7
426
ALLIED INACTION IN CHINA.
THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
|
|
[December 1, 1900.
2
be
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
utilise the commanding position which thit to the Chinese Government, which it is now gave us.
It was not to be expe cted tha in contemplation to prohibit by express (Daily Press, 28th November.)
seeing the embarrassing nature of the treaty stipulation, would be resumed; the The course of events in China from day negotiations in which we permitted our- formation of an army and the reconstruc to day shows more clearly that the policy of selves to be entangled, the Viceroys were tion of the embryotic navy would which Great Britain has been the exponent themselves going to point out, to their own attempted; and all the old dangers and in China has utterly failed in its object of possible ruin, a course which was evident to difficulties in the way of unrestricted com- bringing about any satisfactory settlement any thinking man; and we unfortunately mercial intercourse would be revived. With of the present insupportable position. In listened to the interested suggestions of these the disgraceful competition by the fact, so far from progressing the situation such polluted sources as the Chinese Lega- Foreign Representatives for contracts would seems to be daily becoming more insoluble, tious in London and Washington. If it be again be resuscitated, and the Powers would and the knot which with a little knowledge true that the Chinese Bannerman who re- begin once more to plot to secure predo- of the complications could have been un-presented China at Paris, and the Emperor minance at the corrupt Court of Peking. ravelled, now needs the sword of an himself, in his touching appeal to the foreign | We might-who knows?-again be edified ALEXANDER to undo it. At the beginning, Powers, have both disclaimed their coin. by seeing the wives of the Foreign Minis- as we have pointed out, there were in China cidence in this policy, it throws a lurid light ters attending a levée by the EMPRESS itself the elements of recuperation; the on the whole course of our negotiations. No DoWAGER and accepting cumshaws from her great Viceroys almost without exception one with sufficient knowledge of the charac-bloodstained hands. We might -who. can were on the side of order, and only waited ter of the men into whose hands the conduct tell?-in ten years' time even see Sir ROBERT to be assured of personal protection to throw of affairs has fallen can plead ignorance of HART's gloomy vaticinations fulfilled. It in their lots with the better disposed their reactionary intentions. No real reply seems unlikely in the extreme, but it is Powers. Among the Powers themselves has been given to the charges of Dr. always the unexpected that happens, and there was still a certain amount of common MORRISON against the heads of the Legations there is nothing impossible in his sugges feeling, and a desire to bring about a settle in England and the United States; and tions. The material is there, and though ment in the general interest of all. Now yet in the face of these grave charges we the Chinese are not a fighting race and are all this is practically past, the want of permit the very men arraigned to be our averse to any kind of discipline, they can any support to the Viceroys, and the desire, guides and advisers.
be taught obedience and only require a while taking advantage of their acts, to
leader. If the Hour arrives, the Man leave them to the tender mercies of the
may appear, and then the hordes of Dowager and her crew on the restoration of
Chinese in the Central Kingdom might a pretended peace, have become too palpable
become a terror and a threat to civilization to be ignored, and within the last week or
and the world. This may sound very pes- two there are unmistakeable signs that
simistic and alarming; however, it is intend. slowly, but surely, the good wishes of
ed to be neither alarmist nor extravagant. the provincial officials are vanishing, and
But it is at this time of day, and under that where, had we been influenced by an
present circumstances, sheer midsummer intelligible policy, we could have con-
inaduess to be optimistic. If all the For- fidently looked for support. we have
eign Powers were animated by one iden : now to face a sullen power of opposition.
