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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE IN CHINA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
sion, and while we are pondering over the pros and cons of the situation, events are progressing, and we are daily finding our position more untenable. For once indeed it seemed that some inkling of the true danger had struck our statesmen, and troops were, somewhat tardily it is true, ordered up to Tientsin; but with this unwonted effort we seem to have exhausted ourselves.
[June 30, 1900.
situation has complelety changed. So far from any such advance having been made, the vanguard under Admiral SEYMOUR has not been heard of for more than a week, and though persistent rumours have been cir- culated that it has reached Peking there is no reliable information whatever to that effect. The reports which have reached this Colony are echoes of the Shanghai reports, which are not even accepted as authentic in Shanghai. Among the many stories afloat in our northern neighbour was one of a Chinese official telegram on the 19th inst., to the effect that a couple of days before the British flag was visible over the Chen- yang gate of Peking, "from which it was in- e hold- ferred that either the Legations were ing out still or the 1,700 mixed Foreign troops had arrived. But this brings us down no later than Sunday week.
Still more ominous, if possible, than the silence of Admiral SEYMOUR is the news about Tientsin. This town was generally imagined secure in the hands of the com- bined forces landed from the fleets, to say nothing of the Russian and Japanese troops landed at Taku or on the point of arriving. But it turns out that this was quite a mis- take. Tientsin has been practically isolated it would seem, from Taku, for two days, probably Tuesday and Wednesday, or it may be Wednesday and Thursday; the Conces- sions, English, French, and German, have been subjected to an incessant bombardment by the forty-pounders of the Chinese regu- lar army, with such effect that they are reduced to ruins; and the Russian troops at the railway-station have been brought-- to desperate Straits. There is much in this story which we cannot understand as yet and details will be most anxiously awaited. Two things are obvious, that the Chinese troops are now fighting heart and soul against the foreigners, and that their numbers have been under rather than over-estimated. To the Russians has fallen the principal part in the defence and relief of Tientsin and they are well equipped for the task. eye-witness, speaking of the arrival of the Russians at Tientsin on the 14th instant, says that they "created the greatest stir. Their magnificent horses and big guns, "the wagons, and piles of hay and stores
'took up all the big platform for the greater part of the day. They took posses- "sion of the Bridge leading into the Settle- "ments and repaired and strengthened it for the passage of their guns, and for the "time regulated traffic as if they had come "to take charge entirely." It is earnestly to be hoped that a loyal co-operation between the various component parts of the inter- national forces may continue and that we shall hear no more of friction between the different nationals, such as has been hinted at by various writers; and, lastly, that our force on the scene of action may be brought as speedily as possible up to a footing worthy of the Empire they represent.
(Daily Press, 23rd June. Even the most careless observer of current events cannot fail to grasp the fact that the most dangerous point about the present dif. ficulty at Peking is the lurid fight it has thrown on the divergencies which have all through existed amongst the Great Powers, Lately we have commented on the fact but which, under the present strain, are be- that our interests in the Pacific are with the ing magnified to well nigh breaking point. growth of our Colonies in Australia and Were it a simple case of putting down a Canada yearly expanding, and that our reply dangerous riot, there is at the moment a to this is a deliberate reduction of our fleet. sufficient force on the spot to restore order; Did we see the slightest sign that the Home an untrained mob, as is at present the con. Government has come to recognise this dition of the I-Ho Chuan, could do little undeniable fact, we might build a theory on against a well trained and united body of it; but on the contrary the only indica- troops, and as soldiers the mass of the Chi- tion of action perceptible is an occasional nese army-we do not refer to the foreign- spurt of activity, to be followed almost drilled troops is beneath contempt. There immediately by a return to the same are, however, other influences at work to pre- semi-torpid condition as at first. To all vent this simple settlement, and amongst outward appearance England is in the others we may notice that strange deference most commanding position with regard to to shadowy power which has marked, and China. In addition to the fleets and garri- hindered, the progress of the troops to the sons on the spot, unfortunately momentarily relief of Peking. To the outsider the delay reduced when most required, we are within seems inexplicable. There is little difficulty call of both the Australian and Pacific to be encountered in marching the 80 odd Squadrons--we have a line of garrisons miles