The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-23
An English Review on the Partition
of China,

An English Review ON the Partition
of China.
We have pointed out that the revision of
Che Shimonoseki treaty, enforced by the
Joint interpretation of Russia, France, and
Germany, did not necessarily imply a de-
sire to maintain the territorial integrity Of
the Middle Kingdom. The incident could
be explained as easily upon the theory that
thesthree powers named intended to parcel
out China among themselves, n that they
objected to the presence Of the Japanese on
the Asiatic mainland as tending to prevent
the allotment Of the section reserved for
the Gear. Some evidence bearing on this
subject Is furnished by Mr.. Holt 8. HAL
LETT in the current number of the Nine
teenth Century.
Mr.. HALLETT shows that, as early as
September, 1894, the Russian newspaper,
the NovostI, in an article on the wal be-
tween China and Japan, advocated an un-
derstanding between Russia, Great Britain,
and France, with o view to the partition
of China by joint occupation. In the fol-
lowing month, the BeTliner Neueste Mach
sichten, which Is supposed to express Bis
MARCK's views, insisted that, in the final
settlement of the fate of the Middle
Kingdom, Germany must be reckoned
with, for the reason that her inter
ests In China were second to those of
England alone. We are also reminded by
Mr.. HALLETT Of a fact to which but little
attention was paid at the time, namely,
that. in 1895, after an attack had been
made upon a German missionary in China,
German warships were despatched to
Swallow to enforce the demand for redress
made by the Berlin Government. The de-
mand was complied with promptly, but,
not satisfied with the indemnity paid, the
German press and commercial community
even then insisted that tho opportunity for
territorial acquisition by Germany should
not be lost. The Altdeutsche Association
requested Prince HoHENLoHB, the imperial
Chancellor, to take steps to obtain in Chi
nese waters either O harbor or a group
of Islands, and suggested the Chusan
Islands, which command the mouth of
the Yang-tse-Kian The fact that China
Is already bound by treaty not to cede those
islands to any power except Great Britain
was either overlooked or d~isregarded.
That little respect for treaties was con-
templated by the Altdeutsche Associa-
tion was manifest from the tenor of the
memorandum submitted to the Chancellor,
which quoted with approval the statement
of o Bremen merchant settled In Shanghai
that ali, Germany does not take Shanghai,
German trade in eastern China has no
future" 800 "'F't
No heed was given to the petition Just
mentioned In 1896, nj the talk about
German acquisitions In tho far East died
away for q time. About a year ago. how
ever, German writer's and German firms In
terested in the Chinese trade once more
brought mp the question, and, taking
for granted the early partition of the
Middle Kingdom, proposed for Germany's
share of the spoils. the region lying be-
tween the two great rivers Of China,
the Hoang-Ho and the Yang-tse-K iang.
The concessions subsequently made by
China to Russia In Manchuria and the
rapid growth of Russian influence In Corea
not only infamed German cupidity, but
aroused an apprehension that the Russian
programme, II carried out, would leave no
room for Germany In that quarter of the
world. Eventually, according to Mr.. HAL
LETT. It became known at Berlin that Rus
sia was negotiating with China for the
COhCSooioh Va hAuO ShJu AbOyS q h0IDOr Ill
the very territory that Germany desired to
annex. Hence the sudden occupation of
Kiao Chou by German warships, an occu-
patton which has been since legitimized
by a lease. Touching, by the way, the
difference between a lease and an outright
cession of territory, Mr.. HALLETT quotes
m article Of the Anglo-C Chinese treaty of
1858, whereby British ships of war are au-
thorlzed to visit all ports in China, and to
"receive every facility for the purchase of
provisions, for procuring water, and, II occa-
sion require, for making repairs" There.
fore Kiao Chou, or Port Arthur. unless
actually coded, should be as open to British
Is to German or Russian war vessels.
That England's energetic demonstration
on behalf OF China's territorial integrity
was unexpected by Germany seems likely to
be true. Mr.. HALLETT cites the comment
on England's policy in the far East made
by Herr Won BRANDT, lately German Min
ister to China: "Of England, little more
can be said than that her policy In East
AsIa ha4 been vacillating, and that she has