. No doubt the patience of China's friends and well-wishers will continue to be sorely tried by the slowness of her rate of progression, but progress there is, and the ground is surely if slowly being prepared for a new and better order of things in the administra tion. There is some satisfaction in thinking that China may in time work out her own regeneration if allowed to, but more satisfac- tory still would it be if Britain would boldly accept the task of working it out for her by the exercise of wholesome guidance and coercion, for then we would not have to wait? so long for tangible results.
CHINESE SHAREHOLDERS AND ENGLISH COMPANY LAW.
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(Daily Press, 18th November.) · The question of the position and liabilities of Chinese shareholders in respect of calls made upon the shares held by them in Companies registered under English law has been brought to an issue by the case of the Bank of China, Japan, and the Straits, Limited (in liquidation). The liquidator brought an action against certain Chinese shareholders at Shanghai for the amount of calls due and the case was tried be fore the Taotai, who decided that, not withstanding that the defendants held their shares under an agreement to be bound by English law in all matters relating thereto, they are not liable for calls made in the winding up. The grounds of this decision are (1) that esse must be governed by Chinese law, since it is provided by the treaty between Great Britain and China that ip cases involving the interests of subjects of the two nations the law governing the said cases shall be those of the country to which the defendants belong, and (2) that there is no Chinese law whereby a man may be forced to pay extra money on his shares against his will. Mr. BYRON BRENAN, the British Consul-General, who sat with the Taotai at the trial of the case, complains in a protest against the judgment that it is not in accordance with Chinese law, a Chi nese subject being held bound, according to native law, by any contract he may enter into of his own free will. The case has now been brought to the notice of the Bri- tish Minister by the Shanghai General Cham- ber of Commerce, and the Hongkong Cham- ber has been asked to support the represen tation made. There can be no question as to the equity of the case; if a person of one nation enters into a contract with persons of other nationalities it is obviously open to the parties concerned to enter into an agreement to be bound in all mattere
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