The sun., 1896-08-16

The basis of this tariff Ia a five per cent duty
ad valoren. but when Il was signed China was
paid In taeIs of al exchange value OF three to
q pound, which enabled her to make fair
and extensive purchases In tho Western
markets. But in the last twenty years all this
has been radically altered. We are still bound
to charge no more than five per cent. but when
We buy articles abroad we have To remit seven
taels instead of three for each sovereign: or In
other words, tho tariff You forced ON us as q
war Indemnity is only half as productive as It
was thought to be by you yourselves. A doubling
OF tho import and export duties will conse-
quently only place China In the original position
| she occupied when Lord Elgin and Prince kung
signed the treaties"
But Ii Hung Chang Is wisely aware that he
must rely upon something more substantial
than the justice of his cause in dealing with
the British Foreign ONCE. So he holds out tho
inducement that China Is about 10 build new
navy, and that she will order the war ships or
most OF them from British shipy ards IL Great
Britain will kindly give her permission to raise
the money by means OF a tariff TO pay for them.
! There Is good reason for believing that Lord
Salisbury has already demanded "a larger price
for tho concession. but the probabilities are
that some arrangement Will be made be-
fore the negotiations arc finished. The I'm
preston prevails that China will draw her
mental sources perhaps both German and
French. American shipbuilders and arms and
ammunition manufacturers will miss a great
opportunity II they fail to secure n share in the
enormous contracts which the Chinese Govern
ment will distribute In the next year or two.
Indeed. the State Department at Washington,
unless 1. scorns 10 follow the sordid examples
set by European diplomatists. might fairly In
slst. when Ii makes his application to the
nj tail tata fnr NJ
that share Of the military and naval contracts
should be given to American firms,
Such, In very general terms are the purposes
of LII Hung Chanxs mission to the great pow ers
Tho political situation has so radically changed,
even since he left Moscow. that whereas six
weeks ago he would have been received In Lun-
don with n cooness which would have amour ted
70 insult. he is now persona grata at the court of
st. James's TO q degree. which almost excitrs
contempt for the Government OF the British em-
pire. The advantage of tho situation seems to
lie with the representative OF the defeated Mon
golian nation rather than with tho Prime MIN
lister. who has been inclined to BOAST OF tho
"splendid isolation " OF his country I'LL Hung
Chang is simply playing OF the assured friend
shin OF Russia tperhnps with the secret consent
OF the latter against the doubtful good Will OF
England, the game may bo safely intrusted TO
his experienced and sk!fuI hands Lord Sails
bury is using new aud unaccustumed weapons.
A his life he has found diplomatic Indifference,
BLUM. Orarhdo hn'i occasional threats admirably
suited 10 all emergencies. lheS are useless now,
or Le seems Ia believe them useless and he has
resorted Ia those softer measures with which
none Is more familiar than Ii Hung hang And
all other Eastern stRtcsnen. II seems easy TO
urOph"sy the IGrtncr discontinue of Great
Britain IN such an encounter. but time Will tell.
aud the issue Ht. not bo long delayed. II IL safe
to add that, Anw yer the rs-prctlye interests
q hrrut Britain, Chinn, and Japan may farc.
Russia VII not su1rr In the outcome Of al! tho
complications. thc is the only sure winner