800
80 on.
|
the Fulton, and three others of the Dolphin type. A dry dock is being made ready; and auxiliary floating batteries are being installed. Enormous quantities of coal have been accumulated. The entrances to the harbour are thickly sown with submarine mines. The number of efficient fighting men | there is somewhat optimistically put at a little over one hundred thousand; and it is alleged that reinforcements are arriving daily. Whence and how are the questions left unanswered. There is also a repetition of that to which we were treated in the case of Port Arthur, namely, accounts of enormous numbers of guns, and When Vladivostock falls, we presume Port Arthur history will once more repeat itself. After all these boasts of invincibility, it will have to be said that the commander of The latest that seems the garrison sold it. to have been heard of Admiral Togo was that the majority of his fleet was at Masampho on April 20th. There is a Manila report that he has gone to try to cut off the Third Baltic Squadron, but that is hardly worth noticing. Besides, we have the persistent rumours that NEBOGATOFF and ROZHDESTYENSKY have effected a junction. A theory emanating from Tokyo that the Japanese are in no hurry to fall upon their naval enemies coincides with the opinion we have consistently entertained. Delay is now all in favour of the Japanese navy. It is irksome for those of us who are waiting impatiently for the restoration of normal shipping conditions; but we have the satis- faction of believing that this trial of our patience is helping to assure the ultimate
188ue.
THE RIOT ACT,
(Daily Press, 1th May.) The unanimity with which the Press not only in England but upon the Continent condemned the action of the Russian author- ities at the time of the outbreak of the recent disturbances is remarkable. The only papers who have in any way approved of the severe measures which were adopted is a portion (and only a portion) of the German Press, who maintained that the steps taken were justifiable as a means of preserving order. For this, they were upbraided, by papers taking a different view, with some severity perhaps with a little more than was strictly just; as, however much we may differ with them, it is fair to recognise that they spoke only according to their full conviction that a State is justified in proceeding to any lengths for the purpose of maintaining order. Such a view is an exaggerated application of the "Salus populi suprema est lex "
maxim, and though we may differ widely with such an application
of #
we
|
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
upon him, was in reality only a mild appli- cation of the lesson taught them by the Russian officials themselves. The officials had on frequent occasions not only counten- anced but actually encouraged combinations and risings of the people—and thus had taught the masses to arlopt the very course which the authorities so mercilessly met when the action was directed agaiust them- selves. That the Russian officials encouraged, if they did not actually instigate, the rising in Kishineff is beyond denial, and it is hardly to be wondered at that the people who were taught that combined force was the way to get rid of the Jews, should imagine that a combined remonstrance would be the of proper means of obtaining redress grievances from the TSAR. It was also not unnatural that the authorities should have been to a great extent panic stricken when they foun 1 a strong combination among the people, as they knew but too well to what purposes, under their own encouragement, such combinations had been turned before,
and thus they were disposed, before any actual danger had arisen, to resort to measures which have roused the indigna- tion of almost the whole of Europe, and have of the worst goue beyond the cruelties Oriental nations. Even in China, where during times of rebellion there have been atrocities that have made Europeans shudder, panic and cruelty have never gone the lengths to which they went in Russia. When rebellions occur in China there is a vast amount of decapitation of the leaders and of inen notoriously implicated; but even the Chinese would besitate to shoot down a defenceless crowd, without warning, in the street. This, however, is the spectacle which Russia presented to the world at the very time when she claimed to have the divine rule right of extending her beneficent over millions of people in the Far East. Certainly, all who have any hope of seeing the spread of civilization in these parts have reason to be grateful to Japan for having made a stand against Russia's aggression. It is no exaggeration to say that Russia is in many ways actually more barbarous than What the nations she desires to subdue. difference for between the Kishineff massacres and similar outrages which from time to time have been perpetrated in China--for instance the Tient sin Massacre? The moving force (playing the ignorance of the masses) was the same; and the mode of essentially carrying out the plot, by complaisance amounting to actual instigation on the part Indeed, the of the authorities, i·lentical.
on
instance
can anyone see
With an
[May 15, 1905.
THE CHINESE DOWAGER EMPRESS.
