The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1900-12-15 — Page 2

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THE ALLIES AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

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[December 15, 1900.

| to Hsianfu, where they are for a time unas- | right direction, if we are to accept the re- sailable, and Peking matters nothing to the port. With KWANG Hsu back at Peking Empire, while the Government are at liberty the outlook will be much brighter, for at (Daily Press, 13th December.)

and in a position to make terms with the in- last. there will be a satisfactory guarantee of The conduct of the Chinese Government vader. Moreover, for some reason, which is the genuineness of the peace-negotiations as (or what passes as such) seems specially interpreted no doubt by the Chinese in the far as China is concerned. Without the designed to mystify the public and the opposite sense to what is understood by Emperor's presence there could be no con Powers. The most contradictory statements foreigners, the area of hostilities has been viction in the minds of the Allies that are put forth, the most conflicting appoint- confined mainly to the province of Chilli China would not one day repudiate the ments made. Thus we are told, one day, by and a section of Manchuria. In fact, the agreement, as she has often repudiated so- telegram, that the Empress Dowager is quarrel may not unlikely be regarded by lemn engagements before, on the ground of prepared to leave Hsianfu and go to Chinese as one between the foreigners and informality. An advance in negotiations will Chengtu or Wuchang, and that she is willing the Manchus; it hardly concerns the Chi- be made by the return of the Emperor. the Emperor should return to Peking; then nese nation. The Imperial Government On the side of the Allies, how do matters we are informed that Her Majesty threatens have probably not got to the end of their stand meanwhile? We read last week of summary vengeance on any person who sug-resources. They are possessed of a great deal Mr. CONGER's hopes that negotiations would gosts returning to Peking. It was stated of cunning, and they may have some cards actually open at Peking this week. To-day some time ago that she had had some officials up their sleeve which they hope will assist we have before us Lord SALISBURY's guarded beaten for expressing readiness to go Peking their game very materially. If wile and statement in the House of Lords that the with the Emperor, and it is quite in accord procrastination do not work sufficiently for Concert has assumed a reasonable state of with her fractious and tyrannical disposition them, they will show themselves ready to vitality and that he believes it will be suc- that she should now again express a determi- strike the moment any advantage offers. cessful in its objects. Not any enthusiasm nation to oppose a return to the old capital. The question is really whether they can can be read into the Premier's announce- These inconsistencies are, we presume, the rely upon the Viceroys to obey the Imperial ment, and he refused, as was only to be ex- whims or fancies of the moment, the caprices mandate. If so, there is bound to be seri-pected, to disclose the exact position at pre- of a female tyrant distrustful alike of Chi- ous trouble yet, and the peace negotiations sent of the Chinese question-a course nese and foreign officials. But the recent proposed are a mere blind to direct attention which was followed by his son, Lord Cran- appointments are less comprehensible. For from the position. The Empress Dowager, BORNE, in the House of Commons. The instance, on the 10th inst. we received in- Prince TUAN, and General TUNG FUHSIANG messages to Washington, however, of the telligence that SUN CHIA-NAI, the personal are irreconcilable, Prince CHING and LI United States Minister at Peking afford a friend of His Majesty the Emperor KWANG HUNG-CHANG are sitting on the fence, and clue as to the manner in which the Powers Hau, had been appointed to the important the Yangtze Viceroys only need to witness are arriving at a mutual understanding. The post of President of the Board of Rites and one or two Chinese successes to convert United States, Russia, and Japan agreed in to the Hanlin College at Peking. At the them into active supporters of the Govern- considering excessive the clauses of the pro- same time WANG WEN-SHAO had been pro- ment. At present they observe a praise-posed demand on China which referred to moted to the Grand Secretariat, and two or worthy neutrality, but if the Empress the subjects of punishment of the guilty. three other reactionary officials had been Dowager should take up her abode in officials and indemnity for murders and promoted. Then comes the announcement Wuchang how long would CHANG CHIH- outrages. Great Britain and Germany held that SUNG SHAU, late Governor of Kiangsi, in TUNG be able to maintain his present at- the strongest views on these two points, and which province no less than thirty-eight out titude? It is important, therefore, in the the difficulty was to bring the two groups of of a total of forty-one Roman Catholic Mis- nterests of the Powers, that the so-called Powers into line, the others apparently sion stations were looted and destroyed, has Government, or at any rate the Emperor being ready to acquiesce in the resolution been promoted to be Governor of Kiangsu. KWANG Hsu, should be brought back to come to. Mr. CONGER states that the pro- The facts are inconsistent, but if carefully Peking and there placed under tutelage posed modification of the Agreement has analysed the recent actions of the Peking until some satisfactory settlement can be been accepted by the Powers. It seems, Government will not bear a strict test. arrived at. He must not be allowed to fall therefore, that some abatement will be made They have, it is true, issued edicts degrad- into the hands of any one Power, for the in the demand for the exemplary punish- ing several officers, but when examined these tutelage aforesaid must be for the general ment of those responsible for the murders edicts are found to be very harmless to the good, to bring about the pacification of the and outrages of the present years and also offender, who is generally relegated to Empire, its commercial and industrial de- in the amount asked from China to pay for position of temporary obscurity, but with. velopment, the maintenance of foreign the loss of life and property to foreigners. out any real punishment, accompanied, no trade, and the security and well-being of Taking the later item first, we have long doubt, by a very explicit assurance that his foreign residents. It will be well there deprecated the pressing of the indemnity disgrace will not last long, and that it will fore for the Allied Commanders in North side of the settlement. The exacting of a all be made up to him eventually. This China to maintain a very bright lookout, large indemnity gives support to the vicious has almost invariably been the experience of and not to place faith in assurances view that the murder of foreigners is a foreigners in dealing with the Chinese Gov- either as to their own security, the pacific matter which can be settled by the payment ernment; it has always been a matter of disposition of the people, or the bona fides of of money-money, moreover, which does not the utmost difficulty to get an erring official the Chinese officials.