the fitting punishment of the Chinese officials Little by little the crew at Hsianfu have
responsible for the recent horrible and fien. been putting out their feelers, and, finding
dish barbarities, and the conclusion of an that we have calmly submitted to the in-
agreement that would provide against their sults intended in each successive" Imperial
recurrence: then we might soon hope for Edict," have been advancing their claims,
peace and a resumption of trade and the as if we, not they, were the fugitives from
gradual opening up of China. But with the justice. Unfortunately this foolish com-
jealousies and dissensions existing, and the placence on our part has not ended with
fatuous policy being developed by the United ourselves, but the very evident intention to
States Government vis-à-vis of China, it is patch up a peace at any price has convinced
very much to be feared that all the ills we the Viceroys that it is our deliberate inten-
have borne will be our portion in the future tion, when the time comes, to hand them
in our intercourse with China. Better by over tied and bound to the tender mercies
far to let matters drift, and suffer the parti- of the party who deliberately planned the
tioning of China than to agree to the murder of all who were either foreigners
restoration of the former régime, with Rus- themselves, or had any sympathy with the
sia dominant in Manchuria, and the Peking party of reform in China. Acting with
Government more strongly imbued than this party is LI HUNG-CHANG, who, it is
ever with the idea of playing off the Powers very well known, bears no good will to
against each other, while refusing to carry It is now stated by REUTER either of the Yangtze Viceroys. The fate of
out the stipulations of the Treaties and CHANG YIN-HWANG, the first victim to the that Russia and Japan support the United levying an increased tariff on imported for- reaction, following within a few days of the States in their objection to the demands of eign goods. disgrace of Lr, is an object lesson that Count VON WALDERSEE, and probably the neither LIU Kung-yi nor CHANG CHIH-TUNG next thing we shall hear is that, in order to can afford to disregard; and as we have preserve the concert-save the mark!-the exhibited no sign of shielding the Viceroys reasonable conditions first mooted have from the vengeance of the reactionaries, we been withdrawn. If so, this will surely he have practically compelled them, however the beginning of the end of any sustained personally unwilling, to assume a compli- effort to secure the punishment of the re- ance with the ruling policy which at the mainder of the guilty Manchu and Chinese beginning they were far from feeling. officials, and the period of concession to Leaving on one side the mistakes in policy China will commence again. The foreign which have brought about this situation, it troops will next be withdrawn from Peking is equally clear that, from a practical point in order that the EMPEROR and EMPRESS of view, and looking merely to the military DOWAGER may be induced to return to that exigencies of the case, we have committed capital. From that to the general recogni- an equally grave mistake. We had, in fact, tion of the woman who has so long dominated in our own hands from a military stand- the EMPEROR and imposed her will upon point the means of rendering any defence im- the Empire would not be a great step. This possible. We had not very long ago,the power would be followed by a patched-up peace, in to cut off completely all the resources of the which no concession of importance would fugitive Court; we were in undisputed posses-be gained, the Treaty Powers would under. sion of the great waterway from east to west, and were in a position to cut off all supplies of men and funds, not to mention food- supplies, which we now know to be going to Hsianfu in large quantities; yet in the face of these facts we have made no attempt to
(Daily Press, 29th November.) The negotiations for peace at Peking are, we fear, likely to prove very prolonged and productive of many disappointments. It is now certain that the Treaty Powers are much divided in opinion, and it is difficult to see how the divergent interests and ideas are to be reconciled. Russia was at one time the chief disturbing factor in the agree ment, because her interests were somewhat divergent from those of the Powers generally, and she was only anxious to gain compensa- tion for losses and to strengthen her influ- euce in Manchuria and Chihli. Now an- other and rather unexpected opponent to the Anglo-German proposals has appeared in the shape of the United States, which Power has suddenly become extremely solicitous not to offend the amour propre of China and to provide an easy method by which the demands of the Treaty Powers can be met. The Washington Government has been led, for some occult reason, to conclude that if China is pressed to agree to the terms that have been tentatively laid down the Chinese Government-or the various officials that are supposed to constitute it will be driven to continue hostilities and prolong the interrup- tion to trade,
take to pay the war indemnity themselves by submitting to the imposition of a revised and increased tariff, and the last state of foreign intercourse with the Celestial Em- pire would be worse than the first. By degrees the sale of arms and ammunition
|
The typhoon which did so much damage here a fortnight age was felt in Kobe but slightly. It is late in the season for a typhoon, says tho Kobe Herald, of the 10th ult. and on that
account to-day's storm can scarcely be classed in that category. The only other serious storm of the autumn season in Kobe this year was the typhoon of September, which, it will be remembered, did considerable damage. On that occasion the wind force approached 40 miles an hour, and, although the Kobe meteorological office report of the greatest wind force to-day is not yet available, it is probable that it should not be much less than that recorded in the September typhoon. The latter was a night blow. To-day's disturbance has developed to ita crisis during the daylight hours. There were, however, a few hours of it overnight. The barometer began to fall about eleven last night and the outlook was already bad when the Gymnasium audience were going home about 11.30. The barometer has steadily fallen since, but probably reached its lowest about 4 o'clock this afternoon, when the strength of the wind and deluge of rain were grosteat. Along the whole of the Japan coast the typhoon was more or less felt, but no great damage was done.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.