(Daily Press, 12th May.) "One of the most powerful characters in history." It is in these ridiculous words that the Japan Chronicle, speculating as to what may bappen to China after her inevitably approaching demise, refers to the present "This aged lady," as EXPRESS Dowager.
our contemporary respectfully and genteelly describes the cunning old woman whose masterful but deeply prejudiced rule affects the destinies of uncounted millions, has passed the three score years; and "must in the natural order of things pass away in a very few years, or perhaps even months." What will happen when that happens? We may be pardoned for the rudeness of answering one query with another. What Le roi est mort: vive le should happen?
roi. That is usually all that happens. This "most powerful character in history," like many others, will leave about as important an impression as does a finger dipped in ocean. To speak of her as a "colossal "figure, by herself holding in restraint the greedy Powers, seems to us sheer nonsense, and this
belated and apparently uncalled for white- washing of her character only to be ascribed to one of those strange impulses that are contrariness." The colloquially known as
"
and in
writer first seeks to base her claim to great- ness on her achievement in forcing her way from her insignificant position as a mere cipher in the Imperial Harem ; retaining and consolidating her dominant position" in spite" of all the plots and in- trigues of an utterly corrupt urt. Surely it is obvious that where there are plots, and corruption, such an ascent becomes easy, not "in spite " of but because of them? No abnormal intellectual
power is needed.
sufficient. "She Feminine cunning is stoops to conquer," sometimes stooping very low indeed; and in cases like this, nerves or any womanly untroubled by modesty or fears, and crtainly without scruples, the subsequent climbing may be
The Westeru "prejudice' foretold. against the EMPRESS DOWAGER is alleged to have its origin chiefly in this, that the Western mind always takes alarn at the word "usurper." If history ever gives the right amount of space to this female Colossus, it will probably make it clear that the West has a few other things against the Chinese usurper, besides her summary ways of stopping reforms that the more impressionable EMPEROR seemed to be promising. It might be that
wrongly condemned the Empress Dowager for exercising supreme power after the of age"; but we Emperor had come had every right to condemn her for in which she exercised ways that power. The Japan Chronicle says: "There is no question that the young EMPEROR proved weak and foolish, and for that he had shown his inability. It is open to alone she was justified in superseding him after argument whether a weak ruler may not in the long run be better for a country than a strong one; in English history we are id bted to some of our most foolish monarchs for our greatest blessings, Magna Charts. Habeas Corpus. and the evolution of Parliament. But that is one of the ironies of history; it is no
蒙古
more that becomes known of Russia, the more it becomes apparent that all that has been state l with respect to her " methods" from the days of NAPOLEON'S celebrated wit- the Russian and you can ticism : "Scratch doctrine, sound in itself,
falls the Tartar'
short of the the at least understand people of a certain find school coming to the conclusion that actual facts. The saying of the Grea when force is either threatened or resorted General appears only well justified in the to to coerce a government, any and all means light of modern experience. may be employed to repress so serious a outward appearance of refinement, Russia danger. On such grounds it is comprehen- is in essentials far behind the ordinary sible that some excuse might be found by standard of civilization; and it would, indeed, persons of this way of thinking for the be a lamentable circumstance if such a measures which were adopted for suppress- nation should obtain a dominant position in ing the risings, though, it might be inferred, the Far East, which could result only in a it is difficult to bring ordinary people to perpetuation of all that is of the
necessity for any such among Asiatic nations. And, what is more, accept the drastic action as was resorted to, even it is quite certain that, as time went on, the under the most pressing circumstances. intelle tual intensity of the East would There is, however, one fact which makes it assert itself, and would be powerful enough impossible for the open-minded people to to prevail against a nation so lacking in justify the action of the Russian officials-right principle either moral or political; so even upon grounds such as those above in, that instead of rais ng them to a higher dicated; and that fact is that what was done level, Russia would herself fall below the by the people when they combined to ap- level of the nations over which she had proach the Tsas and press their grievances obtained domination.
worst
40.
argument that weakness or folly is commendable
in a ruler."
The irony of history is not quite 80 apparent here as the irony of the historian. Our contemporary may properly refer to
8.8 a foolish mounrch King JOHN
Was not what we understand but he by a weak one. When he became too strong, we got Magna Charta; and if the Powers in China had been able to
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