The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-04-20
Open Ports in China.


and clesrest utterance that has yet
been given by the British Ministry
on the situation in China and the
attitude taken by Great Britain to-
ward the recent aggressions OF Rus
sis. As was to have been expected,
Balfour claims a complete victory for
British diplomacy, and after making
every allowance for the inevitable
exaggeration of a party leader de-
Tending party achievements, it APP
pears he has good reasons for his
claim.
According to Balfour Great Bri-
tain has obtained from China four
important concessions. The Chi
nese Government agrees that the
vast and populous region Of the
Yang-tse- Kiang shall never be alien
ated to foreign power, that the di-
rector of the Chinese imperial Gus
toms shall be an Englishman, that
access to the inland waters of China
shall be free on equal terms to the
ships OF all nations, and that three
new treaty ports-Funing, Yochau
and Chin Wang-shall be open to
commerce. These concessions, il
maintained with frnness, will con-
stituts an effective barrier against
excessive Russian domination in
China, and Mr.. Balfour justly pro-
nounced them "a considerable har-
vest for two months negotiations"
All Of these concessions, with the
exception OF that granting the con-
troll Of imperial customs to an Eng
lishman, are Of as much value to
other nations as to Great Britain
herself. They are certainly of value
to the United States, and particu-
larly 80 to the Pacific Coast. They
secure to us freedom of trade with
China and give us q chance to ex-
pand our commerce there on the
same terms with other peoples, and
how important that commerce may
be is now rapidly becoming under
stood throughout the country.
In view Of the fact that these Con-
cessions have been obtained avowed-
ly as an Offset to Russian movements
and may be regarded with hostility
by that country, it is interesting to
consider the prospects of their main
tenance. 1t is one thing to gain
advantages by diplomacy, but quite
different one to uphold them at
the risk and peril of war. Accord
ingly the question arises at once:
Will Great Britain stand firm il
Russia should continue to advance
under threat of war and should be
joined in the threat by Germany
Balfour did not directly answer
that question, but certain portions
of his speech show what the answer
will be when the time comes to make
it. He stated that the Russian Gov
eminent having refused to abstain
from taking Port Arthur, Great
Britain has decided to take the port
OF Wei-Hai-Wei and fortify it as a
means of preventing the Gulf OF
Pechili from falling under the mari
time control OF "one power" Here,
then, is an advanced position taken
at the outset, and the significance
OF it cannot fail to be understood
The British flag once hoisted on
strong Notifications at Wei-Hai- Wei
will not be hauled down without
battle.
1t is to be noted, moreover, that
Balfour does not expect Great Bri'
tain will have to fight alone the wal
for free ports in China. He de-
clared an earnest conviction that
the great commercial powers will
join in an alliance to prevent Chins
falling prey to any exclusive ipflu
ence, and that by pursuing an un
selfish policy and opening to al.
what she secures for herself Great
Britain would build up both in Eu
rope and in America q body OF in
ternational public opinion thai
would be sufficiently powerful tc
support her in the course she hal