The times., 1899-09-03

with this record of events which took place
before the Western world became acquaint-
ed with the great Asiatic empire Then
comes the history of the opening of diplo-
matte intercourse with China In the reign
of Ch'ienlung, about 100 years ago. Some
sort of intercourse had been carried on De-
fore that through the British East lndla
Company; but it was not until the last
decade of the eighteenth century that any
basis satisfactory TO the English was eS-
tablished
One of the chapters which will prove es-
pecially interesting to the average reader
is that which deals with the introduction
of opium into China, an act for which
England has been bitterly reproached. Mr..
Douglas is rather skeptical, however, as to
the sincerity of those who protested against
this innovation. He says that while some
of the high officials of the Government
were loud in their condemnation of the
traffic it was countenanced BY nearly all
the minor officials, and native farmers took
easily TO the cultivation of the poppy. His
idea is that the Government made stalk
/ ing horse of the trade for the purpose of
effectually exciting popular feeling against
| foreigners. He says in this connection:
| As We have already seen. Taokwang's son was
| a habitial opium smoker, and it would have
been more to the purpose If, instead OF emptylng
all the vials of his wrath on the heads of the
foreigners, the Emperor had employed real and
vigorous measures against the practice which ne
denounced, against the smuggling OF the drug
10y natives, and against the cultivation OF the
poppy.
This is easy to say, but may not have
been so easy to do. The fact remains that
a powerful commercial nation can. if It
chooses, force many things upon a weaker
nation without seeming TO use any force.
The history of China during the present
century is naturally given more in detail
than that of the centuries before; and it
will also prove more generally interesting
The TAPPING rebellion occupies considera-
BILE space, and is followed by brief anal
ysis Of Chinese character, Ii Hung Chang
being used as an illustration, Mr.. Douglas
says:
Like all Cinnamon, Ii is thorough oppor-
tunist. When difficulties present themselves he
does his best TO grapple with them, but when
once they disappear he regards it as quite un-
necessary to prepare defences against future
evils, or TO take to heart any lessons from
defeat and failure. We have had abundant evi-
dence of this spirit of late years The wars Of
1855 and lS60 the TAPPING rebellion, the Rus
sian scare, the French war, and the japanese
invasion have all furnished examples of the in
ability of Cinnamon to do than struggle.
and generally Intellectually, with immediate
events. In this respect they like children,
in whose eyes the present difficulty is the all
absorbing subject and who do not understand
the possibility that the crisis may again.
One would have expected that after the expe-
rience of the TAPPING rebellion, and the very
material aid given to the imperial cause by
Gordon's force, Ii would have attempted to
raise corps which should be drilled and armed
the lines. But the instant that Nan
king had fallen he was only too ready TO pay of
the eyer-victorious army, and to rid himself of
the hateful intermeddling of foreign officers in
native concerns. Gordon had proposed that in
order to maintain a disciplined force camp
should be formed in the neighborhood OF Shang-
hal, where native army could be drilled by
European officers on the English model But
Ii would have of ii, and quite pre-
pared to allow his province to revert to its orig
inal condition Of corruption and inefiiciency,
until such time as some new emergency might
arise 10 call for fresh exertions. But the most
signal example OF this laissezfaire policy has been
displayed since the japanese war. Such crush
ing defeat by neighboring, hitherto despsed,
state, would, one would have thought, have sham
ed the mandaTins into taking measures TO make
another such disaster impossible. But
they have done next TO nothing to
strengthen their position, and the lit
tie that has been effected has been en-
tirely due TO the pressure which has been brought
to bear upon them by Russia and Germany. An
other war would practically find them In as hope
less condition that in which they were in
1894, and the position is the more hopeless since
they feel no shame at their defeat. Their ma
tional pride covers them as with garment, and
they affect TO regard the invasion of Korea and
MlncnuTia as DufKlaflouS attempts on the part
OF japanese pirates to rob them by a raid of
their rightful possessions They are content to
declare that such conduct is contrary to the
rules Of propriety and with this soothing con-
sideration they try to dismiss the subject from
their minds.
In short, Mr.. Douglas is possessed of
the Anglo-Saxon conviction that no Ori-
entail nation is good for much unless Off
cered by English or American soldiers
Whether any Asatic nation is destined to
disprove this assertion there is no know
ing at present, but the chances are that
China, at any rate, win not.
The opinion of this historian is that the
only possible policy for China, or for the
powers, is that of throwing open the
whole coast line to trade. He says:
By the favored nation clause no power can
acquire any rights at the treaty ports which
are not shared by all the signatories. Any at
tempt, therefore, TO grasp at exclusive privileges
on the part Of any nation would be met
by the united opposition of the rest of their
number, and in the present helpless condition
OF the state, and the known greed of various gov
ernments, this is the only sure and certain
means of defence that the empire possesses.
II once the political administration OF
the provinces could be placed on sound and
honest basis, the progressive leayen which,
though small does exist in the country, could
gain life and energy, and China might yet sue
coed in occupying the position in the world TO
which her teeming population, her immense
wealth, and the industry OF her people justly
entitle her.
The book is clearly and carefully written
and well illustrated. II should be yaiua-
BILE addition to any reference library.