July 23, 1908.)
seeing that it would border the new railway, should be a valuable acquisition. At present nine-foot sharks swim boldly in, and tiny silver fish leap about the pegs that mark the outer edge of the railroad track. Parts of this country, which have to be re-traversed on the homeward journey, make the lay mind ponder on the hardihood of railway engineers. Although experienced ones declare that there is no really serious obstacle on this British section of the track, there are difficulties and peculiar exigencies sufficient to allay any aniazement at the policy of permitting specialists, ather than the Public Works Department. to tackle them.
PIRATES ON THE WEST RIVER
(Daily Press, 17th July.) As one put it in conversation," If I had been with them, I should have considered myself to be as safe from physical violence as if in a Hongkong street". The second pronoun, of course, referred to the unfortunate officers and passengers of the 8.8. Sainam, the pirating of which has given such a painful shock to the community, Vaguely it has been understood that piracy was still rife in the neighbourhood, but few people realized that there was serious risk for more than a few Chinese junks and traders. When the comparatively recent case of an attack upon a native craft was reported, the fact that there was a foreign passenger on board caused the offenders to be generally described as " during". The pre-
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. villages at which the pirates were known to have boarded the steamer, would provide that inducement, if it were clearly gader stood that they had orders to shell and destroy the said villages in default of proper satisfaction. There must be sufficient evidence up there to ensure the arrest of some of the real offenders, and we have only suggested an old-fashioned but effective way of getting at it. It is not much use asking for an increased patrol of the river, for there is never anything for the foreign gun boat to see or chase. In this case the pirates put off to the ship like peaceful passengers, and were doubtless received with all due respect. The movements of the junks that had arranged to take them off when their nefarious work was one could not have awakened any suspicion, if they had been seen by a dozen gunboats. The only people who can really get at these men are the provincial officials, who can find them if they search in earnest. We pre- sume that the necessary pressure will be somehow applied; otherwise, the present popular uneasiness is likely to continue.
DR. TIMOTHY RICHARD'S DREAMS.
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35.
To this question the writer himself uncon sciously gives the answer, namely, in the word "possibly" which he is constrained to use in regard to Russia's "respecting or even guaranteeing" the integrity of Chian. It is precisely the possibility that one nation or another may not adhere to a policy of preserving the integrity of China that gires rise to the necessity of those nations who are in favour of that course, including China herself, being on the alert. But what form does Dr. RICHARD think a guarantee of the kind he suggests must take? It could in the nature of things be nothing else than a pledge to support China materially; in other words, by force against any nation who - should threaten her independence. It is not very likely that any foreign nation would be inclined to accept a responsibility of this kind, and certainly if any of them did so it would not tend to do away with the militarism in international rela- tions which Dr. RICHARD deplores. The general line of policy which he advocates is precisely that which foreign nations, with the exclusion of Russia, have endeavoured to follow for years past, with the exception that none of them have gone so far as absolutely to guarantee China against aggression. China has always hoped to bring them to this point, which would relieving her of a duty which is manifestly certainly be extremely convenient for her, as
So far as moral influence is.
(Daily Press, 18th July.) the Contemporary Review Dr. TIMOTHY In an article which he has contributed to RICHARD gives a valuable account of the manner in which China has been influenced by different forms of religion, and of the general feeling which exists in the Empire with respect to Christianity. Upon this point he will be read with the respect which is due to an undoubted authority, and many will welcome the hopeful views which. speaking generally, he takes upon the subject. It is, however, to be regretted that he has wandered from the subject or which he is so well informed into the field of international politics, in respect to whichment as is suggested and which appears to far as the modern pirate of South China is if we are to judge from the views which her. RICHARD to be so simple and so easy
sent case is worse. It shows that the villains are no respecters of persons, and that a big foreign steamer, with foreign passen- gers, and foreign manned, is looked upon as prey no more difficult than a silk juuk. The white man just now is troubled with several uneasy reflections. Even a trip to Canton or Macao cannot be held to be safe from such experiences; and it is evident that so
affected by it, the prestige of the white man has a. dwindling importance. When a man like Dr. MACDONALD of Wuchow is callously murdered, there is some excuse if popular resentment should demand the harshest, possible measures against all suspects, The deceased missionary had a
to
sets forth, he is not so well qualified speak. He starts from a basis which few men who have had practical experience in political matters will be disposed to accept
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one that can be relied upon—the idea, namely, that the day will come when it will be possible to settle all international differences without resort to force. Upon
concerned Great Britain, the United States, cast upon her. and in the maiu France also, have for the last half century, done all in their power to prevent a disintegration of China, knowing full well the serious political and economical results which such an event would entail... It is a little too much, however, to ask that
should be willing to "guarantee any of the nations in favour of this poli
that all others will follow it, and this is precisely what there is to hinder" such an agree-
a matter.
