The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-28
The Russianizing of China.

1t Is evident hat In the present crisis
China regards Russia as Its "great and
good friend" With its customary semi
Oriental mystery, Russian diplomacy GOV.
ers China with a veil lmpenetrable to
the gaze of the outer world but now and
then o measure necessarily radical dis
closes some part of the vast programme
which doubtless was laid out and fixed
long q and with infinite elaboration.
Such q measure Is the Russian demand
that all the important foreign civil and
military officers and instructors now in the
Chinese service shall be dismissed.
To realize the radical character of the
change which this proposes, It 10
only necessary to consider the case Of Sir
ROBERT HART, Director of the Chinese
Imperial Maritime Customs, whose dis.
missal Is said to be "half-promised"
to Russia. Probably no foreigner has
ever exerted 30 powerful an influence,
or has been clothed with such important
functions In the Chinese Empire as Sir
RoBERT HART. A British subject and
frankly loyal to his native land and Its ma
terial interests, HART for nearly a half cen.
fury has been the confidential adviser Of
~ hAC government III I'LL unduCldl
matters; he has not only organized the
maritime customs machinery of China, a
vast and far-reaching system of assessment
and collection of duties, but his influence
has been potent In the adjustment of all
b financial questions that have arisen to
disturb the equanimity Of the imperial
Government. The negotiation of foreign
loans and the collection Of domestic reye.
nues have not been contaminated without
his intimate knowledge of their details
and 1t Is safe to say that the diplomatic
policy OF the Chinese Government, so BAT
hing to the outside world, has always beer
to him an open book.
That the process of Outstanding China
should require the dismissal of this mar
from his post, In which he has exercised ss
an influence. simply illustrates
the thoroughness of the change which
China's "great and good friend" requires
In like manner the demand that the Eng
fish and German officers and Instructor,
who are employed In the civil and m~ilitar,
service OF China should be %summarily dis
charged. Is another evidence of the cominI
OF a new order of things in China. Englisl
engineers have been employed in the build
Ing and equipment of railways, the open
Ing Of coal mines, and the regulation O
customs since the so-called awakening O
China began to attract the attention of tn
Western world. In the recent war wit
Japan, German officers were numerousl
and actively employed In the Chinese Navy
and to some extent they were also useful Il
the army.
Under the circumstances their dismissa
ut the demand of Russia would dlscredi
the reported understanding" betwee
the Gear and the Kaiser In all matters n
lating to China.
We can readily understand why Russia
In Its insidious policy In the Orient, shout
regard the presence OF British aids to tn
Chinese Government as impertinent an
dangerous. But II 1t be true that the Ca
and the Kaiser have agreed secretly to d
vide and conquer, Germany suffers an 4
turn at the very outset OF the joint maraut
ing expedition over which WILLIAM tn
Sudden has been blowing so prodigious
fanfaronade. The Outstanding process
however, to DO complete, must needs II
volve the naturalization of German inhl
encs In the Chinese Government as we'll