The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-17
A Question of Finesse-.The Outlook for For
eigners.


eigners.
San Francisco Chronicle.
From a short conversation with a gentleman
late of the Chinese medical service it would ap-
pear that the general drift of opinion in China
leans to the belief that war with France is not
SO imminent as the European dispatches would
imply.
"The great man of China to-day" said the gen.
| tleman, ais Ii Hung Chang. He is in every re-
spect progressive Celestial, and he is, as you
know, the Chinaman to whom foreigners owe
the bulk Of their privileges. Chang's position is
one of greater power than is generally ap-
preciated He is VicerOy by name, but the EN-
perOr being "a minor and The royal blood flowing
in Changs veins, the VieerOy is also Regent
and practically, if not nominally, is the ad
ministratOr of China's polity. Like all
prominent officials, Chang has his enemies, and
while these are not focused into leader of the
opposition, there is an opposing party and there
are political opponents. The opportunity for
destroying Changes power is thought by these
opponents to lie in the present crisis One of
the Viceroys pet schemes has been the forma-
tion OF a naval armament indeed, it is eX-
aggeration to say that China owes her navy,
such as it is, to Ii Hung Chang's efforts. But
the navy is by no means the invincible armada
that Chang has dreamed Of and here comes the
ernx of his position. In the event of war with
China naval operations must enter largely into
the hostilities. Chang knows that his navy could
not cope with that of France. His enemies
know this also, and they urge the argument that
here is the one great chance to show the praoti-
cal return of the millions that have been spent
on the marine. They urge war, not because they
believe victory will follow, but because they be-
lieve defeat will ensue and disgrace overtake the
Viceroy." WV
"And how does Chang calculate to get ont of
the difficulty?' asked.
"On that point have no certain information,
The Viceroy, as have said, has the royal strain,
and though an old man-he ls over sixty years
Of age-his forty years of service and the semi
absolute position which he has gradually at
tanned have not been without their effect upon
the disafects IN the southern part of the empire,
where rebellion is always at the smouldering
point. Chang has always been faithful to the
ruling representative of the dynasty, but there
is whisper abroad, and let me be understood
as saying that 1t is but whiper, that the aged
Vceroy's nndOubted and quite Oriental finesse
may be brought into play, and that before gun
is fired the French may receive an intimation
that if the country south of the Yang-rse-Kiang
be allowed free choice of its own governmental
head there will be but q weak opposition to the
Frank occupation of Tonquin."
How does the foreign colonial pulse beat in
these risky times2"
"Not feverishy as one would imagine.
That the outlook is critical there can be no de-
nying, and should there be an outbreak, what is
now critical would then be very black. But the
eolonsts of Hong Kong, Canton and Shanghai
school the mselves to put o quiet face on the
matter, and are in fact so used to regarding in-
security through the smoke of placidly putfed
cheroot that it ia the truth to say they are I'M
atfectedly undsturbed."