The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-14 00:00:00

EUROPEANS IN CHINA.

(From Blackwood' s Magazine.)
In our opinion, there is, in view of the interests of all
European powers, but one mode of giving aid to the
Chinese Government—to wit, encouraging officers of
character and resperesaiiity, subjects of those powers, to
enter the service of the Chinese Government. Views in
consonance with the foregoing remarks appear to have
found favour at Pekin, but owing, doubtless, to the
different views entertained by the Ministers of England,
France, Russia, and America, the Regency has been
dragged first in one direction and then in the other.
Russia is evidently ready for direct intervention. In 1860
she persuaded the Emperor of China to barter square
miles of territory for old rifles, and we hear that the
Czar's ships are ready to retake Nankin. The capture of
that city is just now worth a province to the Court of
Pekin. The French and ourselves have been flirting with
the question, watching and checkmating each other, rather
than promoting the real interests of China. Not, perhaps,
because Sir F. Bruce has not been aware of what was really
essential, but because he wasapprehensive, probably, of
compromising our Ministry in any direct line of policy.
The result has been that small bodies of Imperialists have
been drilled by English and French officers upon totally
different systems, in spots scattered all over the sea frontier
of China. Every one of these half. trained braves will be as
dangerous as a Taeping, unless he be under efficient disci-
pline and thorough control. No regular organisation has been
attempted, and we cannot but fear that such trifling with a
very serious question will lead to great evils. As an instance,
permission has just been given to all our military officers,
of any stamp, to accept commi▪
ssions in China. The officer,
of repute is thus placed on a footing with discharged sea-
men and marines now holding the rank of colonels and
majors in the Chinese army, while the Chinese Government
is unfairly left to discriminate between the good and the
worthless. A surer method of bringing discredit upon our-
selves, and involving us entirely in direct intervention,
could scarcely be devised. Surrounded with difficulties,
Prince Kung appears rightly to have turned his attention
to the organisation of a mariti▪
me policy, and giving a will-
ing ear to the counsels of the Acting Inspector General, Mr.
Hart, supports t by our able Minister. Instructions have
been issued for a certain sum to be set aside from the Cus-
toms, and the chief of that department has been authorised
to take such steps as would accomplish the desired object.
These instructions are interesting, and evince a real desire
to master the subject; whilst the admission that a depar-
ture from ancient custom is necessary, is highly significative
of the dawn of progress in i'nina. Prince Kung writes from
Pe kin in February last as follows :—" The Fore.ign.office
repeat the instructions they have already given the Inspec-
tor .General, to give effect to the arrangement for the pur-
chase of foreign steamerswi h the ut most despatch. Theorders
to the various Custom-houses to get ready their quota were
issued some time back, and these orders have been repeated,
coupled with a caution against delay, as it is the Emperor'si
particular wish that not a day should be lost. The Board
understand that there are several classes of foreign
steamers—the mail steamer, the merchant steamer, and
the war steamer; that the first is very small, the second
the reverse of handy, and that neither are available like
the third for warlike purposes. They are further informed
that the mail and merchant steamers are paddlewheel
steamers, while the war steamers are 'secret wheel' (screw)
vessels. This is a point of great importance, to wh.ch they
would draw the special attention of the Inspector General.
The money being now ready for transmission, 'hero is no
reason why there should be any, the slightest, delay." The
despatch gives instructions upon other points, and concludes
with again urging the Inspector General to lose no time,
closing with the words, " Hasten 1 hasten 1"
No one will deny that the task about to be undertaken
is an arduous one; yet, after having carefully weighed all
its difficulties, we cannot help feeling sanguine of a success.
ful issue. A good maritime police is the secret of govern-
ment in China. It the water ways of China are in a state
of security and order, peace will re-establish itself every-
here. The rivers, the seas, the lakes and canals, within
the area of the empire, cut it up into such sections that re-
bellion will be destroyed in detail, or rather starve, directly
a strong executive is placed upon the Emperor's waters.
The Taepings and other banditti spread over the area they
have devastated by availing themselves of the extensive
water communication. The Government of Pekin, if it is
wise, will pursue the same course in its measures of repres-
sion. The steam gunboat and the electric telegraph, by
their very appearance in the disturbed districts,
i will reas-
sure those who have almost ceased to believe n any Go-
vernment, and frighten away the evildoers; whilst the
fall
of Nankin will break the neck of a scourge which is on its
last legs. The fleets of piratical junks which now infest the
coasts of China, and whose depredations are known only to
the natives, will, we hope, disappear before the vigorous
operations of a steam flotilla under the imperial flag. These
vikings of the east occupy every creek between Canton and
the borders of Cochin China ; they have quite cut up the
native trade of the whole seaboard, and occasionally pirate
even European traders. It is mainly owing to these gentry
that we have been unable as yet to establish relations. and
open a custom house at Kiung-chow in the island of Haman,
a point which we hope one day to see the centre of an enor-
mous trade. Lastly, we see every reason to expect most im-
portant results from the information of the officers of the
European-Chinese flotilla will be able to gather of the inte-
rior of the Chinese empire, and of the commercial advan-
tages likely to flow therefrom. As eraploVest though merely
temporarily so, of the Emperor, they will have access to
every part of that country, and excite no fears of jealousy;
their opportunities will be immense, and we have reason to
believe that they will bear in mind the duty they owe to
their fellowmen of gathering and storing well every et umb
of information, geographical or otherwise. What they may
effect for the benefit of our commerce, we may estimate from
the fruits that have already followLd in the wake of their
brethren of the navy of England who first penetrated to
Shanghai in 1842, and to Hankow in 1858. There are cities
as rich as the former, rivers as large as the Yang-tse, and
lakes equal to those of Canada to be re-discovered. Those
almost unknown provinces of the interior are not wastes
profitable only to the geographical enthusiast, but countries
equal to States of Europe, thickly dotted with cities, and
densely populated with a people second only to ourselves in
commercial energy and respect for law and order. England
for years has spent wealth, energy, and precious lives in
opening China to Western influence and civilisation. To-

day her success is certain. The Government and people of
China both ask us to aid them in their hour of trouble, and
in return they will assuredly grant us that access and com-
mercial freedom for which we have so long laboured and se
often fought.