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THE MYTH OF THE YELLOW PERIL.
(Daily Press, 17th December.) Were we asked for a definition of the word "Myth," its two most essential characteris- tics-that it should be, uucnscious, and that it should be only subjectively true, must occupy the foremost place. Habi- tually we speak of the ages of Myth as long past, and contrast then with what we by antithesis pretend to call the age of his tory, as if the factor of objective truth had at some period been miraculously intro- duced into human affairs. The historian who seeks to pry into the events of his own time soon makes the discovery how potent is the spell thrown about his path, and how difficult, if not impossible, of unravelment are those unconscious threads which engage both actor and relator in one common net, from which escape is only practicable in the inverse ratio of its remoteness. Thus the Mytius which in modern affairs shrouds our judgment and befogs our mental vision, ourselves can by no means extricate ourselves from its all-pervading tentacles, in the distant past often affords us clear glimpses of the reality, the more trustworthy that they are absolutely un- conscious. One of these myths which still clings to us with all the grim persistence of Detaneira's poisoned garment is, of course, the Yellow Spectre that haunts the imagina- tions of continental statesmen. An in- contestible fact in the 13th century, it had by the middle of the 19th dwindled down to a faint legend; its revival as a full- grown myth by the end of the century is worthy of notice.
because we
With that revival the name of the late Lord SALISBURY is perhaps to be intimately associated. To open out the riches of the Far East had for centuries been the dream of medieval Europe, but the Mohammedan occupation of all western Asia stood in the way, till the rounding of the Cape by VASCO DE GAMA opened a new road by sea, which Portugal lost no time in taking ad- vantage of. For some time she practically kept the trade in her own hands, but by degrees other nations crept in, and early in the eighteenth century practically all the nations of Europe had their representatives at Canton. The Chinese had all through been somewhat jealous of this position, which had, however, comported with the policy of the earlier and greater monarchs of the new Mancheo dynasty, who were sufficiently powerful to exercise real control over their foreign visitors. The Mancheo dynasty, as is customary with Asiatic sovereignties, fell on evil times, and its government finding itself unable to cope with the more vigorous men from afar, became jealous aud attempted by inter- ferences and restrictions of all kinds to render unbearable the further resi- dence of the Europeans, whom, however, it could not by fair means remove. At last the situation becoming unbearable, the British Government was driven to interfere
by force of arins; with the result that the Chinese Government had to enter into the treaty of Nanking, which it was ho ed would result in а better understanding between China and the European nations. The British Government had no desire to interfere with the old-established empire of Chian, and in this it was in consonance with the entire nation, who had no desire to increase the responsibilities of the Empire, and felt that Great Britain already hal her hands full enough, aud would glailly cry halt. The Chinese Empire in its decay had no statesman of sufficient ability to recognise the situation, and still kept on its policy
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fallen.
then
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[December 26, 1904
same power of imagination, which evolved so futile, if ingenious ameasure to gain the sympathies of theworld is not likely
to hesitate as to its means.
CHINA AND THE WAR.
com-
(Daily Press, 19th December.) The manner in which China has hitherto contrived to keep out of the difficulties created by the war has been no less gratify- ing thap surprising. That it was to her own interest to preserve neutrality there could be no question, and that she should do so was equally to the interests of foreign nations. pelled to take a side- the other-wide-spread complications must inevitably have arisen; and there cau be no doubt that every attempt was made by Russia to force the Chinese into what would have been a cardinal mistake on their part and would have worked admirably into the hands of that nation. The position of the Chinese was by no means an enviable one, and it must have required an unusual amount of tact and firmness on the part of the Central authorities to prevent some hasty act on the part of one or other of the local officials which might have dragged the Empire into hostilities. The difficulty was from the first apparent to all acquainted with the peculiar relations between the Imperial and Provincial authorities, and the trouble which the former have at all times to restrain outbursts of popular No doubt both these elements feeling. have at times been exaggerated, and have been made the excuse alike for wrongful action and equally wrongful inaction on many occasions. But that these difficulities do exist to a considerable extent there can be no doubt. The Provincial authorities, while nominally completely subservient to Peking," are often prone to take action on their own initiative, and in times of pressure, there is always a danger of their getting out of hand; and the same want of subordination is to be found on gccasion amongst the masses.