The real remedy for China is not to endeavour to induce foreign nations to guaranto her integrity in any such way as is suggested, but to honestly try to establish such relations with the outside world as will remove the possibility of auy one uation
character which lifted him above all dis- this point he refrains from argument and having either cause or finding excuse for
cussion of the Missionary Question, for or against. Be was generally recognised as a thoroughly altruistic man who sacrificed self and private means to the work into which he had thrown all the enthusiasm of an earrest and generous life. The Chinese could not have found a more sincere friend among their own people. It remains to be seen whether his neighbours and their officials will honestly atone by doing all they can to bring about the discovery and suppression of the miscreants who have thus bitten the hand that fed them, who were such hardened criminals, in fact, that they could blow out the brains of a proue man. But bad as this aspect is, there is a
A
is content in a somewhat lofty strain express his full belief that, little as people generally may recognise the fact, things are moving slowly towards the abandonment of, the standing militarism of modern It is consoling international intercourse". to find that there are at least some people left who can take this view of things amidst the many discouraing facts that would seem to point to a very different conclusion. While Germany, France ant America are all increasing their navies, and while, to look at things in our own neigh bourhood, China herself is endeavouring to re-organise her army and improve ber navy we cau hardly see any very
aggressive action against her. In addition to this, no doubt, China, like any other nation, must place herself in a position to protect herself at least to the extent of making it clear that a war with her is not a matter to be lightly contemplated or
under aken. bastily
This latter point China has fully realised, probably agreeing with the GERMAN EMPEROR (but very much against the views of Dr. RICHARD) that each new battleship is a guarantee of peace.
Within certain limits, this is undoubtedly a fact on the si vis pacem, pare bellum principle; and no one can object to China improving her executive if at the same time she also take care to improve her
worse. Such an attack upon such a vessel, definite signs of the abandonment of external administration, so that the chances
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engaged in such a public service is no mere local raatter. It might at least not improperly become an international affair, in which the Government of Great Britain would be entitled to make very strong demands
upon the Chinese Imperial Government. Pourparlers between Hong kong and the Viceroy might have just as much effect, to begin with; but the provincial authorities have been so long about it that we cannot give them credit for any real attempt to hunt out these pirates. They will not bestir themselves even now, without some strong induce ment. A gunboat sent up to the village or
militarism to which Dr. RICHARD Concludes so confidently we are advancing. Following up this line of thought, he asks
What is there to biuder an agreement between (say) America, Great Britain, Germs, France, Italy and the smaller towers with Japan and possibly Bussia to respect and even guarantee the territ risl integrity of China, relieve her of the dread of European or Japanese aggression, encourage her to fit herself by reform of her codes and judicial institutions for the removal of exterritoriality and lay the foundation of a complete understanding bətween East and West which would exorcise both the white and the yellow perils by the pledge of a world peace?
of legitimate cause of disagreement may be reduced to a minimum. It was the weakness.
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of China, causing her to yield to Russian encroachments in Manchuria, which led to the recent war between Russia and Japan, the latter country having to take up the attitude which Obina should have been able to adopt for herself. It is not to be expected that reforms can be made in China s rapidly or effectively, or as they were made in Japau, whose circumstances were much more favourable to such changes, but it is clear to all Europeans who have studied the existing political situation that the time has come when changes must
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