January 5, 1901.]
conscientious workers in the cause of sanita
tion and health here, if only they can get the opportunities they desire of making themselves heard. Trusting that they may not ve too long to wait and that in other respects the well-being of the island may continue and improve, we wish our readers A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
THE DEMANDS OF THE POWERS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The fifth condition provides for the main-own heads, whatever China might suffer, tenance of the prohibition of the importation appear to have been realised. of arms and material for arms and ammu. nition "under conditions to be later op de-together, for they are naturally connected. The remaining two points may be taken termined and communicated by the Powers." In the outline of the demands of the Allies
In the sixth condition, suitable compen-made public by the Times sation is demanded, on behalf of states, com- the terms were stated to include the aboli- correspondent, panies, and individuals, for injury to person tion of the Tsungli Yamen and the establish- or property, with the adoption of financial ment of a system of rational intercourse with measures acceptable to the Powers to pro-the Emperor. The Joint Note only specifies vide for the payment of these indemnities. a reformation of the Ministry for Foreign By the seventh, the Powers claim standing Affairs and a change in the Court ceremony guards for their Legations, the fortification for the reception of the foreign representa- withdrawal of Chinese therefrom. of the Legation quarter of Peking, and the tives. The latter provision may mean much. The Powers, it is stated, are to may be supposed that the change will be indicate the manner of the change. It in the direction of "rational intercourse " with the Emperor. But the retention of the of all recognition, is not a comforting sign. Tsungli Yamen, unless it be reformed out If such a body is to be tolerable, it can no longer be suffered to act as a practically first section calls for an Imperial Edict, to access to the Imperial Throne. It must be The tenth condition is subdivided. The unsurmountable obstacle in the way of all be placarded in all district cities for two possible in future to get a ready recognition yeais, permanently prohibiting under pain of communications to the Emperor, with no of death the membership in any anti-foreign obstructive and venal body as a medium in society, and reciting the punishments which the intercourse. Until these points are have been inflicted on all the guilty parties cleared up it would be unprofitable to com- in the events of the present year. The ment at further length on the demands of
Taku Forts, and all such that interfere with The eighth condition specifies that the free communication between Peking and the sea, are to be razed.
the right of military occupation of certain The ninth follows this up by demanding places on the line of communication, to be indicated by agreement among the Powers.
(Daily Press, 31st December.) Theeleven signatures of the representatives of the Allied Powers were on the 22nd inst. appended to the Joint Note, and on the 24th the Note was to be presented to the Chinese plenipotentiaries. The text of this document is published in the Shanghai papers brought down by the French mail yesterday. It commences with a statement of the principal "crimes against the laws of humanity and against civilisation " with which China is charged-the murder of the German Minister; the attacks on the Lega- tions; the murder of the Chancellor of the Japanese Legation at the gates of Peking, and of other foreigners in Peking and differ- ent provinces, the attacks on foreigners generally, and the plunder and destruction of their dwellings; and the desecration of second section calls for another Edict, hold-the Powers. foreign cemeteries, especially in Peking.ing all Viceroys, Governors, and provincial The Note then continues :- "These pro-and local officials responsible for the main-
ceedings compelled the foreign Powers to "send their troops to China in order to protect the lives of the representatives and of their fellow countrymen, and to restore "order. On the march to Peking the "Allied troops met with resistance from "detachments of the Chinese army, which they were compelled to repulse by force. Since China now acknowledges her re- sponsibility, expresses her remorse, and has "made known a wish to bring to an end the situation created by the disturbances in question, the Powers have decided to give effect to her desire upon the following "detailed irrevocable conditions, which they regard as essential for the expiation of the crimes committed and the prevention of "their repetition."
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The conditions which follow are twelve in number, four being subdivided under two heads each. We had in November last a telegraphic summary, despatched from the Times correspondent in Peking to the journal which he represents. That summary fairly well describes the Note as now presented, but a few modifications have been intro duced, so that it will be well to examine the conditions ouce more in turn.
