Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-09-07
HOW THE ENGLISH LIKE 1T.

Inc submarine telegraph gave us, several
days ago, an abstract of the views expressed
BY the principal daily papers of England in
regard to the treaty lately concluded between
the United States Government and that of
China through the medium of the am bassadors
from that empire now in this country, but we
have rot yet seen any resume of the opinions
held OF the subject by the weekly press, which
exercises, as compared with the daily journals,
far greater influence in Great Britain than
here. Why this is so we cannot tell unless it
be that once q week is often enough for the
slow thought and jog trot ways of Mr. Bull.
but so it is. Accordingly, the opinion of the
weekly journals upon any general question in
that country becomes a matter OF interest, If
not OF prime importance, in considering how
II will be regarded by the public 1T large.
50 far, the only weekly coming to our notice
which has commented on the treaty at any
length Is the Saturday Rerielc, the issue of
which for the I'D ult. has an article on the SUBJ
ject nearly three columns in length. This jour-
nal, If not the most influential of its class, is
certainly one Of the most extensively read, and
represents, probably, the average Of British
sentiment, if not of British temper.
Always slashing in style and cynical in tone
and generally Insolent and unfair in all that
relates to this country, OF course the Reriew
Its article opens with thrust at the daily press
for the little attention il has given the matter,
saying that the Times alone published the text
of the treaty. 1t then sneers at the whole doc
umeat, asserting that it reveals nothing new or
startling that IL is half platltudes and half sur.
plusage, and that its real purpose is discovered
only when one looks narrowly into il. The
first article is declared to be merely the reitera.
ton OF an old and well recognized principle.
The second is a piece of cuteness; ss the third,
fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh are really
meaningless" But the eighth is the big mares
nest 81 This is the head and scope Of the whole
treaty; for this alone was 1t made" says the
Reviewer. Here, artfully coiled away, lies a
latent force that is intended to and that may In
time send British supremacy in China to the
dominion bow vows. And that is what's the
matter. Listen TO the startled guardian OF
British interests -" Railway directors and
owners Of telegraphs might in the course OF
few years" he says, "extort more than foreign
merchants had obtained in a century. An i'm.
peTiHm in iMPerio might be developed, and the
policy of Pekin might be directed from WASH
ington." Which, we may be permitted to add,
mightnt be so bad for Pekin as for Lon.
don. The writer philosophically admits,
however. that America and China have a
right to make any treaty they please with each
other. But one thing can be prevented, and
shall be. The tell destroyer BurIingame shall
not be allowed to make any changes or modifi-
cation IN the existing treaty between Great
Britain and China in corsonance with the
spirit OF that lately concluded here. Such
changes are declared TO be, ION their face need.
less, insidisus, and damaging ts British inter-
ests- They would destroy all the fruits of her
wars ano negotiations" They might we must
admit But he is not through yet. The pur.
port Of the American treaty." shrieks the irate
Briton, "reveals the purpose of its author; and
If our relations with the Empire are 10 be mod
ified IN q spirit Of unworthy concession to an
arrogant rival, we shall afford another sad and
humiliating instance of the weakness which
allows bold diplomacy TO fitch from us ad-
vantages which we have gained by a lavish
outlay Of men, money, and labour" Labor
with an U.
We are sorry for the Reriep and its country
men across the way, but we don't see how this
terrible state of things can be helped. Ameri.
can craftsmanship and American diplomacy
are beginning to tell. The Chinese die is cast
America is on the air line route between the
Celestial Empire and the rest Of the world. and
is bound to reap the advantages of her position.
This will be done, with Mr.. Bulls concurrence
or without il, and he may as well keep his
temper and not be making himself ridiculous
before folks.