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THE CHINA ASSOCIATION DINNER.
(Daily Press, 7th December.) To residents in the Far East who have not the opportunity of attending the annual din ner of the China Association in London it
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
sincerely trusted, after what had taken place nearer home, that we should at fast make a stand to defend British interests in China. Lord Loon does not say so in so many words, but what he apparently means is that we should pursue a similar policy in China to that
which has been so successfully pursued in Egypt. That seems to us the only alterna- tive to the partitioning of the country. long for the rivival of civilisation in China, The world will not stand waiting very and if that is the means by which the country is to be saved as an independent state and an open market for the trade of the world Great Britain must play the part
of revivalist.
FATHER FLEURY'S CASE AND BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY IN THE YANGTÈZE VALLEY.
December 10, 1898.
HON. T. H. WHITEHEAD ON THE CHINA CRISIS.
(Daily Press, 5th December,) Inanother column we reprint from the San Francisco Bulletin two remarkable letters by the Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD on the
situation in China. To whom the letters were addressed is not stated, but from the
closing paragraph of the second one it would seem that they must have been written as a influence who has handed them to the private communication to some pe
person of Bulletin for publication; they do not bear the appearance of letters addressed direct to the editor. The general tone of the letters may be described as that of "swearing at "large," the hon. gentleman laying down no definite line of policy that he thinks should be adopted, but bending all his energies to show that everything in connection with the British position in China is at sixes and sevens, a task that has of late been per- formed over and over again ad nauseam. Of destructive criticism Lord SALISBURY of and his policy we have had enough and to spare; what is
wanted some constructive ability in
now is the display of
in statesmanship, and when Lord CHARLES BERESFORD passes through Hongkong on his homeward journey we hope the Chamber of Commerce and the China Association may be able to tell his Lordship not only that things are not exactly as they like them, but what they think ought to be done to mend them. On the latter point. Mr. WHITEHEAD'S letters are a complete blank. He concludes his first letter by propounding the very question to which he might have been ex- pected himself to supply the answer. "of the most grave questions of the day,” he says, is whether it would be judicious for England, single-handed, to bolster up and defend the maintenance and integrity " of the rotten, corrupt, and inde
must always be a pleasure to read the reports of that interesting gathering and to scan the list of those present. The Association's record of work is embodied in the annual report and appendices, the speeches at the dinner being of a complimentary and con- vivial character rather than expositions of high policy. At the gathering held on the 1st of last month there were, however, one or two declarations made which will strike home to residents in China or Hongkong. The one that touches us most immediately in this colony is the statement made by such a high authority as General CAMERON that our garrison is insufficient. General CA- (Daily Press, 9th December). MERON has filled the Hongkong command If the Chinese authorities neglect to deal and knows whereof he speaks. If it struck promptly and firmly with Yu MAN-TSZE'S him that the garrison was insufficient at rebellion in Szechuan and to secure the the time he was here how much more must release of the Rev. Father FLEURY they that be the case now, seeing that the for-will render themselves liable to disagreeable eign fleets on the station have been consequences. The French are talking strengthened, that Russia now has a large about sending a military expedition to rescue army massed within easy striking dis- the unfortunate captive, and no one could tance, and that the French have not only deny their right to do so; indeed, failing consolidated and strengthened their position effective action by the Chinese, it would in Tonkin, but by their occupation of seem to be a duty. Every civilised state is Kwangchowwan have become our very close responsible for the safety of its subjects neighbours and, by attempting to claim the pursuing a law abiding career in other coun- territory on our very borders as within their tries, and our own history records several sphere of influence, as well as trying to instances of demonstrations or expeditions carve out a piece of the Yangtsze Valley, undertaken for the purpose of securing are laying the seeds for a crop of difficult redress for individuals who have been the and irritating questions. We commend victims of injustice or for effecting the release General CAMERON's remarks to the atten- of captives. The Rev. Father FLEURY, a tion of all who are interested in the security missionary peaceably pursuing his calling, of this colony and especially to the local has been made a captive by Yu MAN-TaZĒ, branch of the China Association.
