:
June 16, 1900.]
to similar defects; and it is this that justifies our continued doubts as to the results of his policy at Peking.
BRITAIN AND THE OTHER
POWERS IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 12th June.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. ⠀
of the military Powers. Like England, the States have no desire to bring about such a condition, nor does either desire in the East further territorial aggrandisement; and both would willingly join in any policy which could restore to China an efficient adminis- tration. It is true our efforts in artificially
407
ever a straw indicates the direction of the wind, the nature of the rumour may serve to show the influences at work to render any useful adjustment of the Tariff difficult, if not impracticable. Unfortunately there is still remaining in many minds an opinion that the entire Customs Service will be
found to lend a willing assistance in the
keeping alive moribund states have elsewhere met with but scant success. The latest of work of revision; that individuals will do so all, that of reviving a kingdom in Samoa, there is no reason to doubt, but that the will be well remembered in America, nor service as a whole will be found on the side can the case of Hawaii be yet forgotten. of revision it would be contrary to our ex- Still anything is better than anarchy, and perience of human nature to believe possible. if the two nations could light on any prac- The recent action of the service in rendering tical plan to get rid of the present incubus nugatory the opening of the inland waters is at Peking, and set up in its place something an instructive case in point; and there is better, it is possible that the evil might unfortunately every reason to believe that eventually be deferred, for our generation at the same obstructive means will be adopted least, even if not permanently postponed. in the present instance. Now, we do not So far, the worst of the position at Peking seek to lay the blame on individuals, nor on has been that both Russia and France have the Service at large, but rather on our own seemed to seek their advantage in rendering authorities for failing to perceive the causes affairs still more complicated. It is this at work. As long as the circumstances un- position that renders the crisis practically der which the Service was inaugurated re- insoluble. If the representatives of the mained unchanged, it was natural to consi- Powers at Peking decide on one common der it as bound to foreign interests, but course, no doubt the difficulty can be shortly this has long ceased to be the case, and overcome; but the Powers have hitherto it is misleading and dangerous to trust shown by many indications that their wishes to the tradition_long after the reality are by no means alike, and that the diver- has departed. The reason of the un- gencies are too great to permit of any rea-doubted breakdown of British Diplomacy at sonable settlement being arrived at. For tunately the preliminary difficulties in the South African states have been removed, and England's hands are once more free. On the other hand the prevailing apathy of the British Ministry has permitted our fleet in Pacific waters to be unseasonably de- pleted. The Government will have constitu- tionally to appeal to the country within a few months at furthest, and it would be well were our constituencies reminded of the im- portance of the issues depending in Asia.
TARIFF REVISION.
Although the limp and nerveless policy of Lord SALISBURY in China has brought about its natural results, and England is certainly of less consideration than ever before in the Far East, there are already igns of some turn in the tide. It is un- likely that the Prime Minister himself will at this eleventh hour awake to a clearer understanding of the issues at stake; men do not usually, after the grand climacteric is past, change their opinions for more ad- vanced ideas; and as Lord SALISBURY this year attains the age of seventy, it is unlikely that any forward policy will be due to his initiative. Indications, however, there are in the increased attention being shown to affairs in China that even our present Foreign Secretary may be compelled to follow the indications of general opinion. The recent outrages of the I-Hwo Chuan, although their attentions have not been particularly directed towards England or English interests, have at last convinced the most incredulous that the movement is not one that can be lightly disregarded. There is no doubt that the movement is the direct out- come of the truculent policy of the Empress Dowager, and as England alone attempted, though feebly enough, to counteract that policy, this amiable lady has conceived a deadly hatred to England and everything English, which, if rightly manipulated, should in the long run prove advantageous to our interests. Next to England, and so far even greater losers, have been the United States. When only England was to be reckoned with, the old policy of abstention, which marked in the early days her intercourse with China, gained for America many important advan-
(Daily Press, 11th June.) tages; but times have changed since this