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tenance of order in their jurisdictions; in
(Daily Press, 3rd Jaunar y.). future, responsible officials are to be removed hauded in to the Chinese plenipotentiaries on The Joint Note of t. e Powers, which was at once, in the event of anti-foreign disturb the 24th ultimo, has met with a prompt be allowed to receive fresh offices or dis-issued accepting the terms-as far as we ances passing unpunished, aud are not to
answer. An Imperial Decree has been tinctions.
know, without reservation. The Emperor Chinese Government to enter upon negotia-the Allies for the crimes against humanity The eleventh lays an obligation on the agrees to make the reparation demanded by tions regarding the conditions of trade and and civilisation committed in China during shipping regulations, etc.
the past year, and to give such guarantees The twelfth and final condition is that the for the future as the Allies think fit. It Chinese Government reforms the Ministry remains for effect to be given to the con- for Foreign Affairs and changes the Court ditions which we have detailed in these ceremony for the reception of the foreign columns. The compliance with some of representatives in a manner to be indicated by the Powers.
The Note concludes with the statement that until these demands are complied with the evacuation of Peking and Chibli cannot be considered.
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these will be a mere matter of official routine. The despatch of the embassy to Berlin, the erection of the memorial monuments, the issue of edicts directed against anti-foreign societies, and holding provincial and local officials of all degrees responsible for the It will be seen from the above that, maintenance of order in their own jurisdic- though on the whole few changes have been tions: these are matters which offer no made from the original sketch of the Allies, difficulties. Other conditions, however, will demands, there are at least three points of require both time and determination to high importance to be noted. In the second carry out. There is the infliction of the condition "the infliction of the severest severest punishments applicable to the guilty punishment applicable to their crimes' persons, a condition which may result, as demanded for the parties specified in the we have pointed out, in grave injustices The first deals with the despatch of an Imperial Edict of the 25th September and being dons to the offenders owing to the extraordinary Embassy, with an Imperial some others. Those parties specified in the disparity in their ranks. While we may Prince at its head, to express the regret of Edict were:-Princes CHUANG, YI, LIEN, readily recognise that the early demands of the Emperor of China at, the murder of YING, and TUAN, Duke LAN, YING NIEN, the more irresponsible sections of the public Baron VON KETTELEE, and with the erection KANG YI, and CHAO SHU-CHIAO. Among in the Far East and at home alike were on the site of the crime of a memorial the names to be added by the Powers are absurdly excessive, the prospect of seeing monument, with Latin, German, and Chi- certain to be those of TUNG FUHSIANG and the arch-offenders escaping the fate which nese inscriptions, also expressing this regret. Yu HSIEN, unless the latter be really dead the Chinese Government will doubtless offer - The second in its first section provides for already. Now, the severest punishment ap- no objection to inflicting on the minor the "infliction of the severest punishment plicable unfortunately in a number of cases criminals is an extremely unsatisfactory applicable to their crimes upon the parties will not be the deserved punishment of mentioned in the Imperial Edict of the 25th execution.
one. The narrowing down of the scope of Prince TUAN, father of the punishment will be absolutely ineffective if September, as well as upou those persons heir apparent, could only suffer death by-a. the punishment is not dealt out in propor- whom the representatives of the Powers departure from custom. If we read the tion to guilt. may later on indicate by name. second section treats of the five years' to
The Note aright, the Allies are not resolved insist on this departure, and, in suspension of all official examinations in this event the arch-criminal will escape towns where foreigners were killed or ill. with at least his life. treated.
The third condition speaks of suitable compensation
tion to Japan for the murder of their Chancellor of Legation, Mr. SuoITAMA. The fourth asks for the erection of an expiatory monument in all foreign ceme teries which were desecrated,
We cannot look on this as at all a satisfactory or even au honourable arrangement. The minor dignitaries may get their dese-ts. If Prince TUAN does not head a list of those to suffer the extreme penalty, justice will not have been done. The fears expressed that the worst offenders would be able to save their
Turning now to another part of the de- mands, we note that our morning contem- porary in Shanghai, the North-China Daily News, views with some apprehension what we may term the military conditions of the Joint Note. The fifth clause it styles a crushing blow at the independence of China, because it is impossible for a country to be indepen- dout that is not allowed to buy or manufac ture arms or munitions for its own use. The version, however, which we have of the
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