The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-27
The Latest News from China.

According to a telegram from Toxic. a
convention was concluded on Sept. 80 where
by some remarkable concessions We're made
by the Chinese Government to Russia, the
consideration being, of course, the Cars
Intervention to obtain .Japan's retrocession
of the Liau-Tung peninsula and his procure
ment of the money needed to meet the first
installment OF the war indemnity. Let us
mark what these concessions are and con-
slider how they are likely to affect the future
position of the Manchu dynasty.
The convention provides that the Trans
Siberian railway may be carried straight
through Manchuria, thus avoiding the cir
cuitous route along the AMOR River. 1t is
also agreed that the projected Chinese sys-
TEN OF railways shall be brought into con-
nection with the Russian, and, further. that
china may, if she chooses, delegate to Rus
STA the task Of constructing the contem-
plated lines from Kirin to Shan-IIai-kuan
and Port Arthur. 1t Is also provided that
lines forming part Of the Russian system,
but running through Chinese territory,
shall be purchasable by China after u
period of thirty years, and that lines form
ing part of the Chinese system, but
buiib ~ "N >b'ih . i''I AIob,
may be purchased by China after n
period of ten years. 1t is improbable
that the option thus stipulated for will ever
be exercised. All the money that the Pekin
Government can secure for many years to
come will be needed to discharge the in
demnity due Japan, to equip a new army
with perfected weapons, and to construct a
new armored fleet. For the last-named
purpose alone a huge sum will be
needed, If it be true that Ii HUNG CHANG
has determined to acquire no fewer than six
great ironclads, besides twelve armored
cruisers of the first class and twenty of the
second aud third class. Pending the. very
doubtful exercise Of the option mentioned,
which is probably asked for merely to
save the face' OF the Chinese Emperor. his
Manchurian and Chinese subjects dwelling
along the lines which are to be built by the
Cars engineers will become h~abituated to
the presence and asccndancy of the Rus
Sims. For the latter are to have the right
not only to station troops along all the rail
ways constructed by them, but also to work
mines throughout Manchuria. Other clauses
of the convention provide that China's
Manchurian leyies shall be drilled by Rus
sian officers, ana also Iehse W Ieissih ptr'
of Kiauchow, and covenant that in cases OF
emergency Russia shall have the use of Port
Arthur and fallen. Every facility is also
stipulated for Russian traders and travellers,
The practical outcome of these eStraor-
binary concessions will be that by the end
of thirty years the whole OF the Chinese
Empire north of the Great Wall will be
controlled by Russia, II the Gulf of Pc,
chilli will nave become virtually a Russian
lake. A glance at the map will show that
such a state of things would be incompati-
BILE with the maintenance Of the capital at
Pekin, and there are. therefore, good
grounds for crediting the report that the
Chinese court contemplates removal TO a
point nearer the centre of the empire. AS
long as Manchuria afforded the foreign
Manchu dynasty its only solid basis OF sup