406
THE BOXER OUTBREAK.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[June 16, 1900.
We
of England and France, held Canton for sacks to put the Chinese Empire on its legs four years, 1858-61, with only a few thousand again. The incident would be scarcely no more difficult to govern. But at that cation of how insignificant are the remains soldiers, and possibly Peking would prove worthy of notice, except as a very clear indi- time the Chinese did not possess the arms of our once well-secured predominance at of precision they now use, which go so far Peking. That predominance we have lost, to equalise matters and discount individual not by any reverse at arms, nor by any prowess. The Chinese made little use of diminution in our powers of defence or their arms during the Chino-Japanese War, offence, but simply by our want of appre- it may be admitted, but the arms and am- ciation of events going on around as due munition did not then always tally, and the to that cloud of intense ignorance with which men were most disgracefully led. They would we elected to surround ourselves. be handled no better now, and probably an hope, therefore, that we may look on the easy victory would be gained; but the dan-despatch of troops from this Colony as the frequently and painfully impressed upon us in China. ger of under-valuing the enemy has been so beginning of a more worthy British policy during the South African campaign, that too low. Their fanatic belief in their own we are not disposed to estimate the Boxers invulnerability is a force to be reckoned with, and one that is likely to impel them to deeds of daring which no son of Han under It is to be hoped, therefore, that the Treaty other circumstances would venture to essay, Powers are not about to undertake the over- throw of the Central Government of China
(Daily Press, 13th June.) The Treaty Powers, after a protracted fit of consideration, appear to be at last awake to the fact that the position at Peking is precarious. The Foreign Represen- tatives have become so accustomed to living in an atmosphere of intrigue and uncertain ty that it took them some time to realise that the movement initiated by the so-called Boxers was actually levelled against foreig- ners generally, and might even bring dis- comfort on the Legations eventually. So they have now obtained a body of sailors and marines from the Foreign Fleets, and now the British and Russian Governments are bestirring themselves to send troops to Tientsin. It is reported from Shanghai that the Russians have landed 4,000 at Tongku and that Admiral SEYMOUR has landed a Na- val Brigade at Taku and forcedh is way to- ward Peking in an armed train as far as Lofa. Meanwhile instructions have been received here from home to get ready a force of a thousand men for despatch North if required, and this is now equipped and held in readi-and the substitution of a new machinery of
What it is expected to accomplish with a body of two thousand men we cannot pretend to say. Perhaps it is hoped that by joining forces with Russia, and indu- cing the friends of order in China to rally round them, it will be possible to upset the existing maladministration at Peking, and
ness.
set
1
administration without taking ample pre- cautions to support and maintain the fresh dispensation.
(Daily Press 15th June.)
Many of us remember the early aspirations against the advance of Russia. The utter of Lord SALISBURY to make China a bulwark absurdity of the project was exposed at the time by the entire English press in China, aided eventually by the home papers. We foretold the coming invasion of the world may remember, too, how Lord WOLSELEY by China, become under a regenerated Gov- ernment the mistress of her own destinies. Lord SALISBURY has, it is true, learnt many things since then, but it is evident that much of the old prejudice cleaves to him still. China, however, it is well to remember, may yet become a formidable menace; but if she do, we may rest assured it will not be as That the present position in North China Power. This is the situation that our Prime China, but under the yoke of some stronger up a new and strong Government under is full of dangerous eventualities no one, who Minister has half grasped, and has shown the Emperor KWANG SU. There isuch m❘ has paid any attention to the progress of to others by his policy that he dreads; yet wild talk of the widespread nature of the events, cannot doubt, nor is it easy to forecast by as trange fatuity, almost like that of conspiracy of which the Boxers" are the the issue. The events of the last few weeks China herself in her present attraction to visible outcome, but although the association numbers perhaps hundreds of thousands it somnolence which has been, as it were, epi- dependence on others, has actually been in- are certainly due to that morbid state of Russia, he, by his indifference and blind must be remembered that only a small demic for many years in Peking, and which strumental in fostering. Yet if we read the percentage are effectively armed, and fewer in its most severe form has always disas signs aright there are in the field already still have the smallest knowledge of military trously affected the surroundings of the Bri- influences making strongly for good. If the discipline. Unless they are backed up by tish Legation, even more seriously than its Continental Powers as a whole seek in the the Chinese Government and stiffened by