Had China been
either one way or
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND-
of obstruction, necessitating an almost constant state, if not of war, of practical hostility, requiring constant vigi- lance with occasionally harsher measures, till Lord SALISBURY acceding to office, with the best of intentions, but scarcely fully comprehending the utter breakdown of the governmental system of Chiun, evolved a policy of using China as a set-off against Russia, then beginning to make herself prominent in the affairs of the further East. The policy in itself was sound enough, but neither Lord SALISBURY uor his trusted advisers were aware of the utter stage of decay into which the China of the day bad In a few words he proposed to enter on a different course of treatment, and by yielding to China in such points as he thought he could with safety, to engage Ler rulers in his interest, and eveutually by strengthening her hands to utilise her in putting an end to further Russian advances. Had China possessed within herself any of the elements of stability something might have been anticipated from such a course, but sin reckoning on any assistance from the effete faction
in power he China was reckoning without his host. was so sick herself that she could scarcely sit up, much less render any help to anyone else, and the most she desired was to be permitted to shuffle off her mortal coil in peace. But the scheme did not fall on deaf ears: other countries had been looking out for the reversion of her estate, and were not plagued with such tender consciences. They had been looking out for the collapse which they fancied they saw approaching, and Lord SALISBURY'S suggestion of a suscitated China threw momentarily a flood of cold water on their hopes. Was it possible that after all the sick man had so much vitality left as the British Minister fancied? The very idea led them to ponder: there was a time when Eastern Asia had well nigh proved more than a match for the whole of Europe, when the arms of BATU had overrun the entire of south-eastern Europe, and were only prevented from unexing the rest of the continent by the recall in the midst of his victories of Russia, who had the redoubtable BATU. planned out a scheme of partition which recalled her actions in Poland at the end of the eighteenth century, was the first to take alarm, but was quickly followed by Germany. Surely, thought they, should China seriously listen to the voice of Eng. land aud pull herself together, all our fondest schemes are likely to be dashed to the ground, and we must for ever give up our grand game of argrandiserent. then be the first to cry aloud and warn the nations of their impending danger. England surely dare not provoke another "Mongol" invasion of Europe, and must range berself ou our side and permit us to carry out our programme; when we between us have entered on possession it will be time enough to act as the "vulgar little boy" and rally her on her credulity.
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Better
Sir THOMAS WADE once observed that, although the Chinese appeared to be under the most absolute form of govern- ment, there was really no nation so demo-
With such a state of cratic as China. things to deal with, it must have been no easy task to hold the people in order; and the difficulty which thus existed was greatly increased by the fact that Russia was only too anxious from the first to draw China in, and, as events progressed, this desire was rather increased than diminished-though later on, no doubt, Russia had cause to con- gratulate herself that her attempts to force the Chinese into declared hostility did not succeed. For this, however, she had to thank good fortune and well-advised firm- ness on the part of China rather than her own action.
"Pinch their tails enough and they will fight" was what was said by a Russian Diplomatist referring to the Chinese shortly before the war broke out with Japan and most certainly their tails were sufficiently pinched. The treatment they had received from the Russian soldiery was not likely to be readily forgotten by the people; and the officials might easily bave fallen into the error of thinking that the opportunity of retaliation had arrived when Russia was face to face with an op- ponent such as Japan.
Fortunately England knew as much as Russia of the cause of China's effacemeat, and probably knew more of her actual powers of offence, and the picture drawn by the Kaiser of the dreadful spectre fell flat, but none the less it is well to remember that we are not yet out of the bush, and though the Yellow Terror has for once failed of its hoped-for effect, we have still to be pre- pared for eventualities in Eastern Asia, Fortunately China was level headed assured that the very first case of neglect enough to see the advantage of remaining [u a way she might fairly on our part will be followed by the immedi-» neutral. ate occupation of the deserted post by our say: "A plague où both your hous«“8.” ever watchful and wily opponents. The She had no love for either side-and her evolution of the myth of the "Terror is hope lay in awaiting the course of events, but a sinall part of the scheme, but the and getting the best terms she could from
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