}
966
AFFAIRS IN THE NORTH.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
facts were not unknown to Lord SALISBURY personally, yet with that fatuity which clings to the old diplomatist, he again, in the face (Daily Press, 3rd November.)
of the protests of the world, engaged in a That there exists an agreement between wordy contest. The result is that thingst Great Britain and Germany, to the extent instead of progressing, have distinctly gone that the two countries have for themselves back; the settlement, which two months ago repudiated all claims to extension of terri-
was within a measurable distance is now tory, and will look cross at any other nation further off than ever, and we must either that wants to annex, we know. There is rush into warlike operations, or be content unfortunately no reason to believe that it to bear the ridicule of the people at large. really means anything more, except a re- Nor does the evil end there, for in addition petition of those benevolent aphorisms to
to the contempt of the Court we have to which we have any time. within the last six bear the ignominy of having deserted the months been treated. Faith without works is large, and at one time growing class amongst dead, we are told on high authority, and the Chinese themselves who lamented the certainly any little faith we may have had decadence of the nation. There is an air of at the beginning of the trouble, has, in the genuineness about some of the recent pro- absence of any results in the fields or else clamations proceeding from the Court that where, pretty well oozed out at our finger
seem to point to their being the actual pro- tips. It might have been presumed that the duction of the Emperor in person. It would British Government, having obtained a dramatically be the legitimate end of Lord triumphant endorsement of a forward policy; SALISBURY's misconception of the situation, would have taken the hint in China, and that the well meaning and friendly boy, that we should by this time have been hear-should, as a man, be converted into the bit- ing of the adoption of some comprehensible terest of foes. policy. Telegraphic news from the North has been anxiously expected from day to diys but with the exception of a little trip to Paotingfu, and the release of a few French and other missionaries, the movement seems
(Daily Press, 4th November.}
[November 10, 1900,
"the French." Later he modified this statement, saying that news direct from Pao. ting threw a more favourable light on the situation, and that the British were repre- sented in the occupation of the town. The facts of the case we shall probably hear some day, though we may have to wait for the home papers for the information, as has been the case more than once during the present crisis. To a certain extent we can- not complain of the suppression of news, when, as so often happened in South Africa, it is impolitic to allow plans and movements to become public property before they are beyond the danger of frustration. The ignorance in which we are kept is unfortu- nately none the less tantalising for this. As items of news come to hand, bit by bit, we begin to have some idea of what is going on and even of the course which events may take. So now we are at liberty to think that the forward policy will continue as long as possible until the Chinese Govern- ment desists from its present line of con- duct and shows a genuine desire for peace, which must be evidenced not by mere pro- testations but by the actual surrender of the arch-criminals, which the Powers de- mand as an earnest of that desire. Hitherto the obvious intention of the Court has been to pretend anxiety to give satisfaction while by various ruses the escape of the guilty parties has been contrived." If Prince TUAN is now out of reach, and two or three of his worst associates " officially dead," it will be practically impossible to secure their persons. of a more extensive character than was at But it is not impossible that they should be first anticipated, outside military circles at proscribed and all their honours, and what least. The operations in Southern Chibli will affect them more, all their property have resulted in the practical clearance of taken from them. This latter item may the Boxers and disbanded troops from the well go toward the indemnity which China environment of Paotingfu, and it appears will have to pay when the settlement at that the Germans and British at least, if length comes. It will be noticed that native not any other of the allied forces, have official reports of the demands of the Foreign pushed on rapidly toward the Chihli-Shansi Powers put the indemnity at four hundred frontier. Finding the Chinese holding the million faels, to be paid off in instalments Tschingking Pass, the Anglo-German con- in the space of sixty years. We refrain tingent proceeded to carry that pass, the from comment on the terms of these report- necessary flanking movements being entrusted demands, as there is no confirmation of ed to the Bengal Infantry This advance is them from non-Chinese sources; but it may in logical accordance with the warning given be noted that though Prince TUAN's per- that hostilities cannot cease until China petual imprisonment is stipulated in them gives the Powers the necessary satisfaction. nothing is said of the punishment of others This is precisely what the Imperial Govern almost as guilty, If it be thought that inent delays doing. Various conflicting such punishment is assumed as a prelimin edicts have been issued, some going half way
