New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
MANCHURIA.
A GOOD BOOK OF TRAVELS.

| MANCHURIA, with some Account Of the History,
People Administrator and RsliRlsn Of that Country
| By II. E. NJ. JAMES. With illustrations AID map.
| Svo pp KILL 5o2. Lonsmans, Greer d. Go.
| This narrative Of vacation tour made by a
| party of Indian officers and civilians constitutes
| by far the best account of Manchuria that has
| been written, Mr.. James advises such OF his
readers as look only for entertainment to SKIP
the first six chapters which are devoted to the
history of the country; but this recommendation
cannot be indorsed for the historical chapters
are full Of interest, and the summary OF Manchu
progress, though rapid is complete enough to pre-
sent thoroughly compact story. The conquest
of China by the Manchus followed the usual lines.
The central government had grown corrupt and
feeble with established power and prosperity
The outlying province of Manchuria the home
Of hardy race of barbarians. Under native
leaders these Goths Of the Orient learned to win
victories from the Chinese frontier captans then,
growing bolder crossed the frontier and being
encouraged by successes gradually pushed toward
Picking, until the conjunction occurred which
opened their path to the capture of the Imperial
administration. The crisis brought On by
the successful audacity Of o brigand chief who
surprised Picking. The Manchurians were APP
pealed TO by Chinese frontier commander for
help. It was given, and the robber invaders
crushed. But when the Manchu army found it
self at the capital it had disposition to with
draw, and, as the Chinese were helpless, nothing
remained but submission to the new dynasty,
which was forthwith established.
Tho Manchur conquerors were shrewd. They
won the Chinese governing class, which could
have made the most trouble, by continuing to
administer the provincial governments through
Chinese executive officers. They gave the Chi
nese people comparative protection from brigands,
and that was as much as they expected, and more
than their own sovereigns had secured them for
many years Corruption from time immemorial
the bane Of Chinese government. continued, but
everybody was used to it, and 1t excited no spe-
cial discomfort The Manchu dynasty was gen.
orally better one than that which it sup
planted. When, in the course OF time. II
followed the old lines, and grew weak and ehem
mate its extinction was menaced by the 1ae-plng
rebellion, and quite possibly might have been
effected but for the interference of two Americans
and an Englishman-Ward, Benjamin and Gordon.
The Chinese, like the English after the Norman
Conquest. absorbed their Manchu conquerors
The Inter made some decided changes in custom
and ceremonial, but apparently very few in iuris-
prudence or administration and it is certainly
curious that whereas some Of their enforced
changes antagonized the personal habits and ways
Of the most conservative people in the world,
and certainly nc formidable resistance.
Had the Manchus been little more advanced
than they were when the Middle Kingdom fell
into their hands, they might have perceived and
removed the most insuperable barrier to the prog
ress Of China namely, the language of the country
Manchu itself was better language than Chinese
1t had an alphabet, and it was capableso natural
development But Chinese has for ages remained
the most clumsy, inefficient, complicated, infexible
OF languages, and one every part Of which seems
to have been deliberately devised for the express
purpose Of hindcring expression, and above all,
the acquisition of knowledge 1t is quite possible
Tor man to spend q lifetime in mastering
Chinese literary forms. Often the students who
go up to the capital for examination gray
headed When the language has leen learned its
only use Is to explore one Of the most narrow and
arid of Iteratures; and the written language
has no relation to that which is spoken. The
latter is SO perversely constituted and made to
depend upon the tones and infections that local
peculiarities Of speech constitute hopeless walls
of separation between places which are georaph-
icaly proxmate. 1t follows that there be
no intellectual growth with so unpracticable
vehicle Of thought and to this, even more than
TO the insularity Of National customs, must be
attributed the long stagnation Of China.
Tho present inhabitants of Mapchuria include
but small percentage OF genuine Manchus the
reason being that when Manchu conqueror went
to Picking and founded new dynasty, his country
men naturally focked after him, just the
Normans did after William. So Manchuria be-
came depopulated almost, and Chinese colonists
by degrees took the places left empty by the
native adventurcrs. Besides this the MRnchu
Empcrors looked TO their own country for mill
tary aid, and took care to draw large contingents
thence for the most important posts. In the same
way the most advanced Manchus. those namely |
Of the plains, left their country first aud in the