The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1901-12-02 — Page 2

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CHINA'S POLICY.

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able result of recourse to this the weakest

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[December 2, 1901,

Professor

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

quarrels. This is what is actually happen- Colony, that the fact that Mr. CHADWICK ing in China, now that the Powers have had for some years held the position of begun to look back and see how one and all consulting engineer to the Hongkong Gov- (Daily Press, 23rd November.)

have been befooled. The present position ernment rendered him scarcely the indepen- The Chinese have in all times won the in China is, in fact, more dangerous for her dent expert required, and emphasised the reputation of sagacious diplomatists; yet than any that has existed since the beginn- need of his medical colleague being a strong when we come to examine into it, their ing of her efforts to get rid of the grain of and capable man. This was written with diplomacy always takes one single form, sand that was troubling her oyster-like no intention of reflecting on Mr. CHADWICK'S that of astuteness rather than originality. existence.

The game played by L is abilities, for that would have been foolish Such has ever been the resource of weakness undoubtedly a most fascinating one; and but because, the Petition to the Secretary when brought in contact with direct force; at the beginning offers so many opportuni- of State for the Colonies having asked for an and in this diplomacy, which is always the ties of making successful coups that few independent expert, it was hardly gratifying refuge of decaying states, the late LI HUNG- who have once commenced it will have the that a former Government servant in Hong- CHANG was a past master. As in the case

courage to abandon it in time. Like the kong should have been chosen for the post, of the present Sultan of Turkey, ABDUL kindred vice of gambling, mathematical and one, moreover, closely connected in the HAMID II, the favourite scheme of such is calculations as well as the universal experi- past with Mr. COOPER, the real originator to induce rivalry amongst their enemies, or

ence of history plainly prove that, carried of our existing system of drainage. If, as supposed enemies, and by setting

to its legitimate conclusion, it must of was suggested in Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's de- against the others, to carry on an uncertain necessity result in loss. Lr, however, was spatch to H.E. the Governor, dated the 9th existence in the eddies of a crooked policy. no mathematician, and was perfectly ignor- October, no action at present had been Such a policy has the invariable result of ant of the teachings of history, and in his taken in regard to sending out also a medical procuring the contempt of all and the attempt to carry the game on to the end his expert on plague, it would have been impos- friendship of none, so that when the time next move was bound to be fatal. It was sible to regard the Commission but as fore- comes that one can produce some clearer fortunate for China that his death occured doomed to failure. Now, however, that we are claim than usual, or that one or other of before he had had the opportunity to make to have both Mr. CHADWICK and Professor the Powers interested is for the moment his last, and for his country, fatal stroke. SIMPSON on the Commission, we may look otherwise occupied, the unfortunate State Having, however, been removed the question forward with hope to the efforts which they is by common consent left to drop quietly arises as to who is to be his successor. It will make toward the solution of the diffi- out of existence; no one being found, in the is doubtful if a man of diplomatic skill would, culties besetting the Colony. pathetic words of the old historian, to say not here be a disadvantage to China; the SIMPSON, as our readers have already learnt,

God bless it!" ABDUL HAMID has just found out to his cost that such is the inevit-game that wrecked Li, who was, whatever was Medical Officer of Health at Calcutta we many think of his general lack of ability, between 1886 and 1897, has been professor a man of remarkable astuteness, is not likely of hygiene at King's College, London, since to be carried out by a man of inferior sub- 1898, and editor of the Journal of Tropical tlety, and fortunately for China she possesses Medicine, and has been acting on a Medical no man of equal astuteness. Here in fact Commission in South Africa investigating is an opportunity for a plain man. The plague. We wrote on the 9th September only hope China possesses of recovering her last, when we first announced the probabi- lost position is to take up honesty. If she lity of Professor SIMPSON's appointment, can contrive, even at the last hour, to be that it was "well viewed locally by those honest and straightforward, the way is open directly concerned with the drafting of the for her to make many friends, who will be Petition, as he is not only a skilled sani- only too happy to welcome the repentant tarian but also a strong man, who does not prodigal. Now it seems strange that, hesitate to give utterance to his real opinion." although as actual rulers China has been With such qualifications for the post on his able to evolve men like TAO MU in the Two part, combined with Mr. CHADWICK's skill Kwangs, LIU KUNG YI in Nanking, and and local knowledge, it is surely not un- CHANG CHITUNG and YUAN SHIKAI in reasonable to look forward to the first real Hupeh and Shantung respectively, she has attempt to grapple bonestly with the no one to fall into the place of Li in con- situation. So far we have done no more ducting her foreign relations, and can only than tinker with our sanitary evils, among suggest Prince CHING and WANG WENSHAO. which we include plague. The end of this Probably, we at least are disposed to think, year sees the commencement of a new policy. the situation is fortunate rather than other. This week the cleansing and disinfecting of wise. Li and Li's policy were in fact played the City has begun; before the month is out out. Once the light of reason was let in, its the Commission will have arrived. 1902 utter weakness was only too self-evident, should be a turning point in local sanitary Prince CHING, though probably not an able history. This result has not been obtained man, has shown himself possessed of many without a tremendous struggle, nor until after more important characteristics, and WANG the port has become a byword in the East. WENSHAO, old conservative as he ever was,

