March 9, 1901.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Was
as a whole deserved
199
nese and to hear the way in which he spoke of the good order and government which prevailed almost universally throughout the Chinese Em- pire. (Hear, hear.) He considered he was quite justified in saying that if any country in Europe had been so hard-pressed as the Chinese nation had been lately there would have been a greater. degro; of disorder, in proportion, than they had recently witnessed in a Chinese empire. (Hear, hear. What he should like to suggest to them for their consideration wes this-that Great Britain and the other chief commercial powers in the Far East had themselves a very great interest, quite ng great an interest perhaps as the Chinese, in the preservation of the integrity of the Chinese ompire. He was very glad to read the other day the Anglo-German agree- ment with regard to China. From this it appeared that Great Britain and Germany were agroed that no further inroads should be made upon Chinese territory, and the only regret which he felt was that the Japanese and the Am- ericans were not also signatories to the treaty. (Hear, hear.) He believed, from what he could understand, that Japan and the United States had in principle adhered to the treaty, but it seemed to him it would have been a good thing and would have tended to the preservation of peace and good order in the Far East, if Japan and the United States had been signatories to the treaty. (Hear, hear.)
of their trade and to the making of profits, were ly enough. It was anti-Christian because probably in many respects the very worst class Christianity struck at the root of all Chines of people, so far as the general interests of government. The religion of China, or the European civilisation, and Great Britain in philosophy of China, whichever they liked to particular, were concerned, who could have been call it, was an essential part of its constitution entrusted with the task. They had but one as it had existed for 2,000 years, and it was per- object, to trade, they had but one idea, to make fectly natural that the Chinese Government profits, and the result was that they and their and the Chinese people should resent the agents and rulers submitted absolutely and en- presence among them of the teachers of Chris tirely to the dictates of the Chinese authorities tianity and of the disciples of Christianity in Canton and allowed themselves to be treated as disturbing elements. (Hear, hear.) He was as though they were savages, uncivilised, know not saying, and did not attempt to say, that ing no rights and simply entitled to whatever the the action of the Chinese Government or of the Chinese Government and Chinese merchants Chinese people in what they had done in con- and Chinese traders thought fit to give them. nection with this Boxer outbreak was in itself The result was that when in 1833 the monopoly justifiable. He was only desirous of calling of the East India Company was abolished, and their attention to the fact that if they were to when it became necessary for Her Majesty's place themselves in the position of the Chinese, Government to deal with the Chinese authori- if the hinese or any other Asiatic power ties through its own officials instead of through attempted to do in England or any other Eu- the agents of the East India Company, it was ropean country what the European powers had found practically impossible for any intercourse attempted to do and had done in China, tuere! to be carried on on any footing which could be would be the most vigorous resistance, and every submitted to by any civilised and independent international lawyer, every statesman, every power. The result was quarrels, disturbances, publicist would be up in arms to justify and serious difficulties, and in the end war. That defend what that European state did in the way war practically raged from 1839 to 1842. The of resistance. He was calling their attention result of that war was the treaty by which to possible justifications for the conduct of under compulsion the Chinose Government China and of the Chinese people in endeavour- agreed to open five ports to British trade and ing if they possibly could to get rid of foreigners to grant certain rights as to the residence and from the interior of their country and in break-, protection of Europeans in the neighbourhood ing treaties, because those treaties were imposed of those ports. In consequence of the continued by force. He was not attempting to justify for violation of the provisions of this treaty another one moment the attack on the Legations. He war broke out in 1857, resulting in the Treaty of was not attempting to justify for one moment Tientsin in 186:). The Chinese from that day to the indiscriminate massacre of Europeans in this had been constantly endeavouring to mini- the interior of the country. Such actions mise the rights which by that treaty they appear- were outside the pale of all law, and the Chinese ed to grant not merely to Britishers but to all Government and the Chinese officials know foreigners By this time other of the principal perfectly well by this time that such actious, European powers had obtained similar treaties such a method of seeking to obtain their objects, and similar rights from the Chinese Govern- were wholly unjustifiable and wrong. But the ment, but there had been a constant endeavour fact. was that, however this movement had been on the part of the Chinese Government to disgraced and discredited by the attack on the minimise in practice the rights granted to Legations. howevor much individuals and foreigners by these treaties. By the provisions perhaps the nation of the treaty of 18.0 a British Minister was punishment for what had been done as part installed at Paking, and in succession ministers of the greater moremont, nevertheless there and representatives of nearly all foreign powera