neighbours." Notoriously the British Lega-destruction of the Chinese power to gain the presence among them of Chinese troops tion has always been the last to obtain in- they would not be able to make any stand formation of any important movement besides Great Britain herself who have no their own territorial ends, there are others against the disciplined soldiers or sailors of in Peking. Did this misfortune consort such interest. Foremost amongst this is of the West. The danger in a case of this with a simple absence of positive know-course the United States; America is being kind always lies in delay; the longer the ledge, we might feel reasonably happy forced willy-nilly into prominence as a factor blow is deferred, the higher rise the hopes at the result. In the case of the British in the affairs of the world; and nowhere, and the spirits of the rebels. It is not, how- Legation it is, however, its peculiar function outside the boundaries of the States, are ever, wholly or solely against the Boxer to be, in the great majority of interesting her interests of greater importance than organisation that a blow must be struck: events, not only profoundly ignorant, but in China. Of the interests of Australia the weak and corrupt Manchu Government misinformed, and we have had frequently to and Canada in the issue we have al- needs a sharp lesson. Indeed no further trust refer to its too absolute dependence on the ready spoken; they cannot be disregarded can be reposed in an administration which has Inspectorate General, or second-hand news by any British Minister in the near future. shown itself at once so puerile and so un-
wired from the friendly. The sympathies of the Manchu Portland
Chinese Legation in In addition to these there is, moreover, Place. princes and mandarins have avowedly been which
The indifference, with Japan. It is true that Japan, or a large given to the bellicose Boxers; the Empress 1898 was regarded by the British Govern- annexation; but Japan has already essayed
coup d'etat
of September faction in Japan, talk openly of a policy of Dowager is believed, with good reason, toment, has always seemed prophetic of some wish their movement success; and it is re- disaster to our prestige in Peking. It has unsatisfactory. At all events Japan knows the policy, and found it in the last degree ported that these rowdies have secretly re- certainly been taken advantage of by the even better than England that her own ceived encouragement from officials in high Continental Powers as an indication of our places. Now the conspiracy that the man-growing indifference to our position as a lead- Russian aspirations to exclusive pre- existence is now bound up in the defeat of darins fondly hoped to make an instrumenting Power in the East; and working slowly dominance in Asia; and an intelligent and wherewith to accomplish the destruction of but surely under the cover of this indiffer-active British Minister will, from the very the Caucasian in China has not yet been
necessities of the case, always find himself wrought into a convenient weapon. Full of
energetically supported from both these violence and vanity, the Boxers are yet
sides. Now it is true that the principal seemingly without a plan, and simply spend
statesmen in America have begun to re- their energies in burning, devastating, and
cognise this phase of the question, and there wasting property, taking life when there is
is good reason to believe that Lord SALIS- no possibility of successful resistance, un- willing to attack any but unarmed peasan-
the position is satisfactory, and if the exi- BURY has already been approached. So far try, peaceful missionaries and unoffending
gencies of the moment are sufficiently grasped engineers in small parties. No doubt the
by the Minister, the situation is capable of sight of a battalion of European troops or
been turned to profitable account. sailors would produce a panic in their ranks
precisely here, however, that Lord SALIS- more especially if treated with a bayonet
BURY's peculiar weakness always comes to charge. But it is one thing to disperse a
the front; we need not do more than refer horde of undisciplined Chinese; it is quite another matter to hold a great country like,
when the occupation of Port Arthur was in to his failure at the beginning of the crisis, say the province of Chihli, and preserve or-
question. der in its capital by the aid of a few thou-
capable of the surrender after Majuba, but Lord SALISBURY might not be sand men. It is true that the Allied Forces
he is inherently possessed of a mind subject
the
ence, those Powers, whose interests rather lay in the promotion of anarchy, have been able to push the sap without disturbance. It is instructive to watch how very different have been the measures taken by the several Powers during the present crisis, and how by the British, who, instead of being in very perfunctory has been the part played the van, have been quite content for long to occupy a secondary position in the crowd. Utterly irrespective of the question whether it is politic to make of Weihaiwei an im- portant centre for further advance, it is at least advisable that it should not become a source of contempt. The neglect of our Government to do anything so far has been evident in the present crisis. It is no wonder that Russia has obligingly come to the front, and offered to send a couple of thousand Cos-
It is
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