New-York tribune., 1898-11-29
RETAIN on THE CHINESE COAST.

BRIIAIN ON THE CHINESE tOdHI.
There Is great news from Shanghai, II it be
true. The British are said to have taken pos
session Of the Chusan Islands. That would not
be surprising, for they took them temporarily
nearly sixty years ago, and IT has been openly
understood ever since that they would be free
TO take them again. and permanently, whenever
il seemed desirable 10 do so TO protect British
interests or to offset the aggressions or rival
Powers. Nevertheless. il would be Important
and might well explain some of the recent mob
ilizations and manGuvres of the British fleet
in Chinese waters. No great naval expedition
was needed to do the work. But there are
times when il pays 10 do even small JOB Win
an impressive display Of power and prcpara-
ton.
The islands themselves are Of some value
They are uncommonly rich fertile and salu
brious and they have population of 3oOooo
or more. One of them, the sacred isle OF Iu-
Tu, contains the greatest Buddhist monastery
I'm the whole world. and Is the chief shrine OF
that faith in the Chinese Empire But greater
far is the value of the islands arising from
their situation. They are near the centre or
the Chinese coast, just where it bugcS out fur-
thest toward the east They command the
mouth Of the Yang-tsc River the greatest natu-
raj trade route in all Asia. traversng the
heart OF China from east TO west, and giving
access even TO Thbet itself. The valley of that
river has for some time been regarded by
Great Britain as her proper sphere OF intu
once, in China This seizure Of Chusan would
make II such The islands command, too, the
Roy of Hang Chow and the great city OF the
same name and thus command the southern
terminus of the Grand Canal. which extends
from Picking down through Nanliing to Hang
Chow. Finally. they dominate the great city
and port of Shanghai, which lies between the
mouth of the Yang-tse and the Bay of Hang
Chow.
Rut the strategic importance of Chusan has
wider extent than this The islands lie at the
southern extremity of the Yellow Sea, and
command the entrance thereto from the south
AT the east and north Great Britain's quasi
ally. Japan. holds guard, and at the inner
northern end Great Britain has just established
herself at Wel-Iiai-Wel. That comes uncom-
monty near to making the Yellow Sea British
lake Certainly it makes the sea power of
Great Britain dominant on the north CHINA
coost and over the sea approach TO PeIins.
Going southwark We find the Japanese on
grard at Formosa and then. an equal distance
beyond, the British flag flying AT Hong Kong
dominating Canton and the mouth of the great
West River. Thus only two hundred miles
from the northern extremity or the 'hihese
coast the British are established at Wel-ial-
Wei Less than five hundred miles further On
are the Chusan Islands. Some four hundred
miles from Chusan lies Formosa, occupied ny
Rritains friends; and an equal distance from II
are Hong Kong and the Kow-Loon hills. when
are being transformed into another Gibraltar.
And four hundred miles below Hong Kong the
Chinese coast.line ends
1t looks very much, at long range and to an
impartial eye. as though 1.-THE strong sea lion
Of Englands wars" had left his sapphire cave
of sea- to good purpose and had got some
such grip upon the Celestial Empire as the
Midgard Serpent was said to have upon the
terrestrial globe, and one which. like the lai-
ter. is not likely to be relaxed or broken until
| the coming of the Nations Ragnarock.