come from the pockets of the chief mur- brought properly to book. There is only

derers. Reasonable compensation for wan- too much reason to fear the Chinese Govern-

ton destruction of property is just and ment are temporising. The fact is significant

politic. Anything beyond this actually does that Count von Waldersbe has found it

harm to those who take the money and necessary to arrest several Chinese officials,

rarely, if ever, touches those at whom it is including LI HUNG-CHANG's Secretary, who

intended to strike. The question of the have been found to be in communication

punishment of the murderous officials is far with the Boxers. It is also significant that

different. We cannot say to what extent the a friendly native at Tientsin has warned

Powers are prepared to take back their the Allies to prepare for trouble during

demands for exemplary sentences on the the winter, and the appearance of anti-

titled ringleaders of the anti-foreign move- foreign placards in Tientsin City should not

ment. The prevalence of the view to which be ignored. The steady flow northwards

our correspondent “X. Y. Z." drew attention from Shanghai of rifles, guns, and ammuni-

last week in his letter headed " tion, as well as of troops and money, ought

Glamour of China "the view, namely, not to be disregarded. The apparent collapse

that TUNG FURSIANG and his associates "did of Chinese power is not a fact on which

their duty according to their lights"---is a much dependence can be placed. The Chi-

bad symptom. We are assured that the nese are never ready to acknowledge defeat,

British Legation at Peking is seriously and after all there has been little real fight

infected with this feeling, and it is to be ing, and what has occurred has been confined

feared that other Legations as well are suffer- to a very limited arez. It is true that the.

ing from it. Sir ROBERT HART in his Fort- foreign forces occupy Peking, and that the

nightly Review article which attracted so Chinese Court have had to fly from the

much attention lately was a notable exponent capital, but that circumstance, which might

of the idea. Now we are not prepared to impress other nations with a profound

deny that there was much patriotism mixed conviction of defeat, is differently regarded

up with the feelings which prompted the by the Chinese. The Court have removed

Chinese to their recent outreak; but that

AFFAIRS IN THE NORTH.

(Daily Press, 10th December.) The news which we publish this morning about the progress of events in China is of a mixed character. The information which comes from Tientsin via Shanghai contra- dicts the version of the Kalgan expedition story which we reproduced from the North China Daily News on Friday last. It ap- pears now that Count YORK VON WARTEN- BURG was actually killed in a fight with the Chinese, not suffocated by the fumes of a charcoal stove, and moreover that the ex- pedition under his command suffered a reverse of some kind, though details are wanting. Against this disaster may be set the Chinese official report that the Imperial Court is leaving Hsianfu and that while the Empress Dowager is coming south to Wuchang, in Hupeh, the Emperor himself will return to Peking, as he has long been urged to do by the wisest among the Chinese. No doubt the terrible famine in Shansi, which has driven some of the inhabitants of the pro- vince to the revolting practice of cannibal ism, has much to do with this move in the

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