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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
China would entirely reform her navy, and place it under the direction of British officers. But the well-known SHERRARD OSBORN Schenie fell to the ground and was
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[November 27, 1905.
subjected to limitation and restraint, either! by the action of an official entourage or by the working of local influence which cannot be overcome. The latter force has acquired a proportion in, China which few people are disposed to recoguise, but of which definite evidence has arisen under special circum- « stances. The appearance of unbounded submission to the central authorities is maintained by the Provincial mandarins, while they are all the time making use of the local forces around them to carry things
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imagines it has discovered an inexhaustible source of wealth; knowing nothing of the depreciating result of such a plethora as they threaten to pour over the country. The Shanghai Chamber of Commerce calendered futile by the obstinate action of culated that by the end of this year there the Peking authorities, who flatly refused could be coined, with the machinery to have anything to do with it and insisted installed, a number equivalent to forty that the provision of naval defence was an ten-cash pieces for each one of China's four entirely Provincial matter. In the same hundred million people. The Chamber, way great results were predicted from the addressing the Doyen of the Diplomatic arsenals and other naval establishments Corps, pointed out the large profits upon which China set up in various places; but which the authorities were figuring, and the effective results have fallen far short of their own way. The Central Government the evident temptation that existed to over what was anticipated. A certain amount of at Pking has long felt the inconvenience production.
"Should this occur the new foreign method" has no doubt been of this, and has endeavoured to obviate it coins would inevitably go to a heavy dis- adopted but the adoptions have all been of in the ways that seem natural to it accord- count, causing the manifold evils attendant a local and isolated nature, and the Centraling to its lights, the most obvious being on a depreciated currency, and most serious Government has gone on in its old cours that of pressing its arbitrary authority with disturbance to all trade, internal and much as if no change whatever had taken more and more severity from time to time, external." The Ministers hearkened atten- place. Then again great things were pre- and not allowing any local official to re- tively, but as is the custom of diplomats, dicted from the BURLINGAME Mission to main too long in any given place. But never succeeded in getting dwelt upon discrepances of evidence, and Europe. It was confidently declared that they have required more specific statements (" precise the establishment of Embassies in Western the country "well in hand," and their
by information, accompanied expert Centres would bring China
such constant desire has been to find some evidence"); where more practical if less intimate relations with foreign countries, means of strengthening their own authority. punctilions people would recognise that and so improve her knowledge of foreign The last thing which would occur to them evidence more " expert" could not well he affairs, that she must perforce be compelled if left to themselves would be to endeavour offered than the testimony of "merchants to adopt a more enlightened system within to bring the masses throughout the empire and bankers who have given careful study her own borders. To some extent, it must to their side by grauting them something to the question." Nothing can put away be admitted, the BURLINGAME Mission pro- in the form of representative institutions.
wide It has ended in Such an idea would be too the fact that what was foreseen has come to duced good results. pass, in the serious depreciation mentioned ministers or ambassadors being sent to all flight for any ordinary Chinese statesman in a letter quoted by us some days ago the most important European Capitals and unless he were strongly moved towards it from the N.-C. Daily News. Our contein- to the United States. There is no doubt by some outside influence. What seems porary's correspondent pointed out that that up to a certain point diplomatic inter- now to have occurred is that the Japanese eighteen months ago 81 (Mexican) course has been facilitated and a better have been able to put this view, or a view changed for 840 cash, and the Kuanging state of international relations brought somewhat like it, before the Chinese high 10-cash pieces, because they bore the about; but the great results which were officials at Peking; and that the latter have inscription '100 equals $1', were accepted as fondly auticipated have not followed; and felt the suggestion to be one which it of the value of 8 cash only. To-day $1 though something has been done, the long might be well for them to consider to some changes for 1,050 cash, and these coins are looked for change in her administration, extent. This, at all events, is what may be worth over 10 cash each, i.e., within which would bring China more upon a level hoped, and what on the surface appears to eighteen months the value of the currency with other nations, is still but a hope. Tu have been the case, though, of course, we are employed by almost the entire population most essentials, she remains hopelessly only too well aware that in China" things of this empire bas depreciated no less than behindhand; and this fact has of late been are not what they seem," and the present 25 per cent, and 12 or 13 cash are required much emphasised by the marked progress action on the part of the Peking authorities to-day to purchase what could be obtained which has been made by her neighbour, may be only the familiar plan of putting for 10 cash a year and a-half ago, and if Japan.
