The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-10-05
CANTON.
The Position of tle 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
nestle trade, a 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 sauadront.
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
hostile power of the right Of blockade
be sound, Canton is free city, but no
nation would summit to q construction
being placed upon conventions made
with neutrals which should deprive her
of one of the most formidable means of
coercion and stnltify, in great measure,
her naval forces.
The effect of blockade may be judged
from the action Of the Bril ish COVER n
ment in regard to Canton in 1858. That
port was blockaded and all tsaie was
'nterdicted. The rights of resi- dence of
hose foreigners who desired to remain
u tue settle ment of Canton were ere
spected" as far as circumstances would
permit, but no distinction was made be-
Ween Chinese and foreign trade. The
blockade was intended to be effective,
and not even neutfs steamer was per-
mitted to ascend the river without the
permission of the British admiral.
In the narrative OF Lord Elgln's mis-.
sion to China may be found a short &C.
count of the blockade of Canton. It is
here stated that the ambassadors
were anxious to effect the speedy re
noval of this restriction. The naval
authorities fully concurred with them
in this desire, and were no less anxious
10 put an end to blockade which. while
1t tended to exercise Il
slemoralizing influence upon the
class of vessels specially employed in
nforcing it, had tailed in the object it
was designed to accomplish. Instead of
preventing all trade with Canton, it had
simply diverted it to the Broadway and
other channels not guarded by our cruis.
ers. Thus it WAS both Intellectual and
illegal, q circumstance which, fortunate.
~, 1T 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.
iral power had just cause of complaint.
Had the blockade been effective it would
have been legal and no ground of COM
plant by neutra! powers weuld have ex.
lsted.
Fears of a rising against Europeans in
the towns and cities of China in the
event of q war are only too we'll ground
Ell. Tn" present riot is only one in &C.
ries of outrages. Recently a French
MISSIONARY. Pere Terrasse, and sixteen
native CHRISTIANS We're massacred in
Yunnan, near the Tonquin frontier. The
little mission which met with such a
tragic fate was established in the town of
Yang pi, not far from Tall fu. It was
visited by Messrs. (olquhoun and
Wahab in their adventurous journey
across southern Asia, and the former
has given us an interesting account of
his meeting with Pere lerrasse. The
missionary arcosted the traveller as he
entered the town with the single word
'Englishman?" uttered interrogatively
nd with strong French accent.
The person addressed. who was buried
in deep reverie, his thoughts
thousands Of miles awav from China at
The time. looked up on hearing the Eng
'sh word and Immediately recognized
tho speaker wasa European, clad though
!e was in native dress and so far IN
,llstlngulshable from the thousands 0"
Chinese whom the explorer had encoan-
erred on his route. A few minutes after
ward the three Europeans were discuss.
ing a bottle of Bordeaux and toasting
"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
guage when speaking of the local man
darins. whom he cha acterizcd as rob-
bers and brigands. Nor was his opinion
Of the Chinese soldiery much more
favorably:. AdepIs in the trade Of
murder, he pronounced them utterly
deficient in the higher military quail.
ties.