considerable amount of justifica- were also installed at Peking, and a special tion for the attempt recently made to shake establishment was instituted by the Chinese off the yoke of the foreigners. Continuing, Government for the purpose of dealing with Mr. Francis asked whether this was the begin them called the Tanug-li Yamen: but thening of the end as regarded China, or the com- Tsung-li Yamen, instead of standing in the mencement of a new era in which with Euro- place in which the Foreign Minister of Great pean assistance she was likely to take ber proper Britain or of France or Austria stood in place in the society of nations. It appeared to reference to foreign countries, turned out to him that they were at the beginning of a new be simply a means by which all the negotia era in China, and that the movement initiated tions between China and the foreign powers by the Boxers, taken up by the Imporial Go- were impeded and delayed. The lecturer pro- vernment, and supported, so far as they were ceeded to trace the course of events in the capable of doing, by the Imperial troops and by Far East since the establishment of the Tsung- the principal men connected with the Central li Yamen, until he came to the war with Japan. Government at Poking, was only the beginning He described how Japan was robbel of the of a movement-he would not say for the ex fruits of her victory by certain European pulsion of the foreigners from China, because powers and proceeded to consider the question, he did not think that that was possible - in Has China been treated fairly by the European which foreign encroachments would be repelled powers? He said that in point of international and in which China would maintain herself law China was a sovereign and independent sooner or later as a sovereign and independent state having a thoroughly organised govern- state, capable more or less of holding her own ment which was thoroughly competent for the with foreign powers, certainly so long as they government of China itself, although from were divided among themselves, and possibly the peculiar circumstances connected with in the course of a couple of generations of doing the history of China, its long isolation more than holding her own, and of competing from contact with other nations, that Gov. actively with us, or with any of us, excepting ernment was perhaps not the best to deal perhaps the United States of America, in all with questions affecting other nationalities. matters of trade as well as in naval and mili- But the European powers had practically re-tary prowess. Of course it was perfectly possible, fused to recognise the empire of Chins as a sovereign independent state competent to rule and manage its own affairs. It might be that they were absolutely right, but was it natural or reasonable to expect the Chinese nation and the Chinese Government to take that view and submit to it, without trying to ascertain whether or not they were sufficiently powerful to repel the assaults made upon them ? Therefore it was that out of that feeling, out of those encroach ments by foreign powere, most of them without any justification, as it seemed to him, made upon the independence of China, and upon her imperial resources, the position which now existed in the north of China had arisen. Whether the missionary question was the im- mediate cause of the outbreak in the north of China or whether it was not, the fact must still remain that the Boxer movement was distinct- ly anti-foreign. It was anti-Christian natural
The meeting then separated.
HARMSTON'S CIRCUS.
FAREWELL PERFOɓ MANCE.
Harmston's Circus Company gavo their fare- well performance on Saturday evening, the 2nd just., before a house crammed in every part. The colony, in short, seemed to have turned out en masse to mark its appreciation of the efforts put forth by this popular Circus Company, during its stay in Hongkong, to interest and amus. The riding competition for amatours was the principal event of a programme rich in variety. an orent for which there were no less than twelve entries, namely-Lieut. Walwyn, R.W.F., Liout. Stockwoll, R.W.F., Mr. A. Babington, Mr. C. H. Woodward, U.S.S. Oregon, Mossrs. L. C. Anderson, J. F. Noble, and H. E. Moon, Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, Lieut. Johnson, R.W.F., Mr. R. T. Manner, Mr. G. W. Gegg, Mr. E. A. Brown, and Mr. H. Jones. Mr. Hector Sampson, of Shanghai, officiated as ringmaster during the competition. Lieut. Wulwyn, who appeared dressed in a grotesque, female costume, and was announced as "Lady. Walwyn, a name and personage well known in the annals of history, was the winner, going round the ring in a standing position on the horse's back five and a half times in all, out of the three tries allowed. Lieut. Stockwell was second with two and three-quarter turns. The remainder were nowhere, but created the greatest possible delight by their antics in en- deavouring to pose as equestrians. The first prize was a handsome shield rack, embellished with a jockey cap, whip, and spurs; the second, a, tastefully cut, enamelled inkstand. Further interest was imparted to the even- ing's entertainment by the entry of a sailor into the tiger's cage. He entered unhesi- tatingly, and drank a glass of champagne with the trainor, Mr. Gus Burns, afterwards lighting a cigarotte. This turn was loudly although it did not seem to him to be probable, applauded. Col. Hicks, on behalf of Mrs. that a more or less partial break-up of the Harmsten Love, returned thanks for the pat- Chinese empire would take place, and that cer- ronage extended to the Company during its tain powers might endeavour more or less suc-stay in the colony, and intimated that on cessfully to annex or to abs rb certain portions leaving Manila, where they purpose going, of the Chinoso Empire. Mr. Francis argued a short visit would probably be paid to that it was to the interest of Great Britain to Hongkong on the way to Shanghai. Col. Hicks prevent the break-up of China, and in particular added that other performers were coming out by to provont the further encroachments of the first German mail. We wish the Company Russia, and touched on the possibility of China all success in future spheres of operations. herself attaining to such a position as to be able- to interpose a barrier against further Russian advances.
Mr. POLLOCK Baid he was sure he only voiced the opinion of them all when he said they were extremely indebted to Mr. Francis for the very careful exposition which he had given to them of the situation in the Far East. (Applause) He was very glad indeed to hear the stand which Mr. Francis made on behalf of the Chi.
Harmston's Circus troupe left the harbour on Monday afternoon, 4th inst., in the 8.3. Diamante for Manila. Before his departure Col. Hicks, Agent for the Circus, called at this office and desired us to record the thanks of the Company to the Hongkong public for the kind and con- siderate patronage which had been extended to them during their stay in the Colony.
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