We have expressed freely in the past our has still shown himself a man of patriotism opinion as to who have been to blame for and regard for his word. On the whole it the existence of such a state of affairs, and is best for China to give up the game of in so doing have voiced the general opinion All who have diplomacy after the narrow escape she has of Hongkong residents.

taken any part in the sanitary agitation earlier in this year have now the satisfaction of seeing the first great step taken toward the goal which it is hoped we shall ultimately attain, the rendering of this Colony à healthy abode for Europeans and Asiatics alike.

of palliatives. On the one side in Europe his evasive conduct has left a door open to the French to press for some settlement of claims open for a considerable time. Whe ther those claims were well or ill founded is beside the question; no one in fact took the trouble to enquire. * The Sultan had recourse previously with each of the Powers to his old policy of getting one of the others to act for him the cat's paw, and drag his chestnuts out of the fire-only to find itself placed in a like position in turn. The game was in fact not good enough," 80 ABDUL was in the most polite manner told that he had better settle the affair this time by himself as best he could. While thus shivering in his shoes with regard to a monetary claim in Europe, where he has had to submit humbly on the first real sign of the plaintiff entering an execution, like many a similar mau driven to his wits' end, the Sultan has been trying to do a little bit of aggression on his own account in the Persian Gulf. Here also it is hardly neces- sary to enter into details. It was clearly against the interests of England that a trouble that might grow into a serious quar- rel should be permitted to spring up; the usual game was tried, and attempts made to engage the jealousies of the other Powers, it was no one's desire to add to questions already complicated enough another in which none were personally concerned, so ABDUL HAMID has been permitted to settle his little imbroglio as best he could. Now China, under the advice of the late LI, was engaging in just such another game as has been played so disastrously for himself by the Sultan. Lr indeed succeeded in setting all the Powers by the ears, and had the supreme felicity so far of seeing the whole of Europe engaged in the very pro- fitless task of blackguarding one another, much like the participants in an Irish row. But as usually happens in such cases, there came the time when those engaged in the row became aware that they were fighting for no interests of their own, but merely to afford amusement to their amiable onlooker. The moment such an idea enters the mind of a crowd it is apt to be a hard case for the offending party; the crowd can readily enough combine to remove him, before settling their own little

had from entire extinction.

THE SANITARY COMMISSION FOR HONGKONG.

(Daily Press, 27th November.)

It will have been seen from the report of the Legislative Council meeting in our issue of yesterday that the idea that Professor SIMPSON was not coming out to Hongkong as the medical expert to act in conjunction with Mr. OSBERT CHADWICK was due to a misunderstanding. Professor SIMPSON in reality has accepted the offer of £250 a month during his visit, and travelling ex- penses, and is now starting for Hongkong. The news is eminently satisfactory. We wrote two months ago, when the statement was first circulated that Mr. CHADWICK had received the appointment as engineering expert on the Commission which is to en- quire into the sanitary condition of this

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News received in Shanghai last week from Kaifeng stated that it was probable that the Throne would appoint H.E. K'nei Chun (Man- chu), Viceroy of Szechuen, to the Viceroyalty of the Two Kwang provinces, in place of Viceroy Tao Mu, who was then supposed to be dead. H.E. K‘nei Chun, says the N.-C. Daily News, is a progressive official who will doubtless continue the reform measures inaugurated, or intended to be inaugurated in Kwangtung by the late Viceroy. If this news be true the highest three mandarins at Canton will all be Manchus, as the Governor, Tê Shou, is a Man- chu, and the Tartar General of Canton is by necessity a Manchu also. However, H.E. Tao Mu is not dead yet.