February 3, 1900;}
East, and a consequent inclination on the part of the members of it to regard mer chants a and trade generally things to be squashed as much as possible. There are, of course, exceptions to this in individual members, but in what we say we are simply voicing the sense of the community nt large, and public opinion, although it may err in details, is seldom wrong as to main points. There is înr too much of the holding a brief, for the Chinese Government's state of mind | runs throughout from Pekin downwards, and it is time it was changed. A general reform is needed, and it will become the duty of those members of Parliament who have lately visited this part of the world, and of the increasing number who have interests here, to bring it prominently befor: the public at home.. The long succession of "thwarted efforts" to which reference has been made in a well-known Consular Report must no longer be tolerated. Straightforward questions will be put, and straightforward answers insisted on, as to what our Legation are doing to force the Chinese Government to carry out the concessions they have granted and which they have hitherto successfully avoided. Until that is done our Minister can go on securing the right (on paper) for British ships to carry British goods to every riverside town in China, can go on wasting the public money in telegraphing them home, and getting, in reply, telegrams of congratulation such as closed the Blue Book of 1898, without their having the slightest appreciable effect on British trade.
THE STATE OF SHANTUNG,
(Daily Press, 31st January.)
I CHINA OVERLAND TRAVE REPORT.
|
BRITISH RAILWAY UNDERTAK- INGS IN ASIA, II.
was seen, and everything in Shantung began | of being good administrators, and made to relapse. The niemory of CHANG-YEO was up for their personal crimes, by the energy scouted, his engagements repudiated and they infused into government. The pre- his trained troops dismissed. The hold of sent controller has taken care to sur- the Government on the people was relaxed, round herself with minions like Kang-Yi, and outrages on foreigners, slight at first YUEN SHI-x'at and others, whose only gradually increased in number. It was not pretence to `ability is craftiness, and however till in 1894, Lr PING-HANG, type of whose personal crimes may well.com- everything bad and objectionable in Chinese pare with her own. It is a serious under- officialdom, was appointed to the post of taking to displace the ruler of four Futai, that affairs came to a climax. A hundred and odd millions and erect n conservative of the worst type, exactions of a brand new administration; yet unless this every sort became the rule; hostility to foreign be done, and done quickly, China must con- residents was encouraged, the better disposed tinue to fall with acclerated speed, till the officials were replaced by creatures of his own, feeble bonds which omentarily hold the. the money raised for Yellow River embank-country together snap with the increasing ments was squandered amongst the office velocity, and the empire lies n helpless holders, and disorders of every sort were mass, a prey to every petty despoiler. permitted to increase unchecked. The con- servation works commenced by CHANG-YEO were neglected everywhere, and, as a conse- quence, the Yellow river burst its banks and floods and consequent famines were the result. Secret societies, the natural out-
(Daily Press, 29th January.) come of misgovernment, arose on all sides, in British hands are alrendy completed or From Karachi east wards to China railways and unable or careless to repress them, in process of construction, but there are one their members were given to understand that if they turned their energies against the
or two important links which, in the event Christains and the foreigners, no notice of such a line as that proposed by Mr. MORE- would be taken. Germany was looking ING, will need to be taken in hand. The out for an opening in Shantung and these first of these is a line through Rajputana, disorders gave her the opportunity. The making a more direct line from Karachi to murder of two priests in Yenchow-fu op- the Punjab, and thence by Lahore with the -Agra. The present railway connects with portunely followed, and the Germans geut direct lines, a detour, of several hundred the fleet, which they had been preparing miles, which in case of a thorough line being up to Kiaochow and took possession. They did more, for they insisted on the dismissal contemplated would have to be avoided by of the Futai, whose complicity, was too
a direct railway across the Indian Desert, open to be concealed. Peking seemingly, crossing the Indus somewhere about Hai- complied, but if LI PING-HANG had been adderabad. Such a line owing to the shifting his successor, YUHIEN, a Manchu, who had nature of the rivers crossed would require looked upon as impracticable. Greater difficulties would, however, be encountered in a connecting line between the Indian and Burmese systems, which would have to ascend the Brahmaputra to Sudiya, and theuce through the mountainous country north-east of Manipur to the head waters of the Irrawadi. Sections of the work are
The murder of the Rev. S. M. BROOKS at | by his anti-foreign views ingratiated himself a considerable expenditure, but cannot be
T'ai-an-fu drawsattention to the present state
with the Empress Dowager, was even worse. Ignorant and fanatic lo hnd not sufficient understanding to see that the only result of his predecessor's nuti-foreign cruande had been to give the Germans the opening hitherto been generally left alone, but they sought. Isolated foreigners had under the encouraging reign of the new
of Shantung province. Twelve years ago Shantung was one of the best administered provinces in China; now it may rank with the worst. The fault is personal, and is not to be laid at the doors of the people who have not changed during the short period under review. A traveller in 1887 describes the difference between the peoples found | Futai, who almost openly promised immunity already done, and in any event it is one
where only foreigners and Christains were concerned, the elements of misrule were let loose.