a sort of Celestial Robin Hood, and is now The need for a stronger garrison for Hong- held for ransom, So far the Chinese au- kong is all the greater if we are, as we all thorities have failed to secure his release, hope, to adopt a more determined and de- more from supineness than inability, finite policy in the Far East, in encouraging and action by the French would be which, as Sir WILLIAM DES VEUX said, the amply justified. Szechuen itself would solid front presented by the nation on the be rather awkward to reach, owing to the Fashoda question will be of advantage. In difficulties of transport, but these are not defining the policy to be pursued it should insurmountable. Possibly, however, France be recognised that British interests in China may elect to exert pressure elsewhere in are threatened much more by French than order to make the Chinese Government by Russian designs. With Russia it may perform its duty in the matter. In either be possible to arrive at a working agreement case there would be a bill to pay, but what advantageous to both sides and to the world is more important is that if territory were at large, but France is avowedly inimical occupied by France she might not be dis to British interests, her object being to fore- posed to evacuate it on the conclusion of stall us and exclude us wherever she can by the incident. And, having regard to the any means succeed in doing so. Her aim present situation in China and the mutual is less to advantage herself than to injure jealousy of the Powers as to their spheres us, and of her methods we have recently of influence, any seizure of territory at had a striking example in the Fashoda this juncture might lead to international incident. The spirit that dictated the complications of a dangerous order. It is Marchand expedition is operative in France's to be hoped therefore that the Diplomatic fear. "We may amuse ourselves
policy in the Far East and must be com-
batted with firmness.
Will China herself, as represented by her Government, count for anything in the solution of the various problems depending upon the future disposition of the country, or is the to be treated like a dead whale being cut up for the blubber? Lord Locu, at the China Association dinner, after re- ferring to the phenomenal progress made by Japan, went on to say that he was one of those who looked forward to the revival of civilization in the Great Empire of China and thought that under a stable Govern- ment and with the support of Great Britain a great future was yet in store for it; he believed that it was possible with judicious Government to restore in a great measure the balance of
4
"
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1.
"One
The
fensible Chinese Government." And at that he leaves it.
For our part w should say it would not be judicious. for England to bolster up and defend any "indefensible" Government, more especial- ly rotten and corrupt Government. If we are to undertake any great enterprise in China it ought to be in the direction giving the country an entirely new or thoroughly reformed Government. Then again, it will be noticed that although Russia is Mr. WHITEHEAD's bête noire, he makes it one of his grounds of complaint against the Unionist Government that “it "has pursued a course which has placed
England in hostility to Russia, hon. gentleman's idea apparently is that we should have kicked Russia out, or slammed the door in her face, without giv- ing her offence, a delicate operation beyond the capacity of any mundane Government, we by blaming Body at Peking will exert their utmost the Government for not having miraculously influence with the Tsungli Yamen in sup- combined the fortiter in re with the suaviter port of the representations made by the in modo, but the important question is,
, what French Minister as to the importance of is to be done at the present crisis? Perhaps the effecting the prompt release of Father most extraordinary portion of Mr. WHITE- FLEURY. The matter is one that specially HEAD's letters, however, is his reference interests Great Britain, for if we claim the to the Kowloon extension and the acquisi Yangtsze Valley as our special sphere of tion of Weihaiwei. Having mentioned the influence and intend to prevent other acquisitions of Russia, Germany, and France, Powers exacting satisfaction in that direc- the hon. gentleman goes on to say: tion it follows that some responsibility must Britain, yes, Great Britain, it is sad to rest upon us for the safety of the subjects"think that notwithstanding her oft de- of other nations, either by compelling or inducing the Chinese Government to take the necessary measures or by taking the work in hand ourselves. A prompt re- cognition of our responsibility would be calculated to prevent future questioning of
rower in China, and he our rights.
"
i
And
clared policy of the integrity of China, and her big talk of stopping grabbing, has herself grabbed and leased Weihaiwei * and two hundred square miles of territory "at Kowloon, opposite Hongkong." do not think the British communities in China and Hongkong will share the hon
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