New-York tribune., 1885-01-19
cHINA'S SAD PLIGHT.
r,rws OF A REPRESENTATIVE BUSINESS
MAN.
...,s,o,, tn he LEARNED THROUGH ADVERSELY
,rsoupcps-sFSDING TROOPS TO


roxouIN-NAvAL PREPARATIONS.
,n,,, , sprcII AL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.t
uovc KoNG. Dec. 13.-It Is an indsputaDle
,o that nearly all OF the mandarin class IN emma WISH
che war to 90 on though not for the same reasons
s ,abor under the auson that they can, IN the emu
;n at least quasi victory over the French "'po
NV see opportunities for acquiring fortunes py
,nate ueeulaton and some though the numbers may o0
small think that China should learn tile western
,, and at the same time be brought to appreciate c
oyn weakness which can be done In no oher way '''
nv getting a sound drubbing AT the MINUS y, - -
European Power. The last cass co'"i ,..,.,o,
Intelligent and liberal-minded ohinau,'" .a,r
throughout the great seapors OF the en'pn'' "a
.hoo, nav he cassed Ho Mel. manager ana nrop"u's
.es 80 of the Ontai Insurance Company OF hohg
- rhe chinese are rapidly acquiring the haoi' Oh
sg more or less wellseyerything done Id Europe anu
America They initiate foreign Manufactures III
Hong ong they sell most OF the articles de"' III s ~
rorecn mercantile and drive Fany OF them OUT Vi
tbe trade They cut and make clothes for foreigners
even when there are foreign tailors close at h"iu
Tere s n Chinese dentist here who not only pulls 'ccl'
hut makes and inserts full sets on gold or ruooer
n,atos There arc Chinese banks and insurance coi-
nanies there being two taking exclusively marine rishS'
Of which the Ontal is one. u
ua,nc heen recommended to Ho Mel for an intell-
~ent view OF the present trouble from strictly oheSe
standpoint l found him in his Office IN the 'hihoSo
,uarters nm one flight OF stairs, seated at desk Oh
,h,cb there we're number of English books oi hiiSoe
laneous character The once was In all its appoi"'
poents thoroughly Chinese, having the car'eu '"'''
furniture tea tables, screens and fu compeiheh.o
hine- cowped Chinese clerks. His dress was u srcchs
,un,o slightly frayed His black silk skul-caI was
,.,, 80, and his general appearance showed that he
xras NOT one of the Celestial exquisites who rdse III
eowared silks but plain business man, whose ic hau
at least had serious purpose. lie was sono""a - m
yanced I'm years. but his eyes flashed WIN in'ehson'o
through pair of those huge. round ow-hke sloc"'o'
which give to mature Chinese faces look Oh prefer
natural wisdom He spoke English hnentiy' II no, WIN
perfection. having learned it. as he told me- urs
residence of some years in Austria asked MN Wn"'
he thought OF the violation OF neutrality by hong ho
I'm allowing the French to their harhor ior rehS
and purchasing coal and stores, ana ehceu cauto'S
answers He evidently did not wish to offend his Eng
hsh friends. 80,
II was he sad unfair to expect the coolies 10 coal
tho French shps and not surprising that they rebecd
AGAINST it, as well against the repairing OF frehch
ships in dock. With certain class OF Chinameh the
dollar Is as almighty as 1t Is IN America But theie S
more patriotism among the cooe class than Is eeieV
supposed They are at this moment raising lunu 10,
coast defence. which this company has subscribed
S1 600 The chair ricksha coolies are going 10 pay
81 each the headman every day taxing of cent WIN
their full approval"
How do the Chinese feel about the French using the
mort of Hong Kong freely when 1t is so close 10 hong
Kongr
al bslicve they are surprised that since the French
vessels search English SHIPS the EliSiish "o no' ~
them from Hong Kong.
sThs could be done at once II the Chinese declare war;
Why do they not take this measure T.
sThat is matter for the Pekin Government to decide
believe the Chinese have bought 100000 rines III
America and they are not all yet delivered Perhaps
they could not get them were war declared. nave
always tried to induce authorities to manufacture all
onr own firearms, We have the iron and whatever
material is needed in own country Chna Is lui oi
mines yielding every useful and precious mineral
have myself opened silver mine in Kwang Iung forty
miles from Canton. which is down eighty ieet though
started IL only three months ago. have three Euro
peans employed there, geologst and TWO pracuoa
miners l expect the property to become profitable IN
about another year. am at present paying out about
$1,000 month"
"where are metals found In China 7"
@Eyerywhcre. Iron found in 'iozen places n the
Kwane lung province. In Fo Kien and Shan II ana
other provinces there are both coal ana iron
gold in Shan Tung China has all the useful minerals.
They are widely distributed. and In many iocahues
where they are yet Undisco Eered"
aDo you think railroads likely soon to be built In
Chinar
.There is no doubt of IT, But there great fear that
the scheme Will be mismanaged. My plan would be to
have them by foreign capitalists who might retain
them twenty years. at the expiration OF which ne
they might be bought back by the Government. Ihat
was q great mistake when, Ten years ago.
they decided TO build the short line from the
mouth Of the woosung to Shanghai The first railway
in China should be started from Pekin Then the En-
peror aai court could 10 operation and appreciate
its advantages. Having seen railroad they would
wish them everywhere, which would secure their uni
yersa ADOPTION That was the way with the telegraph.
As soon as it understood and properly valued in
Pekin lines began TO be constructed all over China.
ais aIuanf There ,Sint AMY prospect pc oi pea0c'
Is not a war With foreign country the only way
China can earn her own powers and wantsP ,,
derstanding foreign countries .budins teegraphs rail-
roads opening her mines, and BY means ol ioicigh
models .ff the Imperial Government had done as ad
vised We might before this have had an army ana navy
are now to place ourselves in Ills position To be willing
foreigners what they have 10 teach III the way
OF science and practical knowledge we might In twenty
years with our wonderful resources. he able to cope
successfully with tho most powerful OF European ma
tons As It Is now, Government viii not consent to
Pay the indemnity though It is certain we shall have to
Z" The military system is entirely at ianltf'
"ltis. The soldiers have not been properly drilled by
foreign Instructor and have not been vol pad Insy
shoud always lie ready at stated time. that they might
GERS should compelled TO be honest and should he
pec;ed to take friendly interest In the men under tbe
which would engender mutual confidence ana pa'-1ouc
What do you think OF Chinese scholarship"
degraded us in the eyes Of the world China stands
lated to the Western nations to-day as they stood related
progress; we have remained stationary. Confucius
stands first and last OF study lie should
last and the finishing touch, the capsone, after
the student has learned the grammar geography, mathe
matics. geology. astronomy ana other branches OF
civilized learning with their practical apI licaiiOn In
civil and military engineering and other useful ways"
In ending the conversation he said that the present
weakness OF China chiefly To Ii Hung Chang
who had had almost supreme executive power and bad
failed to properly. The present system is
and rotten altogether Honesty IL unknown virtue
among the mandarins, who take the pay OF an army
during times OF peace, and have no army at all. When
on Imperial commissioner comes review the troops
the requisite number OF coolies the tag and ob-to
neighborhood got together aud shown TO the
inspecting mandarin, who sits OF at distance OF two
miles, where he can properly see nothing
TROOPS FOR TONQCIS
The latest from Canton the prepara'
ton.for the departure Of troops from the forts and
alattf afnifu For