The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-18
THE MARCH OF THE MoNaoL.
China, the Oriental Giant, Rousing
Itself at Last to Real Activity.

China. the Oriental Giant, Rousing
Itself at Last to Real Activity.
From the London Daily Netos.
The vast progress of China in recent years
is set In a striking light in an article which,
under the title of "The March of the Mon
gol," has been contributed by Mr.. w. B.
Dunlop to the new number Of the Asiatic
Quarterly ReUietO, and reprinted in PAM
phlet form. Mr.. Dunlop dates the new
movement from the period soon after the
suppression of the TAPPING rebellion
when the Chinese government first es-
tablished the imperial maritime cus-
toms, which, under the wise and ener-
getic control of Sir Robert Hart, the
inspector general of customs at Picking, has
attained SO remarkable development. 1t
is significant OF the shrewdness of the Chi
nese tnat they perceived the advantage to
be derived from dismissing the native col
lectors and appointing trustworth Y foreign
ers in their room. The experiment was
justified oy large and immediate rise in
the amount of the revenue from customs
duties which has ever since been steadily
increasingly considerable part of the sur
plus having been employed in erecting
lighthouses along the Immense seahoard of
China, which has now one of the best
lighted coasts in the world.
1t is sign of the new spirit that guides
the counsels of the government that there
have been erected during the last year Or
two many Thousand of miles of telegraph
wire radiating through the empire. 1t is
now possible to telegraph from London to
Peking or Chung King, the principal town
of the rich and fertile province of 81 schueh
city nearly 800 miles in the interior OF
the country. Meanwhile the extension Of
the Chinese telegraph system is, we are
told, proceeding at a rate which may
shortly astonish even American telegra-
and necessarily slower; but against this
has to be set the splendid system of
internal water communication.
The total coast trade In foreign built YES
sells outward and inward, amounted in 1886
to the enormous sum of 1900, 900 tons.
Here again the Chinese are we'll aware of
the advantages to be derived from employ
ing foreigners. Only certain portion of
the foreign commerce of the empire cones
within the jurisdiction of the imperial mar
thine customs; but this portion reached in
1886 the hitherto unprecedented amount of
forty-one millions sterllng-Stlll a tritliug
amount when we consider that China
proper is estimated by the imperial stats l.
Clans, with the assistance If the best native
authorities to have population OF 3S9000,-
900 souls
startling dimensions betw cen China and the
outside world seems to be the old "Likin''
system of international transit dues, some
notion Of which may be derived from the
fact that on the great west river trade route
between Canton and Peso, distance of
900 miles, merchandise is said to have to
run the gauntlet of nearly 100 customs bar
riers. The government, however has
shown significant signs of being alive to
I hoe aIxrt Cd
some extent, in the teeth of vested inter
ests, by allowing the Likin charges in GER
tain cases to be committed by fixed pay
ment for transit passn
The Improvement in the system of
national defense is still more striking.
Huge arsenals under foreign direction are
sprnging up in various directions, and The
vast army of China is being gradually sup
piled with weapons of tile latest pattern,
while great battali us are being necessarily
drilled and disciplined By European Officers.
The Chinese navy already co sistS of
twentysix foreign built men-of- war, some
Of thom large aud powerful ironclads, AID
about 100 gunboats, built in the arsenal Of
the empire. Referring to the notorious in
dusJry and enterprise of the Chinese abroad,
Mr. Dunlop prophesies that when the sub
jets OF the Celestial empire enjoy under
the new and more enlightened policy the
same privileges and opportunities at home
as are afforded to them abroad there Will
be no room for doubt as 20 THAT is 10 be tie
dominating power in the future in the far
east of Asia.
The writer Of the article on "The March
of the Mongol" is very far from being the
only authority on Asiatic affairs who thinks
thai the solution of the eastern question, as
far as Russian aggression in Asia is con-
cerned will one day be found in an Anglo
Chinese alliance.