ary to peace, we may well ask, Why then to meet the wishes of the Powers, others is Prince TUAN's execution not to be a pre- defiant; and plainly there is no unity of liminary, since he is the worst offender? sentiment yet at the Court nor honest inten-There are many other points in the demands tion on the part of the majority to give which would invite criticism, were the reparation for the crimes committed against authenticity of the document guaranteed. It foreigners. The Emperor can at present is clearly waste of time to discuss them with have little voice in the matter of Decrees, out this guarantee. But we hope that the and if Prince TUAN has actually fled to actual demands will differ in many particu- Mongolia we may perhaps be right in lars from those which appear in the Chinese assigning to the Empress Dowager the main version. control-if such it can be called – of affairs at Court. While this dishonest and vacilla. ting policy continues, the Allies have no option but to prosecute hosilities with all pos- sible vigour before the winter sets in. Shang- hai rumours suggest that there is a want of unity once more among the Powers and that several nations are disregarding Count
The action of the Allies in the north which is reported by our London telegram is, it is to have been without much result. There to be presumed, part of the general plan of are supposed to be some more English and operations under Court VON WALDERSEE'S American missionaries still concealed in command. What that general plan is, we Chihli, yet of anything been done to ascer- have no means as yet of knowing; but it is tain their whereabouts we are left in complain that it includes a forward movement plete darkness. While such is the case in China, a most unruffled content seems to suffuse the features of the Ministry in England. It was announced that Parlia- ment was to have met in November, but affairs have gone so nicely that it has been postponed till the beginning of the new year; and the Government has made up its mind to govern without a Parliament as long as it can, If we are to judge of the meaning of this, we may look to China, where we shall probably find an explanation in the growing confidence of the fugitive court in Shensi. The nations of Europe are now represented as suing for peace; if they are sincere in their desire, and agree to the conditions offered, the Imperial Chariot will at once return, and the hearts of the people be pacified. A poet once sang of the bad little boy.
Who put his thumb unto his nose, And stretched his fingers out. And we cannot help the thought rising that this is the attitude of the recalcitrant Dowager, who from her safe sanctuary at Hsianfu (if she is there now), like a second Daniel at the show, smiles benignly at her baffled pur-
suers.
Now, as we pointed out long ago, we had the power in our own hands at the beginning at least to exact respect; but when we with our eyes open walked into the little net prepared for us, we ought no, to be susprised at the result. England, above all other European nations, has from sad experience found out the certainty with which humiliation fellows
on the the attempt to carry on a diplomatic contest with Orientals. It is more than once recorded in the history of her intercourse with India that she has lost more by the toga than ever she has won by the sword. Of all oriental nations the Chinese have won the reputation of being the most astute and unscrupulous, and amongst the Chinese the ex-Viceroy Li HUNG-CHANG has gained the reputation of a master. England has had pretty consider- able experience of the man, who has on more than one occasion made use of his subtle intellect to her disfavour. These
VON WALDERSEE'S commands. It seems, however, that Great Britain is acting loyally in the spirit of the compact and the battle on the Shansi frontier confirms this idea. The full story of the capture of Paotingfu
not yet to hand. The Tientsin corres- pondent of the North China Daily News telegraphed on the 30th ult. :-"The column
"
is returning from Paotingfu. The French "action has entirely subverted the plans of the Allies. The British will not stay at Paotingfu. One third of the German 'force will probably occupy the city with
described
Now that dearth of coal is increasing, the Java coal question is coming to the front. The coal measures of the island are in the Batavia Nieuwsblad as very extensive and as being found mainly at Baysh in the Only Eocene coal residency of Bantam.
is met with in the island. Brown coal also abounds in Java. Coal similar to that ound at Bayah is mined in Northumberlan d and in Lancashire. The Governments sent an engineer to examine the Bayah seams. ported favourably on their quality and extent. But the Government did not follow this up by
Ho re-
mining operations, owing to difficulties of tran sport, especially the absence of railway com- munication between the coalfields and the near- est seaport. These difficulties have now been almost surmounted. A company has been formed to work the Bayah coalfields. It is ex- pected that shortly Java will be no longer dependent upon foreign coal,
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