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THE PROGRESS OF NEGOTIA-
TIONS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND man than he is! A speedy return to Péking and a release from a long captivity are wanted to give him a chance of recovery, and all patriotic Chinese must recognise this and join therefore in urging the move from Hsianfu.
(Daily Press, 28th January.) After nine days' complete silence, caused by the total interruption of cable com- munication with Shanghai, we have at last The remainder of the news from the intelligence about the progress of affairs in North indicates the gradual spread of peace. North China, and it is satisfactory that what Shantung is about to witness foreign acti- news we now have promises well for real vity on a larger scale than before. The progress on the road to settlement of the German railway and mining engineers are most dangerous crisis which has occurred in preparing for a campaign of a very different the later history of China. The report from nature from that carried on under the Hsianfu seems to indicate an improvement leadership of Count VON WALDERSEE in on the position of a few days back, for in the neighbouring province of Chibli. With the latest copy to hand of the North China the re-awakening of commerce, missionary Daily News intrigues of a serious nature enterprise will probably be resumed at once. are reported to be existent at the temporary YUAN SHIKAI, Governor of Shantung, has capital, the principal of which were those invited the missionaries to return to their between the notorious and bigoted Lu stations in his province, and promises full CH'UAN-LIN, Grand Councillor and former protection alike to them and to their native Governor of Kiangsu, and TSEN CA'UN Converts. There can be no doubt that they HSUN, present Governor of Shensi, both of will accept the invitation to take up their whom were trying to get the supreme power work again. We venture to express the while the Court remains in Hsianfu. At hope that in so doing they will not altogether present, our contemporary then stated, forget the lessons of the past, and that the TSEN holds greater influence with the Em-controlling bodies of the various organisa- press Dowager and also possesses the mili- tions who devote themselves to Christiauis- tary power of the province as its Governor, ing the Chinese will see the advisability of which LU CH'UAN-LIN, on the other hand, coufining the women (and still more, of does not hold, and without which he finds course, children) connected with their work bimself unable to do anything against his strictly to the coast ports. It is not because rival for power. Governor TSEN, we may of any actual danger likely to befall them in conjecture, is advocating the return of the Shantung that we hope for this; but the Imperial Court to Peking, preparations for whole system of sending helpless women which he is making. The Daily News and children into the interior has been learns that Lu CH'UAN-LIN telegraphed to amply demonstrated by the events of last FENG TZETS AI, a celebrated Cantonese year to be foolish-nay, rather, criminal. General who is now Provincial Commander- Waiving for the present all question of the in-chief of Kweichau, to lead an army of shock to Chinese conventions by the differ- some 15,000 men of all arms to go up to ence of Western customs where the weaker Hsian with all haste and there await sex is concerned, there must always be an the orders of the Grand Council, but element of risk in taking women and child- there is said to be little likelihood of ren beyond all reach of Western civilisation. General FENG marching north-west. The If Governor YUAN SHIKAI's invitation be Hsianfu despatch mentioned by our Shang- accepted, a start will be made in a new hai correspondent gives the end of February attempt to convert China. The missionary as the date of the Court's return to Peking, bodies will show themselves unfit for their from which it seems that the straits of the task if they continue to neglect all precau- Imperial family and suit cannot be so bad tions, as they have done in the past. as have been imagined. In all probability the supplies from the Yangtsze region and South China have been greater than we knew of. With regard to the statement that the Empress-Dowager is awakening to activity, it is difficult to know in what spirit to receive this. If the Empress is only rousing herself from the torpor into which she sank early last year, when Prince TUAN's influence first made itself known, in order to side with those blind advisers who would listen to the schemes of the wildest anti-foreign fanatics, she will be adding one more injury to the long list of wounds which she has inflicted on the Chinese people. If on the other hand she is chas tened by the sufferings which the Imperial family, herself included, have gone through since the flight from l'eking, and is weary of the long stay, little better than forced detention, at Hsianfu, she, has a chance of performing at least one good act, by using what influence she has in favour of the more provident party at court and pressing for a departure from Shensi. It is rather an ominous sign that the Emperor is stated to be ill, for in the past such reports have usually preceded some fresh folly on the part of the nominal government of China. It can, however, hardly be a matter for wonder if His Majesty KWANG HBU is actually in a bad state of health, for he is known always to have been of weak constitution, and his, environment for the last year, indeed ever since the fatal coup d'état, has been one cal-Thirdly, culated to act disastrously on a stronger
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THE ALLEGED RUSSO-CHINESE SECRET TREATY.
