The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-10-05
CANTON.
The Position of the City in Case OF
War.

From the N. Y, Herald.
The city of Canton is the wealthiest
and most active in China. Apart from
its large foreign trade it has great do
mestic trade, q considerable portion Of
which is carried in coasting vessels.
Any blockade of this port would very
seriously interfere with the commerce
of China, and it would certainly be the
objective of blockading sQuadront.
But in the city Of Canton a portion Of
ground is set apart for foreign residence
under conditions similar if not identical
to those which prevail in the other
treaty ports of the empire. If the as
sumption that foreign residence deprives
a hostile power of the right of blockade
be sound. Canton is free city, but no
nation would submit to construction
with neutrals which should deprive her
of one of the most formidable means of
coercion and stultify, in great measure,
her naval forces.
The effect of a blockade may be judged
from the action of the British COVER n
ment in regard to Canton in 1858. That
port was blockaded and all trade was
lnterdicted. The rights of residence of
those foreigners who desired to remain
In the settlement of Canton were "re-
spected" as far as circumstances would
permit, but no distinction was made be-
tween Chinese and foreign trade. The
blockade was intended to be effective,
and not even neutral steamer was per-
mitted to ascend the river without the
permission of the British admiral.
In the narrative Of Lord Elgin's mis-
sion to China may be found short ac-
count of the blockade of Canton. It is
there stated that the ambassadors
were anxious to effect the speedy re-
moval of this restriction. The naval
authorities fully concurred with them
in this desire, and were no less anxious
to putan end to blockade which. while
demoralizing influence upon the
class Of vessels specially employed in
enforcing it, had failed in the object it
was designed to accomplish. Instead of
preventing all trade with Canton, it had
simply diverted it to the Broadway snd
other channels not guarded by our cruis-
ers. Thus 1t was both Intellectual and
illegal, circumstance which, Fortunate
ly, it did not occur to any neutral power
to complain Of" The blockade was only
partial, consequently it was illegal, and
according to the law of nations, any neu-
H.e@i POVSh u0u JuSI CdubO "a
Had the blockade seen effective it would
have been legal and no ground of COM
plant by neutral powers would have ex-
isted.
Fears of rising against Europeans in
the towns and cities of China in the
event of a war are only too we'll ground
ed. The present riot is only one in &C.
ries of outrages. Recently French
missionary, Pere Terrasse, and sixteen
native Christians were massacred in
Yunnan, near the Tonquin frontier. The
little mission which met with such q
tragic fate was established in the town of
Yang pi, not far from Ta-li-fu. It was
visited by Messrs. Colquhoun and
Wahab in their adventurous journey
across southern Asia, and the former
has given us an interesting account Of
his meeting with Pere Terrasse. The
missionary accosted the traveller as he
entered the town with the single word
"Englishman?" uttered interrogatively
md with strong French accent.
The person addressed, who was buried
in deep reverie, his thoughts
thousands of miles awav from China at
he time, looked up on hearing the Eng.
sh word and Immediately recognized
tho speaker wasa European, clad though
ne was in a native dress and so far un-
,listinguishabIe from the thousands OF
Chinese whom the explorer had encoun-
tered on his route. A few minutes after
ward the three Europeans were discuss
ing q bottle of Bordeaux and toastirg
''la belle France" the native land of the
exile. who had long abandoned all hope
Of putting his foot upon its soil again.
Though the natives in that part of China
have by no means the best reputation, !,
the missionary described them to the
travellers as simple, honest and not un-
kindly folk. Very different was his Ian
gusge when speaking of the local man
darins. whom he characterized as rob
bers and brigands. Nor was his opinion
Of the Chinese soldiery much more
favorably. Adeps in the trade of
murder, he pronounced them utterly
deficient in the higher military quail.
ties.