142
:
CHINA AND HE. MINES.
|
Own.
Not so
meat
[March 3, 1900.
THE CASE OF KING LIEN-SHAN.
(Daily Press, 27th February.) GRAVE news is reported from Macao, to the effect that KING LIEN-SHAN, the ex-manager of the Imperial Chinese Telegraphs, has been arrested there and will be handed over to the Chinese authorities. KING, it will be remembered, was the man who sent the tele- gram from Shanghai urging the Empresa Dowager not to depose the Emperor KWANG HAU. We repeat here the terms of that telegram, which was signed by KING LIEN- SHAN and 1,231 others:--
"
"
CA
"When we received the edict of the 24th instaut, in which the Emperor prop‹ sed to abdicate on account of illness, we were amazed, and the mandarins, gentry, and "merchants from all the provinces residing in Shanghai became full of anxiety and "discussed the matter everywhere in the
streets.
We, therefore, wire to you to beg of you to be loyal and faithful, and on behalf of the nation to implore the Em- peror not to think of abdicating, though "he should be unwell, so that the Empress
40
44
Downger at her advanced age may not have the extra burden of ruling a dis- "tracted Empire, and so that the spirits of our nucestors may be at rest and the people "live in peace."
(4
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND else when the plain issues are brought menced to cast longing eyes towards the new before them. It is in order that these fields of adventure being gradually opened issues may be clearly brought forward that up in the Far East. China had enjoyed for we have advocated the formation of a local so many years the premier position in committee here, formed from the Govern- Eastern Asin that she came to occupy an ment Officials, the Mercantile Community, intellectual position not unlike that of and the Consular Body, who should be Rome in Europe before the 16th century; armed with powers to make a full and the neighbouring peoples not only acknow- searching enquiry into the various matters ledged her political supremacy but came to 118 the fountainhead of dealt with in our article of the 24th of last look upon her month and to lay the result before the culture. The Imperial system of China Public and the Government--fully prepar- became indeed the model of administration ing both for the coming question of Tariff from Korea to the Malay peninsula. The Revision. The Shanghai Chamber should be ¦ philosophy of China was taught in the invited to co-operate and a joint representa- schools; and the repression of private in- tion be made by the whole community of tercourse, and the elevation of the bureau- the Far East to the Government at Home.cracy became the aims of the various go- Influential and capable men, as we pointed-vernments. Korea held on longest to her out, should be authorized to represent these slavish subserviency, while Japan, on the
more lively" views to the public bodies in England and | other hand, inhabited by a through them to bring pressure to bear on people, was the first to throw off her thruidon. unwillingly yielding to for ign the Government. Not so long ago H. M. Japan, Minister pointed out in his speech in London | pressure at first, soon found the means to that the merchant must rely upon himself. assimilate tho e elements which had ren- It will be well to take him at his word. dered the arms of Europe superior to her Mines were opened, railways built, a new army and a new unvy created, with Chinn. What she might have done under (Daily Press, 2nd March.)
legitimate sovereigns may remain a THAT there is a great field for development question, for, as a fact, her government fell in the mineral resources of the Far East, into the hands of a feeble regency, to which no one who has studied the question will succeeded the rule of an intriguing con- be prepared to deny. The north of China
cubine. The traditional policy of the T'SINGS frem Kansu to the Gulf of Pechili is known
appealed to her instincts, and repression of to have aboundant stores of coal and i ́on,
enterprise of every sort became the and in the ranges buttressing the elevated stereotyped, because the easiest, line to plateau of Mongolia the precious metals,
pursue. Almost by accident a tramway fead, and copper also occur at frequent in- from a coal mine a shipping station tervals and in localities even now readily
ክ trunk ailway
linc, accessible. The people at large are well and had the government had sufficient aware of the fact, and would gladly wel- foresight to carry out the policy this come the opening of mines. No trouble has inaugurated it might have kept amongst been excited over the working of the coal its own people the development of mines seams at Tongshan and Linsi, and the people and railways as effectively as has Japan. of Chihli, so far from raising objections to Unfortunately its jealousy of its own people the lines of railway already open, have in interfered, while the result of its needlessly the short time since their construction be provoked war with Japan showed its utter came so habituated to them that railways weakness. Meanwhile the foreigner was now form an important feature in the or knocking at the door. The concessions dinary everyday life of Chihli. So with which naturally would have passed in any regard to mines there is no innate feeling regulated country to individuals, were now against their being worked. In