Daily Press, 29th January.) The Japanese Press, both vernacular and Erg ish, makes much of the reported Russo- Chinese seret treaty concerning Southern Manchuria, the text of which Dr. MORRISON telegraphed to the Times, as we learnt from our London correspondent, at the commence- ment of the year. It was then said that the agreement amounted to the formal establish- ment of a Russian protectorate over Mouk- den and Fengtion province. Our Yokohama contemporary, the Japan Mail, learns from a trustworthy source that the gist of the agreement is as follows:- Russia agrees that Chinese officials shall be allowed to resume the functions of civil government at Moukden and in the province of Fentien, on certain condi- tions, namely:-
"
[February 2, 1901.
the above districts; and, further, to hand over to the Russian military authorities such munitions of war as may be in any arsenals of which the Russians have not yet taken possession. Fourthly, that General Tseng undertakes to dismantle and to destroy, in the pre- sence of Russian officials detailed for the purpose, all fortresses and other military defences in Fengtien which are not already in Russian occupation, and that the same course shall be pur sued with regard to such powder-ma- gazines as the Russian authorities may not require.
Fifthly, Kussin engages that Newchwang and any other places in Manchuria now occupied by her soldiers shall be restored to Chinese civil administration so soon as the Russian Government is satisfied that peace and good order have been restored in the province.
Sixthly, that for the purpose of maintaining law and order, the Chinese shall em- ploy local police under the command of the Tartar General.
Seventhly, that there shall be stationed at
Moukden a Russian Political Resident exercising general powers of control, to whom full information with respect to any measures of importance must be furnished by the Tartar General. Eighthly, that should the local Chinese
police prove insufficient to deal with any emergency that may arise, the Tartar General shall address himself to the Russian Political Resident in Moukden, and shall invite the latter to despatch such reinforcements as may be necessary. Ninthly, that the Russian text of the agree-
ment shall be regarded as the original. The Japan Mail does not consider it credible that such a convention as the above (the parties to which were stated to be the Tartar General TSENG and M. KOROSTOVITCH, representing Admiral ALEX- IEFF, the Russian Commander-in-Chief in Manchuria) should have been concluded, but goes on to remark:-"Rumour says "that it has not been acknowledged by the
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Russian Government. But, whether "tentative or final, some arrangement in the "above sense seems to have been locally "proposed." No doubt if such an ar- rangement" has actually been made Russia would still find it possible to harmonise it with Count CASSINI's recent explicit as- surances that no treaty has been concluded between Russia and China which alters the former country's declarations that she has no design of returning any part of Man- churia; for the fifth condition above makes a promise for the restoration to Chinese civil administration of all places now oc- cupied by Russian soldiers so soon as the Russian Government is satisfied that peace and good order have been restored in the province. Admitting for the sake of argu- ment that such an arrangement as the alleged convention is officially recognised by Russia and that she honestly intends to carry out the evacuation, as promised, the situation created would be one of constant menace to the peace of the Far East. The total disbandment and re- moval of Chinese troops and the destruction of magazines and fortresses not temporarily required by Russia would render the Rus- sian withdrawal a matter of difficulty and danger. But from past experience it is impossible to hope that Russia, once es tablished in full military possession of the province, would find it in her heart to recede. Her promises would go the way of many that General Tseng engages to dis-others, and the situation created could only arm and disband all Chinese soldiers in be resolved by recourse to the sword.⠀⠀ Ong
Firstly, that General Tseng undertakes to take such measures as may be necessary for the pacification of the districts in question, and also that he engages to render assistance to Russia in the work of constructing the railway, Secondly, that General Tseng will accord friendly treatment to all Russians con- nected with the military occupation of the districts in question, and that he shall provide them with places to lodge and with provisions.
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