272
TH. ANGLO-CHINESE TREATY,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
C
(2
46
H.E. LIU KỤNG-YI'S DEATH.
4
to
ctober 11, 1902.
but because of his inuate nobility. The high posthumous honours conferred on him by his own country have their complement in the sympathetic verdict of those foreigners who know anything about him.
(Daily Press, 7th October.)
Russia is managing at the present moment to keep herself very prominently before the public view, and not only on account of her proceedings in one quarter of the globe. The attention of the Far East is kept constantly fixed on her over the Manchurian evacuation question, particularly at this present moment, to-morrow being the day appointed for the restoration of the first section of Manchuria to China.
The story has proved correct, to which we alluded last week, that the Chinese have a document to sign before the Shanhaikwan-Newchwang line is completely restored. This agreement the Viceroy is to sign to-day, for the pre- vious report of the Chinese resumption of the line was premature. The withdrawal of Russian troops from the south-western part of the Moukden division of Manchuria will follow to-morrow, according to Russia's frequently reiterated promise, and six months later the second step in the evacuation is guaranteed. To outward appearance, there- fore, Russia is keeping fairly to the arranged dates.
But it is curious that Prince
QuсHTOMSKY has taken the opportunity just now to declare his opinion that an early evacuation of Manchuria is impossible-an expression which the London Standard's
believed to bo correspondent says is officially inspired. As in the case of all Russian diplomatic utterance, other nations may well be at a loss whom to credit.
(Daily Press, 6th October.) In a recent issue the Japan Mail says that
(Daily Press, 10th October.) the United States "caunot be expected to
Pressure of other matters must be our agree" to the new Anglo-Chinese coinmer- excure for cot having referred before in cial treaty, that "Germany will not agree this column to the death at Nanking on the to any part of the surtax scheme", and 6th instant of H.E. LIU KUNG YI, Viceroy RUSSIA IN THE NEAR AND FAR that it has already shown "that the new of the Liang-Kiang provinces. The decease
EAST. treaty must be intolerable to Japan in some of so remarkable a man certainly calls for respects."
Had Liu This is a fairly sweeping state-
some tribute to his memory. ment of the case against Sir JAMES KUNG-YI never come into prominence before MACKAY's treaty, and if it can be sub. the troublous times of 1900-01, his conduct stantiated we are then very far indeed from then would have sufficed to cominend him a solution of the difficulties of the com- to the respect of all the foreign Powers that mercial situation in China. An important have dealings with China. As one of the piece of news in this connection was three leading Chinamen who helped to published in our senior evening contem- preserve their country in spite of its rulers porary's Shanghai telegram of Saturday's and a large section of its inhabitants, he date, giving the result of the meeting of the will always have an honourable place in American Association of Shanghai held on history. Like several other notable Chinese the 3rd instant to consider the treaty. officials, LIU was a Hunanese and it was in Resolutions were there passed unanimously his native province and the neighbouring condemning the document and these resolu- | Kwangsi that he first made bis name in the tions were to be forwarded to the Depart-operations against the Taiping rebels. In ment of State at Washington, to the United 1865 he obtained a reward in the Gov- States Treaty Commissioners, and to the ernorship of the latter province. His American Asiatic Association. The grounds good character brought him, as it does for this strong line of action are summarised not always bring honest men in China, in the latter part of the resolutions. There. promotion, until in 1872 he was ap- in the members of the Association record pointed Viceroy at Canton. Mr. E. H. their belief that no additional benefits will ac- PARKER in that amusing book John crue to American trade under the conditions Chinaman" has much say of LIU proposed in Article VIII of the treaty, and KUNG-YI, with whom he first came into that the present benefits will be negatived personal contact at Canton. He pays by the concessions granted by the surtax, the deceased Viceroy a handsome tribute. | and reaffirm their opinion as to the inability "What particularly impressed me about of the Chinese Government to abolish lekin "LIU KUNG-FI," he says, was his absolute and other illegal taxation. The Association "frankness and loyalty. He never would deprecates any attempt to impose or "connive at, or at least begin, any trickery sanction in treaty form excise and con- or intrigue.