necessary to be traversed across the extending from Hongkong to India, where plain of Pechili. At this time of year especi- we have at a moment's notice a powerful ally, when no floods are to be anticipated, and well equipped army of troops only too and the whole country is complaining of un- anxious to have an opportunity of showing wonted drought, it seems past belief that a their prowess. We should expect that with march, which ordinarily should be accom- these means at hand the Yangtsze at least plished in four days, should have been would quickly be in a position for defence, spread out over weeks. Not the least re- and that some care should be taken to indi- markable part of the whole proceeding is cate that Shanghai was worthy to be con- the humble manner in which the authorities sidered. By last advices we find two of the railway were at first approached for gunboats in the river and Shanghai left permission to advance to the relief of the (until the Daphne arrived there yesterday) to Ministers in Peking, acknowledged to live the care of an unarmed surveying ship. from day to day in imminent danger of their Whatever be the immediate result of opera- lives, and we can only attribute this strange tions being undertaken at Peking, it is conduct to that habit of self-effacement evident that there are so many eventualities which has throughout led us in Peking to set to be considered that for many years the up for ourselves a fetish, which incontinently position must remain in an explosive con- we have fallen down and worshipped as adition; and that eventually we shall need powerful deity. Worse even than the in- the presence of large reinforcements to fluence of this superstition on ourselves has maintain the present status quo. The case been its effect on our relations with the is not one of panic, but of continuing policy; other Powers, whom we have throughout to our already numerous responsibilities credited with a similar belief. Under cover another of no serious weight has been added, of it, Russia and France, not to speak of and our Government all the while refuses Germany, not being gifted with the same to see what to every other Power is self faculty of self-abnegation, have been able to evident. This is the simple political out- carry on their sap, and have by methods look we have to face; are we prepared? recommending themselves more directly to The Yangtsze Viceroys are showing them- Chinese instincts, been in position to in-selves, so far as their means allow, equal to gratiate themselves at Court. The posi- the occasion; and if we are ready to afford tion is not creditable to British astuteness, and the manner in which Admiral SEYMOUR has permitted himself to be appalled by shadows of his own imagination reflects no honour on the Service. From the slender information we receive day by day from
(Daily Press, 25th June.) Europe, an equal want of appreciation of
It is with feelings of great satisfaction that the importance of the interests at stake is everyone will hail Mr. BRODRICK's state- noticeable in the replies of the Foreign ment in the House of Commons that the Office to interogations in the Houses of troops already chosen for service in China Parliament; and the parrot-like persistency will be very considerably supplemented.
(Daily Press, 26th June.) - with which we informed that the This tardy recognition of the dangers of the From two sources, from the official despatch "Powers are acting in perfect accord" is situation, though it will not excuse past of Admiral BRUCE to the home Government not re-assuring. In fact, the Foreign Office inactivity and disregard of all facts, at least and from the intelligence which has reached its old tracks, and plainly, discre- may be taken to indicate that the recent Shanghai from the north, we know that diting the warnings of its Minister at policy which has nearly wrecked our position the Chinese troops have repulsed the at- Peking, has been going down to Portland
in China has given place to a rational deter-tempts made to reach Tientsin from the Place, where in the interested soothings of mination to play a leading part as of old coast. The Shanghai telegrams furnish the Sir CHIH-CHEN LU FUNG LU it was found in- Unfortunately weeks must elapse before the further details that the Russians made the finite grace and satisfaction. This strange urgently needed reinforcements can arrive, first essay this we knew before—and that hallucination of so able a statesman as Lord and in the meantime there is a great task the Germans followed them up, but without SALISBURY is one of those curious phenomena the successful bombardment of the Taku ceived with astonishment by those who were which calls for immediate treatment. Since effecting any good. The news will be re- which from time arise to show us that even the best of us is human, and did it end there Forts on Sunday, the 17th instant, which inclined to ridicule the idea of a stubborn e might smile at the result. Unfortunately many hoped would be a prelude to a rapid com-resistance being offered by the Chinese to the present is a time for action, not discus-bined advance of the allies on Peking, the well-armed European soldiers and marines
is on
are
them some unequivocal sign of our own readiness, something may yet be possible.
AFFAIRS IN NORTH CHINA.
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