April 28, 1899.]
come to pay them, and who superin- tended its disbursement? To organise such a force and bring it from a dis tance, to supply the commissariat and uniform-for the men wore uniform must have cost a considerable sum of "money. As already stated, a public sub- scription was raised for the purpose some months ago, but the movement could not have succeeded without official connivance and incitement. The fact that the men were in uniform has apparently led to the supposition that they were soldiers, but this we are inclined to doubt, as the employ ment of the regular troops would have fixed the officials with too direct a respon- sibility. The uniform worn will, we think, turn out to have been a specially-design- ed one, the idea being to subsequently represent the movement as a popular one over which the authorities had no control. Native report, however, has already men- tioned the name of one official as being surreptitiously connected with the affair, namely, a Hanlin named TANG YUEN KENG, the head-master of the Kwong Nga College, a school established at Canton by Chang Chih-tung during the term of his viceroyalty and now supported by TAN, the present Viceroy, under whose
orders TANG is understood to have been acting.
CHINESE TREACHERY.
(Daily Press, 18th April.) It is quite characteristic of the Chinese Government to make a concession and then, by underhand and secret means, endeavour subsequently to render it of po effect. Indeed, such has, ever since the commencement of intercourse between the "Central Kingdom
" and foreign Powers, been the policy of the Taungli Yamen. The leasing of the Kowloon Hinterland has been no exception to the rule. The con-
vention was duly signed and ratified, but no steps have been taken to hand over the territory amicably to the Hongkong Gov. ernment. No proclamation appears to have been issued by the Viceroy of the Kwang provinces to the people of the ceded dis- triot that the territory had been transferred to the British flag and that they were to give peaceful submission to the new Author- ity, who would respect their rights and protect their interests. It is true that the Hongkong Government have, as we said yesterday, blundered sadly in the matter, most of all by invoking the protection of the Viceroy TAN after his barefaced attempt to belittle the British Government, which was so sharply rebuked by Sir CLAUDE MAODONALD. But the mistakes of the Colonial Government in no degree lessen the responsibility of the Peking Government for the scarcely veiled hostility of their sat- rap at Canton. It cannot for one moment be supposed that the hostile demonstration made at Taipohu on Saturday last was organised either by the Triad Societies or by the villagers in the district. Indeed, the inhabitants have taken the very earliest opportunity of repudiating any connection with the proceedings, and have publicly welcomed the change of rulers by waiting upon the Governor and presenting flags for the occasion. The more sober portion of the population could have no sympathy with a movement calculate to seriously damage their interest. They cannot fail to see that the change of rule will be all for their advantage, not only in securing for them freedom from molestation by the banditti that have of late terrorised the country side, but also in a prospective
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
great enhancement of the value of their landed property.
THE KOWLOON REBELLION.
(Daily Press, 19th April.) What is the plan of campaign in conneo- tion with the rebellion in the Kowloon hinterland? Are we to be content with the establishment of a military camp at Taipo and to leave all the country outside the range of the guns exposed to the ravages of the enemy? If so the affair may drag on for months, with much loss of prestige to the Government and much suffering on the part of the peaceably-disposed inhabitants. There is no use blinking facts. There is a rebellion in progress a contemptible little rebellion perhaps, but a rebellion never- theless or should we call it an invasion? and the Government must nothraitate to take such measures as may be necessary for its suppression. The territory is now. British, and further appeals to the Chinese authorities would be out of order, even W their futility had not already been so com-
power that lies behind Moderation in demands only evokes surprise in "Peking, Just as in the case of the savage massacres never respect, and a spirit of courteous con- and anti-missionary riots in the towns of the ciliation is instantly construed into a con- Yangtze Valley a few years ago, the officialsciousness of weakness. The Japanese and hand is visible, first in inciting the populace the Russians alone understand the working to violence and then in taking care to keep of the Chinese official mind and they have the real authors of the disturbances in the experienced the least difficulty in enforcing background. The opposition to the es- their demands. If Lord SansBURY will tablishment of British authority in the only take a leaf out of their book he will Hinterland has clearly been organised on save himself