ago wns one
when crossing the frontier in the Ichow
which has always commended itself to the prefecture. In Kiangsu he had been met by
Indian Government; and sooner or later, rudeness and obstruction, on his eutering Shantung, at the very first village he was
Such is the present condition of independent of the project for extension to what but a few years
China was sure to be accomplished Such a received with courtesy and even kindness, of and he found the same feelings expressed China. The people are not changed, but system of Burma extending as far north as the best conducted provinces of line would link with the present Railway through the whole province. At Tai-au they are terrorised, and events which ten gaung, a little north of the 25th degree of N. indeed, a place of pilgrimage from times
Malatitude, so that the proposed line though anterior to history, there was an element of daily. This is the position, nor is it cou
years ago were but a memory now occur
through unsettled territory would be of no rowdyism, and the sturdy beggars who in- fined to any one portion of the province, but great length. From Mandalay in lat. 22 fested the place showed symptoms of hostility. reaches from Tehchow in the north-west to degrees and E. long. 98 ft., would begin the It was the old story of DEMETRIUs the Sil- Ichow in the south-east. The attack on
first stage of the Chinese extension, a com- versmith and the shrines of DIANA; but the Mr. BROOKS, which resulted in his murder mencement of which has already been made authorities of the city very soon put an end
near Hsing Yung-hien, is only on a par in the construction of a line to Kunlong on to any symptoms of disturbance. The pre- with what has been going on in Ichow and the frontier; and this Mr. MORKING pro- fecture of Tsao-chow, in the extreme south- Lints'ing. This is no case of fengshui disposes to extend to Tungchang-fu in Yunnan, west of the province and part of Yenchow turbed nor buildings rented contrary to the situated, according to PLAYFAIR, Int. 25 adjoining, have always traditionally borne wishes of the neighbours, but direct and degrees 05 feet long. 99 degrees 26 feet, on unprovoked attack made on the open the plateau between the Salwin and the ing the more peaceful parts of the province road and in the light of day, and is the Lantean. There is no doubt that, under were rife, but under the strong hand of the signal of a series of barbarous attacks and the most favourable conditions, the crossing then Futai, CHANGYEO, a Chinaman of fine robberies made against inoffensive peas of these rivers by a practicable line of rail- physique, who had served with distinction ants, whose sole crime is the profession of way will form one of the most formidable in Turkestan, perce and good order pre- Christianity. The trouble in this case lies problems of engineering yet undertaken. vailed everywhere. Tho soldiers, well in the utter weakness of the real offending it is impossible with our present knowledge drilled and well trained, were a real source individual. One hesitates to administer to decide on the feasibility of any route; of protection to the people, and apart from condign punishment to a decrepid old man and all hitherto traversed have been across the drain on its resources arising from the with one foot in the grave, and would rather the river valleys; and as such have been unsettled condition of the Hwanglio, the pro- have recourse to prevention. Yet how to a series of ascents and descents, frequently vince was prosperous and contented. CHANG-
put a straight waiscoat on these recalcitrant of several thousand feet. Doutbless a YRO died poor; and in those two words lay officials without raising worse difficulties is feasible route will be found, either up one the secret. He had turned the revenues of the problem of the hour. The real trouble of the depressions, or, possibly, where they his government to their legitimate ends, and is of course the usurpation of power by the are narrowest and steepest and afford so had incurred the hostility of Peking. With Empress Dowager, one of the wickedest a chance of throwing over one the death of CHANG-YEO, and theappointment women in history. Most other usurpers of more high level bridges. Arrived at of the incapable FUJUN, another face of things whom we learn had indeed the saving trait Yungchang, Tali would apparently be
an evil reputation, and stories of their raid-
=
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.