He is now" [1901] sumption taxes on the internal trade and seventy years of age, and no word has merchandise of China, an independent ever been breathed against bis incorrup- friendly nation. Finally the Association 'tibility by even his bitterest enemies, of maintains that the additional surtax on "whom he has many." This is indeed an exports from China, coupled with excise uncommon record for a Chinese official, and and consumption taxes, as proposed, will Mr. PARKER does not exaggerate when he tend to continue China as a debtor nation, says that Lio was a man of whom any retard her internal development and Western nation might be proud." He was prosperity, and by hampering her purchas- appointed to the Liang-Kiang provinces in ing power, seriously affect foreign trade. 1879 first, but his opium-smoking proclivi- Thus Sir JAMES MACKAY'S scheme for the ties brought him into disgrace. He is reformation of the existing conditions of reported to have contracted the abit trade in China is absolutely rejected by the during the hardships of military service, American Association of Shanghai. Now and is said to have keenly regretted it, since, as is pointed out in the first sentence though he never made any secret of of the resolutions, the Anglo-Chinese treaty his indulgence. In spite of his tem- contains certain articles and clauses which porary downfall he was re-appointed to will not become operative unless all the Nanking, and beld the post of Viceroy Powers entitled to the most favoured nation there until his death last month, except for treatment in China enter into the same
a brief period when he was away on military engagements as Great Britain with regard service in the China-Japan war. To foreign to the payment of surtaxes and other officials in China he did not become well- obligations imposed by Article VIII, it known until the period of the follows that Washington accepts the troubles, when in combination with advice given by the American Association CHANG CHIH-TUNG and YUAN SHI-KAI the MACKAY treaty will be upset, and the he saw how the real interests of his time hitherto spent in the commercial country lay and devoted himself with negotiations will have been wasted except his whole heart to prev nting the Boxer Central in so far as it provides another lesson as to madness from spreading over the difficulty of concluding arrangements China. The Powers were compelled then between China and the Powers. Should to recognis: the merits of LIU KUNG-YI, the abandonment of Sir JAMES MACKAY's previously obscure to them, perhaps in part treaty follow, those who at home and in the naturally, since he had the reputation of East approved of his scheme will naturally being a persecutor of Christians in Kiangsi be disgusted while those, on the other earlier in his career. However, even then hand, who did not believe in the feasibility he showed himself open to conviction, and of the scheme, will rejoice that the treaty though he had no respect for the beliefs and will not be called on to prove by its failure did not credit the purity of motive of the that they were right in their opinion. But native Christians, he recognised the good of it remains to be seen first what is the the medical and school work of the mis- attitude of the other Treaty Powers. The sionaries, and during the list twenty years outlook is once more clouded with doubt
or so redeemed his character from the and uncertainty.
charge of persecution. LID KUNG-YI must go down to posterity with the reputation of being a fine and upright Chinaman, not because he came under Western influence,
A Japanese telegram, received in Shanghai on the 29th ult. from Chungking, announces that peace has been restored in Szechuen,
"
• Boxer
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|
While Russia is apparently receding in the Farthest East, except in the Amur region, she has suddenly made a diversion nearer home, raising again the question which was settled by the Treaty of Paris. Now this action on the part of the Tsar's Government follows startlingly close upon the amicable remarks of the Tsar himself on the occasion of the late Royal and other visits to St. Petersburg. However, it is not a novelty for the Tsar to be talking of peace while his Ministers or their agents are to all intents stirring up strife. It is only charitable to believe that the monarch is the dupe of intriguers. A few months ago : the Balkans were perfectly quiet, and the only trouble affecting Turkey was a small difference with the United States Govern- ment.
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Now we have the Dardanelles question, the Albanian question, and the Macedonian question. Russia's connection with the last is not proved and may be non-existent; her connection with is that she has raised the other two them suddenly without a cause
be diplomatically explained," a recently made phrase has it. possible cause is not perhaps far to seek. Russia's aspirations in the region of the Persian Gulf are well known and have been written of lately. The Indian much Government, however, is very much alive to the danger of Russia's activity there, and there is reason to believe that pressure is the home being brought to bear on authorities, while a friendly critic of Britain, Captain MAHAN, has expre sed his opinion on the subject freely. On the other hand the German railway concession through Asia Minor to the Gulf promises to become a working concern, if only the question of a loan can le satisfactorily settled. scheme for the unification of the Turkish
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