406
THE BRITISH FLEET IN EASTERN WATERS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of the ships on the East coast of Asia, while as a naval power Japan has been making enormous strides. These movements began before the recent difficulties with China, and it is needless to say that full advantage has been taken of it to render their fleets on the Pacific stronger than ever. Following the example of the others when Germany inade up her mind to join in the Chinese settle- ment she likewise took good care that her fleet should be powerfully reinforced, and in this she was followed by the United States, who now have in these Eastern waters a powerful fleet. Though the greater part of these additions have been made in furtherence of a policy in accord with England, and the larger portion of the fleets are those of friendly nations, it is the fact, however, the British Government may seek to suppress it that the British feet in these seas is not only outnumbered, but surpassed in efficiency. At the beginning of the Chinese struggle England did make considerable efforts to reinforce her fleet in Chinese waters, but the efforts she made were such as to still further emphasize the need of a more powerful armament. Vessels were withdrawn from Vancouver, from Australia, and from the Indian station, and notwithstanding the weakening of the squadrons at those several stations, adequate effort has been made to fill up the gaps. We are glad to learn, therefore, that another battleship will shortly leave for the East.
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[November 24, 1900.
OFFICIAL MYSTERY IN NORTH CHINA.
(Daily Press, 19th November.)
(Daily Press, 20th November.) With an unanimity rare when political
To the pages of a novel we owe nearly all questions are concerned, men of all ranks
the knowledge we possess of the great and all parties have expressed the regret
campaign in Flanders, which resulted in the felt at the retirement of Mr. G. J. GOSCHEN
capture by the forces of WILLIAM III. of from the head of the Admiralty; and the
the citadel of Namur. If for no other hope is perhaps universal that he may in
reason, and quite irrespective of the literary the Upper House continue the good work
merits of one of the wittiest works ever which he has so ably superintended in his
written, the Life and Adventures of Tristram official capacity in the Lower. Mr. GoSCHEN
Shandy will ever find a place on the shelves has learnt the art rare in the age of party
of every student of English manners and Government of being able to merge the
English wit. The Campaign in Flanders politician in the administrator, and shines
took place before the invention of the war out conspicuously amongst the later Minis-
correspondent, and we are in consequence ters of Queen VICTORIA as the one man
left without any connected account of what who had conceived the highest ideal of a
has since been allowed to have been one of statesman, and was content to serve his
the most interesting series of military country in preference to advancing the in-
operations in the seventeenth century. It terests of any of the sections of which it is
seems that unless in the future we are going composed. It is thus that he has been able
to have a STERN to collect from the soldiers in the Navy to keep abreast of the feverish
engaged some account of what the British desire for bigness which has seized upon |
and German troops are doing in the north the continental Powers; and which, com-
of China, the closing campaign of the nine- menced by them without any due considera-
teenth century is likely to be as great a tion for the eventual consequences, had it
blank in the pages of history as that which not been courageously met, would have
ended the seventeenth. It is not that the become a menace, not for England alone,
operations even in themselves are devoid of but for each and all of the Continental
interest, or that the people at home have Powers in turn. Unfortunately it has not
no care as to what becomes of their forces been the case that the single-mindedness of
in the field, as that none of the Powers the First Lord has been imitated by his
engaged are particularly desirous that too colleagues, who have been too often led by
bright a light should be shed on the the exigencies of the position to place na- We have recently on more than one occa- bickerings and unpleasantnesses which have tional in a subordinate position to party sion pointed out the exceedingly strong been a feature since the murder of Barou questions. Nor was Mr. GOSCHEN himself position in our hands in the possession of VON KETTELEE first brought into pro- always held sacred in these little inter- Vancouver Island and the Gulf of Georgia, minence the influences at work in Pe- cabinet eddies, and the consequence has and pointed out how oblivious of the fact king. The representatives of the various been that there has been a drag from begin- was our home Government. It is satisfac- Powers who were quite content to score, ning to end placed upon the efficiency of history to find that we have not been alone in each for himself, in the game of mur- office. In fact it is well known that the urging this fact on the attention of the dering the missionaries in Shantung, found Government is in arrears with that pro- Naval authorities. On the 29th September it quite a different thing when the position gramme which three years ago it presented last the Graphic followed suit and pointed was brought home to each individually after to Parliament, and no very clear statement out the very unsatisfactory condition of the murder of the German Minister, and has been made of the causes that influenced affairs there. We in China have been from the imprisonment of themselves. For the the delay. Of course the most was made time to time led to believe that the Esqui- first time in the records of the guilty city a out of the industrial causes at the bottom mault Station was more or less intended to perfect unanimity of purpose prevailed of the Engineers' Strike, but after discount- act as an aid in time of necessity to the amongst the ministers within the walla ← ing this fully there yet remains a good deal China station, but the notice in the Graphic and that was to save themselves. As soon -to be explained as to the falling off in the must dispel that idea. The fleet at Esqui- as by straining every nerve a sufficiently promises of Lord SALISBURY'S Government inault consists of out of date and under- powerful force was got together to enable in this important matter of Naval prepara- armed cruisers, and the people of Canada their rescue to assume a practical shape, it t on.