and the Queen's Representative a very considerable scale. The nominal at Peking an infinity of trouble, and will leaders have had at their back men who with the minimum of effort uphold "as it could write cleverly worded appeals to the should be upheld British prestige in this passions of the mob, cunningly devised and | vast but orumbling Empire. carefully culculated misstatements concern- ing the intentions of the British toward the landowning class, and extract a good supply of funds wherewith to arm and equip a large body of men. We have already expressed the opinion that the uniform in which these troops were garbed will prove to be a special one-adopted with a view to furnish a plausible excuse that they were volunteers in a patriotic cause-but we have little doubt that there were regular soldiers among them, and it will probably be found that they carry arms not very different from those used by the Viceroy's own troops. The facts that these levies were regularly equipped and led, that they occupied a carefully chosen position, had a battery erected, and were sheltered in a series of trenches, all prove that they were not a mere rabble of undisciplined peasants. All the circumstances point to a planned determination to make the occupation of the territory, which should, and would under ordinary circumstances, have been u peace- ful and pleasant ceremony, an occasion for pletely exposed. The British Government bloodshed and a costly and troublesome is responsible for the restoration' and main- business, calculated to stir up trouble and tenance of order in British territory; 'and make the new lessees appear to the world the responsibility is one that canno be in the light of unwelcome and hated in shirked. Has General GABOOIONmỵ then, truders. Already the Government have been given a free hand to clear the country, or is it a fact, as we have heard- suggested, been put to considerable expense, which that he is restrained by the civil Government! they will not like to place to the debit of There seems some reason to suppose that the new territory, as it is very evident that the main opposition comes from people who the latter suggestion is not unfounded, otherwise the General would almost 'der- are practically invading it from the Tung-tainly by this time have had another force out operating from the Deep Bay side so as to shut in the enemy and compel his complete surrender or' annihilation.” Toʻaft down at Taipohu and wait for the enemy to disperse, or merely to chase him up and down the territory, giving him chanoss to dodge and double, would be a calamitõus and disgraceful policy. General GARODIGE
kun district.
Under these circumstances are
we to tamely submit to this breach of faith without an attempt at redress? Are we to allow His Excellency TAN to put his tongue in his cheek and politely express regret that the people of the leased district had so little refish for the proposed change that they took up arms to resist the new occupation? A thousand times no. The Convention of the 9th June last is not so satisfactory a document that it will not ad- mit of amendment, and we trust that Her Majesty's Representative will at once receive instructions,-(1) To demand the dismissal of TAN from the Government of the Two Kwang; (2) the punishment of the leaders of the invading force sent into the Hin- terland; (3) the removal of the stipula tion in the convention for the continu- ance of Chinese rule in Kowloon City; (4) the immediate adjustment of the fron- tier to include Shanchun and the valley in which it is situate; and (5) the cession of the territory in perpetuity instead of its lease on a ninety-nine years' term. Treachery should always be punished promptly and severely, and some much more sweeping conditions than the above might well be dictated, but the British Government (no matter what statesman is for the time at the head of affairs) is always longstaffering and prone to make matters easy for a beaten foe. Unfortunately this generosity and forbearance are never appreciated by orientals, who only respect force and the
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should at once be entrusted with definite orders to clear the country and be allowed to use an unhampered discretion in carry- ing out the orders.
SIR HENRY "BLAKE'S VISIT TÙ CANTON
(Daily Press, 19th April.) A correspondent signing himself “ Old Resident," writing in yesterday's issue of Sir HENRY BLAKE's visit to the Viceroy of. Canton, said "The fact that the Gover nor went promptly to the fountain head seems to indicate that he has acquired “considerable knowledge of the complex "system of government in China.” The China Gazette, referring to the same incident, says:- -“On what grounds then we are to "explain the sudden and extraordinary "incursion of Sir HENRY BLAKE, the new "Governor of Hongkong, into the Viceregal "Yamen at Canton, to request that "official's aid in obtaining a remission of "active Chinese opposition to the delim- “itation of the Kowloon frontier, our are at a loss to understand, except on: "ground that Sir HERY (ISS YOTY}{
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