The morning call., 1894-12-29
THE PARTITION OF CHINA.

Europe is waking up TO the discovery
that the disintegration of China is a Euro
Dean as well as an Asiatic question. Sir
Thomas Wade, who lived forty years in
China, and for twelve years was British
Minister to that empire, contributes to the
Contemporary ReUielu an article in which
he points ont some of the results which
might follow the occupation of part OF
China by foreign power. "One slice OF
China" says Sir Thomas, with its mil
lions of potential soldiers, would give to
any one European power an enormously
preponderant weight in the councils of the
world: nor could America be Indifferent,
while her interests on the Pacific have
been increasing as they have been doing
of late years. She could scarcely stand by
IDLY while changes so vast were taking
place on the other side o.! the ocean,"
Sir Thomas foresees the time when
japan will control Manchuuria and
threaten Chilli. When that takes place,
Russian Intervention will be forced; the
interests of her Siberian railroad will COM
pei her to insist that if China is to be par
eeled, she shall get Ter parcel This
would involve French demonstration at
the south; and if Russia and France began
to carve the carcass England and Germany
would want share, and possibly, though
American policy is opposed to interference
in foreign countries, circumstances might
arise which would compel a demonstration
by this nation. 1t is impossible that the
nations can abandon China to anarchy,
especially when there is so much profit in
sight to follow Intervention. Sir Thomas
thinks that the tims has come when the
great powers ought to confer together to
agree upon concert of policy.
These views have been stated more than
once in this column. They may be bor
rowing trouble. Mr.. Foster NAV succeed
IN drawing treaty of peace which will
satisfy Japan without utterly demoraizing
China. 1t must always be borne in mind
that the humiliations which China is en-
during are in their way an education, and
that the war can hardly fail to be fol-
lowed by radical changes in the Chinese
national character. The Baron Won
Brandt. who has been for many years Ger
man Minister to China, lately said that
China's military weakness is due to her
traditional contempt for the military pro-
fession. OF all races in the world thew are
the least military. Scholastic culture il
the grand desideratum, aud by natural
sequence the trade of the soldier Is con-
sidered unworthy and vile. The officers
of her army are chosen from the ranks of
those who have failed to pass examina-
tlons for literary mandarins. They are of
course worthless in actual service. Again.
The looseness of the bureaucratic service
has begotten widespread corruption.
Every Governor. every Taotai, every
mandarin expects to make money out of
his Office. knowing well that he will be
supposed TO do so. whether be does or not.
and the consequence is breakdown in all
the supply departments of the army such
as Napoleon III found when he went to
war with Prussia.
The normal effect of the war must be to
teach intelligent Cinnamon the necessity
of reorganiziug their army and reforming
their civil service The task will be diff
cult and will require time, but it is likely
to be accomplished at last. When it is the
partition of China may have to bs inde6-
nitely postponed. All the raw materials
Of warfare-men, money. supplies, coal
and iron-are abundant In the empire. As
Sir Thomas Wade says, an indefinite
number of millions of men could be raised,
and under proper tuition might be taught
to fight. The French say that they never
encountered more excellent raw material
for soldiers than the men from Ynnnan