Some time ago in these columns we policy was possible, and America has found spoke of certain rumours being very assi- herself compelled to take a more prominent duously spread about by certain, evidently part in the affairs of the world at large. It interested, individuals to the effect that is fortunate that on the whole the interests Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD had agreed to of the States are in agreement with, rather the raising of the customs Tariff. It has than opposed to, those of the British Empire, been for a long time patent that a simple and it is a source of some satisfaction that increase of the present Tariff, unaccom- this close similarity of interests has come to panied by revision, and unencumbered by be recognised by all but an irreconcileable any stipulations as to the removal of growing party. The differences between England abuses was in the hearts of the present and the States are no doubt great and im- faction in power at Peking; and of this portant, but they are not of a nature to pre- faction LI HUNG-CHANG, the present Viceroy vent the two nations working in harmony of the Liangkwang was the leading spirit. when opportunity serves, and this under the In the absence of any man with knowledge lead of Mr. HAY has been gradually work of statecraft, Lr has played a role out of ing toward a closer understanding in China. proportion to his ability, and it is no credit to The present situation in China is one in
our English representatives, official or mer- which the two nations can act in a common cantile, that they have tacitly concurred in interest; and we are pleased to see that this this over-estimation of the individual, and fact has met with recognition both in Wash- have even sided him in some of the most ngton and Downing Street. Neither Eng-retrogressive of his schemes. There was a and nor America have any interest in the partition of China; both now see that if the present disorders be permitted to go un- checked, the result must be the entire disin- tegration of the state; and if such an event occur, the only policy likely to be acceptable to the Continental Powers is the old one of "the Devil take the hindmost." That such a policy must end in a serious quarrel no one can deny, nor is there any reasonable doubt that a general European war would inevitably result. In that war, however opposed to its traditional policy, America would be compelled to take a leading part; and, as from both her re- sources and her propinquity to the field of action she would have a vast advantage, the prospect is becoming a factor in the schemes
Peking is largely due to the simple-minded. credulity of our Foreign Office in trusting rather to the interested assertions of Port- land Place, or the Inspectorate General, than in listening to the reports of its own officials or lending an ear to the complaints of the British residents in the spot. Under these circumstances it is with mixed feelings of satisfaction and apprehension that the British communities in China have learnt. from Mr. St. JOHN BRODRICK that the work of revision of the Tariff is to be left to the Minister at Peking. On the wisdom of the step we do not for a moment doubt, but (un- fortunately there is a but in the case) every- thing will depend on the instructions with which the reference is accompanied. We learn that the new Commercial Attaché, Mr. J. W. JAMIESON, is already on his way out, and will doubtless have full instructions with regard to the Revision. In both the Minister and Mr. JAMIESON the communities have full confidence, and were the work left to them untrammelled by hampering condi- tions, we could look forward with some con- fidence to the result. Such, however, we fear is not in the mind of Lord SALISBURY, and it is in this fear that we have to utter a warning voice.
With Lord SALISBURY the tradition of the single-mindedness of the In- spectorate-General is still a living entity, which, in spite of its invariable failure, when called on, still pursues him in his policy in China; we have had reason to descant plainly on the part taken by the Inspectorate in stultifying the work of the Minister as regards the opening of the internal waters. Only Lord SALISBURY is perhaps blind to the cause of his failure; but the weakness is of so long-standing that we fear that it has become chronic, and we confess that in the present composition of our Foreign Office we feel the greatest apprehension for the
time when the Customs Service in China still preserved a portion of that indepen- dence of thought which justified its first establishment; "circumstances have changed all that, and for good or evil the service has become simply the reflection of the tempor-result. ary feeling at Peking, and obeys the com-
The circumstances under which the French mands of its employers as any other depart- and Russian troops who were about to land at ment of the state. Whether this altered Taku were forced to re-embark, as reported in position of affairs is of advantage to either the Echo de Chine, are rather amusing. The China or ourselves it is not for us to dis- troops in question were on lighters which fol cuss; the fact remains and has a very im-lowed the I.-C.S. Kingsing into the Peiho. The portant bearing at the present moment. Kingsing had a high official on board, and as she approached the forts they fired a salute in The rumour to which we pointed the other his honour. The troops construed this as an at- day emanated, there is no doubt, from mem.
tack on themselves and returned to their ships. bers of the Foreign Customs Service, and It was a perfectly natural mistake, and as the was intended to place difficulties in the way troops were defenceless on the lighters, the only of the adjustment of the Tariff. As how thing they could do was to return as they did.
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