off a troublesome question to a later the information given me be correct, there There can be no question that the object day. Twelve years for the introduction of is no knowing when this depreciation will lesson which has been before China for the some form of representative government is end." Our contemporary hopelessly refers last two years has had some effect upon her; a long time even for Cathay; and we must to the miserable Chinese Government, but it would be contrary to all the lessons of confess that if we had to conclude that whose ulter incompetence and unfitness we experience to conclude too readily that this China was acting entirely on her own also deplore; but we feel inclined to doubt will rouse her earnestly in the direction of initiative, we should have grave doubt as sometimes the sympathy of the Diplomatic progress. The suggested sending off of the to her sincerity and should be inclined Body. When the Shanghai Chamber commission, was, it may be assuined, brought to conclude that the proposed Mission to pointed out that is permitting the Pro- about chiefly by Japanese influence. Al-Europe would probably end in disappoint- vincial Authorities to produce this plethora though the Chinese are no admirers of the ment, as so many similar movements on of copper coinage the Chinese Government Japanese, they are shrewd enough to the part of China have ended. But the case was evading her Treaty obligatious, the recognise plain facts, and cannot fail to have stands differently if, as there is good reason Diplomatic Doyen replied that " something appreciated the enormous advantage which to believe, Japan is at the back of it, and her influence and give her more explicit ws needed to justify a Japan has gained by the judicious way in will use remonstrance. Strictly speaking it may be; which she has made use of modern ap. assistance to the Chinese in carrying out but it prompts 119 all the same
to pliances and adopted modern improvements. the necessary reforms in the direction of It is at least paraphrase in China an old political prayer not only physical but also administrative, more liberal government.
honestly of England: "Oh for one day of to the wants of her country. The question possible that Japan may be
is whether this undoubted fact will be listened to in this matter. The Chinese sufficient to convince the Chinese that in will more readily understand her than other order to improve their country they must go nations; and she can certainly point to to the root of matters, and in many respects practical experience as proof of the success depart from time honoured principles. likely to attend the adoption of the views which she advocates. There may thus still be more room for hope of beneficial results from the contemplated movement than, in view of past experience, those acquainted with China would be inclined to look for. Much, of course, must depend upon the course of political events in respect to a reform which is to take twelve years for its accomplishment; but, circumstances being propitious, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that some steps will be taken to produce beneficial changes in the internal administration of China, which is certainly what is most needed in order to preserve her integrity. Probably the Chinese officials themselves do not
Palmerston."
CHINA'S PROPOSED
CONSTITUTION.
2
(Daily Press, 24th November.) The announcement that the Chinese Gov- ernment intended to send a commission to study "Western methods seemed at first blush very encouraging; and the sub. sequent notification that its despatch had been "postponed" was proportionately dis- appointing. At last, it had seemed, China had awakened to the fact that she must fall in with modern ideas, if she was to maiu- tain her position in the world. This sanguine view of the subject, however, is but that which has been entertained on many other occasions, only to be followed by disappointment in the end. So far back as the sixties, it was confidently predicted
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In order to improve the internal state of China, there can be no doubt that the government of the country must be made at once more popular and more centralised. The want of centralisation has been at the bottom of most of the troubles with which China has had to deal. In theory an autocracy, China is in many respects democratic in reality, and the force of local power both official and general is much greater than is generally believed. A true estimate of what the country is may be obtained from DE TOCQUEVILLE's "Demo- cracy in America," where the author shows that there is a natural limit to absolute power, and that autocratic_action is always
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