The promise held out to the nation have been given to understand that Esqui- is notorious that all the old quarrels and as an inducement to make the necessary nault might always look to China for jealousies broke out, all the stronger that sacrifices was that it was essential to the well-reinforcements. But worse has to follow. they had been temporarily suspended. In- being of the Empire at large that the British A naval base which has to depend for its deed the scenes to be witnessed after the Navy should keep in advance of the next own defence on its men-of-war is in a worse associated, for allied troops it would be a two most conspicuous navies in the world, position than if it did not exist at all. The mockery of truth to call them, had entered and should always closely approach in defences of Hongkong as a naval base are Peking, were such as one and each perhaps power the three other most formidable. little better than ridiculous were war to wisely determined should be shrouded with That principle was kept in view at the break out with a naval power. It is uncontes- as much mystery as was in their power to beginning, but there has recently been so tible that the greater portion of our Flect in bring about. To some this absence of the evident a desire to contravene it that it was Chinese waters would have to be sent to
war correspondent has seemed an unmiti- not till public opinion declared itself in Hongkong simply to protect our fortifica-gated blessing; and doubtless, seeing how unmistakeable language that the recom- tious. This is bad enough, but it is worse his utility bas recently, more than once, mencement of activity was decided on. when we learn that the same is true of such | been more than doubtful, there is something Thanks largely to that personal example ports as Sydney, and in an even greater to be said for this view of the question. If, which Mr. GOSCHEN himself set, the internal degree Esquimault. Yet, as we pointed out, however, this has proved under exceptional the ex- work of the Navy seems to be in a fairly in the possession of Esquimault and the circumstances to be the case, efficient state, so except for the recent very Gulf of Georgia we owned one of the most perience gained in England is that the ad- evident display of lukewarmness at head-powerful, if not absolutely the most power-vantages of having a faithful and unbiassed quarters, as seen from merely home eyes, ful, naval positions in the world. It is time record of the events of a campaign far out- the British Navy is in a position to maintain that the Government and the people of balances any accruing inconvenience. If its old supremacy.
When, however, we England should begin to understand these we had had exposed to the open air the come to the East, and more especially things, and learn that there are some things various pettinesses and unworthy intrigues. to the Pacific Ocean, a very different of greater consequence to national well- | which from day to day have brought · state of affairs is seen; and this is being than the parochial struggles which disgrace on certain of the European not confined to China, but extends have of late dominated our policy, and have Powers, we should have found the task to the entire of the Great Ocean. affected not one but all the parties in the of the only two that have honestly Although Russia has been quietly but State.
sought a cure for the evils actually facilitat steadily increasing her fleet in Eastern
ed. Neither Great Britain, in spite of her waters, it was not till after the fiasco at
mistakes, nor Germany have anything Port Arthur that it became formidable.
lose by the most complete illumination of France following her example has recently
the steps they have taken, and it is only in been improving both the number and style
the interest of the intriguer that there should
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Commander Arthur W. Ewart, who served a commission in the cruiser Grafton on the China Station, is ortly to be appointed naval attaché at Berlin.
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