The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-18 00:00:00

TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIA ARD
CHINA.

In our impression of yesterday we translated
from the Journal de St. Petersbourg the last treaty
which Russia has concluded with China. The policy
of the Court of St. Petersburg recently has entirely
changed with respect to its transactions in that
part of the world. Formerly all was mystery; no
one in England knew what Russia was about in
those regions. The river Amour was generally
supposed here to be a stream quite incapable of
navigation ; but when it was frozen, or whether it
ever thawed, was a matter which might be vigorously I
debated even among those whose duties specially
required them to keep an eye upon such affairs.
Russia certainly never helped us to any insight
into her position. Not a month ago it was thought
a wild hope when it was suggested that St. Peters-
burg might possibly be able to give us recent in-
telligence with respect to our missing prisoners.
We were indeed startled now and then by some
strong fact, as when Count Mouravieff's treaty
stole into publicity, or when, on the occasion of
some disturbance in one of the Japanese islands, it
was found that 12 Russian ships of war were close
at hand upon the station. Usually, however, the
counsel of Russia was very closely kept, and the
general tone was to the effect that nothing of any
importance was going on in that quarter. A.,1 this
seems to be entirely changed. Russia has
in s become
communicative and polite.
East,
of being desir-
ous to conceal her progress the ast, she is now
rather anxious to magnify her influence and her
power there. We find her representative almost
officiously interposing his mediation to smooth the
little difficulties in the way of the Convention of
Pekin ; and then, with an ostentatious though
kindly courtesy, giving burial to our dead in the
Russian cemetery, and banquets to our living in
the Russian Embassy. Quick upon this we are
allowed to participate in the advantages of the
rapid transit of news to Europe which Russia
enjoys by means of Tartar couriers and telegraphic
wires—means which are certainly not of very
recent date, although the results have hitherto been
kept as Russian secrets. To complete the change,
we now have a fire-new treaty published to the
world as soon as ratified, and containing stipula-
tions which, so far as we are able, we will attempt
to explain.
Let us premise that we think it far better for all
parties that Russia should pursue the frank and
open course she now adopts. There is no special
reason why we should be jealous of her develop-
ment in the Eastern Ocean. It cannot be expected
that so vast an empire will submit in perpetuity to
be cut off from the sea. She is ice-bound in the
Baltic, she is treaty-bound in the Black Sea. It
would be hard to prevent her from bursting forth
into the Pacific. Under proper treaties and with a
proper understanding she must be a better Govern-
ment to trade with even than the Government of
our new Tartar friends. Her outposts on the north
and west of China have for a long time been en-
gaged in the sort of work that sailors witness in
remote seas when a thrasher fixes itself upon a
whale. The impotent and unwieldy monster has
made a few unavailing efforts, but they were quite
vain ; Russia, having access to the sensitive part,
has long since thrashed China into submission. The
Sinologues who watched the Pekin Gazette fre-
quently met wroth Imperial groans over the ill suc-
cess of the war with the Russians, and the embezzle-
ments of ammunition which had been intended for
that purpose. We knew that something was going
on up there in the North. This was a private vic-
timisation ; but now, when France and England
are upon the spot, it is necessary for Russia, if she
intends to pursue her policy, to come forth boldly,
and to hunt her prey under the eyes of Europe.
This new treaty is certainly a bold step in this
direction. If the frontier line which it settles
be traced upon a very good map, we shall find,
after reconciling the difference in names, and
identifying the rivers and lakes it mentions, that it
takes a very thick peel off the west and north-east
of China. To us China is the oyster which by our
sword'we open; to the Russians China seems to
present itself under the image of an onion, which
peel by peel they propose by themselves to devour.
They now by this treaty push forward their frontier
line considerably within the provinces lying at the
foot of the mountains of Central Asia—provinces
which were always included within the empire of
China, and they advance very close even to the
densely peopled portion of the country. But their
great advance is upon the north-east, where they
have actually come twelve degrees south of their old
boundary at the mouth of the Amoor, have taken
in the whole of the shores of the Gulf of Tartary,
bringing out their frontier line into the Sea of
Japan. Of course the great desire of Russia is to
creep south to get seaports which would give her
three outlets to the world, and which are not for
half the year blocked up with ice. Now, at the
mouth of the river Thou-mien, by enlarging the
already existing town of Hwan-chun, they will have
a port directly opposite to Hakodadi, and command-
ing the islands of Japan. A very slight knowledge
of the map of China is sufficient to convince any
one who hears that the Russian frontier line is
brought down south to the river Thou-mien that
Russia, with a naval station at that point, must be
practically master of Japan.
Thus we three European Powers have attained
in China our different purposes. We confident
British, relying on our skill, say—" Let us in to
trade with you." France, not very hopeful of '
much gain from commerce in those parts, but desi-
rous of a cheap dotation for a crew of importunate
and unwelcome priests, says—" Take these priests
and feed them." Russia, confiding in nothing but
in force and arms, says—" Give me territory where
:I may nestle warships and whereon I may build
arsenals." When Russia carries out her principles
into detail she is wont, as formerly, to be more long-
sighted for the attainment of her objects than we
are. We have been content to stipulate that our
goods shall be introduced under certain moderate
fixed rates, which, moderate as they are, are calcu-
lated to yield to the Imperial Treasury more than
two millions sterling. The Russians, however, by
the fourth article of their treaty, obtain that " on
the whole frontier line established by the present
treaty trade, free of all duty or restrictions, is esta-
blished between the subjects of the two States;
and the local authorities are bound to give special
protection to such trade and to those who exercise
it." Unless, therefore, we take advantage of the
" most favoured nation clause" in the Treaty of
Tien-tsin, the advantages which Russian cloths
possess in China as against our woollen manufac-
tures will be retained.

In providing for the carrying out this treaty the
Russians have also been very careful not to em-
barrass themselves with the necessity of providing
passports from Chinese Mandarins. The new treaty
provides that Russian merchants, even in companies
to the number of two hundred, may travel in China
on commercial business with no further passport
than a Russian certificate. Wherever they go these
Russian merchants are to carry the Russian law
about them, and the Chinese local authorities are
bound to respect the rights amd to enforce the obli-
gations of a Russian subject. Such is the treaty
which Russia has obtained in reward for her media-
tion and civility ; and by means, perhaps, of a little
tact in insinuating her request at a favourable mo-
ment Russia has got more than we have, and with-
out paying 12 millions for the prize. We do not
want permanently to keep a large fleet in the China
Seas, and therefore we do not much grudge to Rus-
sia the acquisition of the shores of the Gulf of Tar-
tary. Indeed, if we had had any such object in
view, we would rather have kept Chnsan than have
all these hundreds of leagues of coast line. But
Russia has got absolute free trade over the land
frontier, while we have to ply duties ; and Russia
grants her own certificates to companies of her
travelling merchants, while we exercise our treaty
privilege under the visa of a local Chinese Man.
darin. Upon the whole the Russians have the best
of it.—Times.

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