the earlier clamoured for by nations; France and periods of historical China their utility was Russia unfortunately taking the lead. recognised and abundent evidence of early What might have been effected by a few workings remains. In North Chihli and in private individuals without damage to the Shautung under the MING dynasty mining stite, came to he demanded by nations as was carried on extensively under the auspices as ievers for the disintegration of the of the Government, and abundant remains Empire. This is the unfortunate position of the old workings may in several districts that LI HUNG-CHANG's crafty and ignoble be noticed. With the incoming of the policy t lalancing on nation against an- TS'ING dynasty a charge was seen. The other has ended in. Great Britain was new Manchu rulers had not sufficient con- pressing reforms, and a general opening up fidence in the people whom they had con- of mines and railways. It was not denied quered to permit any extensive associations that they would be advantageous, but to be formed, and it was, besides, part of the:r they were inconvenient, and Lt, who had settled policy to prevent that free intercom-made himself particularly convenient to the
grew
into
munication without which no mining on an EMPRESS DOWAGER, was bitten with a extensive scale can be profitably carried on. special Anglophobia. So, like weak rulers Not only does no engineering work of any in all ages, he sought to excite jealousies consequence owe its initiative to the Ts'INGs, among the foreign Powers, and found in but direct measures were taken to prevent Russia a powerful counterpoise to England. the upkeep of such work. The roads and But Russia required in this game to be paid, canals were permitted everywhere to fall and exacted to the utmost her pound of into deray, or none but the most necess-flesh. It was the old story, the vultures who ary repairs were exccuted, and these were mainly confined to the Grain canal for the supply of Peking. The government saw that it could use the old Confucianism which it adopted to further its ends of reducing the people to a common level, and it adroitly encouraged such a rendering of the old It made use of the superstition with regard to fengshui to 'prevent puterprise, and consistently checked every effort to get out of the heaten track. Such was the condition of China in the emily part of the century when the European nations com-
BAWS.
|
had been waiting for the quarry to die, lost patience and rushed on their prey. Mean- While in this greedy rush nothing is done, but a vast heap of rights to be assumed one day has been raised. Unfortunately for China she has not been discriminating in the distribution of her rights, and has been granting them in duplicate and triplicate, till er consent has come to be a matter of so little moment that they are openly quarrelled over between the representatives of the nations. Such is the state of China and her concessions, at the moment.
KING LIEN-SHAN is one of the chief pro- moters of Telegraph Administration in China, and is a strong supporter of the Natural Fee Society, the Shanghai Girls' College, and other good causes, beside being a very charitable man generally. Te news of his arrest is not yet confirmed, and, but for the appearance of truth in the form in which the reports reaches us, we would hesitate to believe that the Portuguese authorities can be so base as to consent to his surrender Such a surrender into Chinese hands. means nothing less than death. The influ- ence of everyone interested in the future welfare of China should be exerted to pre- vent this crime, which is only another in the long list standing against the names of the Empress Dowager and her favourites. China can ill spare any good man just now. Still less cau Portugal afford to be associated with the bloodthirsty tyranny of China's present rulers. Such a subservience would recall the early days of Macao's history, when there was at least the excuse for ser- vility that China had then the power to en- force what she can now only demand.
ARREST OF KING LIEN-SHAN IN MACAO.
We have been favoured with the following fuller details about the arrest which we an-
nounced on the 27th of King Lien-shan. late superintendent of the Shanghai branch of the Imperial Chinese "elegraphs,
King was arrested in Maʊno oh Satur- day last by order of an ediot issued at the in- stauce of the Empress-Dowager, for the offence that he transmitted a telegram to the Tsungli Yamou signe! by over 1,300 persons, in which his owu name was included, praying that the Emperor Kwang bsu should retain the Dragon Throne and should have full power in the ad- ministration of the government. On learning that bis arrest was decided upon King Lion- shan left his post in Shanghai and proceeded to Macao ander the impression that a Western civilized government would give him protec- tion. His position is now as follows, and we bare it on the best anthority.
Lo Hok-shan, who is well known in South
China as a man who made large amounts in running the Waising Lottery in Canton, and
8
afterwards bought the rank of Taotai with part of the money, but lost his button for certain offence and was afterwards in Canton by the last Viceroy, wanted was Iving lately in a large foreign house од the Bubbling Well Road, Shanghai,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.