The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
importance of MorrisoE's Despatch
to the "Timcs" From Pckin.


is today's resumption by the London
Times" of cable communication from DR..
Morrison of Pekin. This should mark the
end OF much of the mystery as TO what is
really happening in China, which has SO
long been the chief cause of public EN-
barrassment Throughout the long and
fortuitous history of this latest Chinese
upheaval. from the moment, that is, of
Germanys descent upon Kiao-Chou, one
man, and one man only, has known the
facts and published them. 70 DR.. Morri-
son the Foreign Office ard the outside
world have been again and again indebted
for the first knowledge of the momen
tous happenings from which new diplo-
matte moves had their start.
Everyone in unofficial circles at least,
felt that it was the gravest blow to Brit
ish interests in China when the Times
itself. despairing of DR.. Morrison's safe
ty. published his obituary notice, and now
that he is safe and free man again. he
cables TO the Times today the informa-
ton that there is really no government
in Pekin. The fact is, as the Times" says,
pregnant with grave consequences. The
Empress Dowager and Emperor have fed
with Prince Tuan and all the high officials.
The allied forces are not in a position to
follow her, and no man can say what may
happen should she set up the dynasty in
Shen-si province, whittier she is said to be
bound, and where it has long been thought
that she would attempt to re-establish
her power. If driven from Pekin. An anti
foreign crusade with headquarters 100
miles inland from Pekin would present Eu-
rope with a problem before which the
problem of Pekin was simplicity itself.
One point of immediate interest with
DR.. Morrison's message throws into prom
inence is the fate of the Forbidden City,
which lies in the heart Of the imperial
city. which is again surrounded by the
Tartar city, while the Chinese city lies to
the south of the whole. Unless this For
hidden City, the sacred and mystic centre
as it is of. Chinese Govern nent, is occu-
pied by the allies, DR.. Morrison declares
that the punishment of the authors OF the
outrages must remain Intellectual. The
Times recalls that when the Anglo
French expedition of 1860 abstained from
entering the Forbidden City and conte1ted
Themselves with sacking the summer
palace some miles away, the Chinese de-
clared that the powers were afraid. and
the Chinese acted accordingly. Hence to-
days demand for no repetition of that
mistaken clemency. and the demand be-
comes all the more insistent because DR..
Morrison says in todays message: Tee
national agreement" This conflicts with
the published assertion that the imperial
palace in the Forbidden City has actually
been entered by the Japanese and others.
while General Gaseiee himself reported on
August Is that he hoped to assault the
imperial city With the British troops on
the same day
1t may be- of course. that the interna-
tional agreement on this point is merely
temporary expedient and that the oecupa-
ton of the Forbidden City is only post
poned Until all the allied powers can take
part in this browning act.
On the other hand. there Is no overlook
ing the ominOus reports that Russia has
separated herself from the allies on this
point. for there are few authorities here in
matters Chinese who believe that the
powers can subordinate their individual in
terests and act in union much longer.
Herein lies the real gravity of the Chi
nese situation and herein, also. lies the
strength of Ii Hung Chang, in his de-
mand for the opening of negotiations with
the powers. Having taken his stand. he
can face Europe. America and Japan with
the smiling assurance. We'll now, what
are you going TO do?" knowing that in pur-
suing their ultimate aims in China the
powers must soon be at skies and sevens.
and he can play one off against another
and ultimately enter the camp of the least
Objectionable. That is. in all probability
Russia. This is the situation as seen by
those persons in London who should know.
Despite the vagaries OF the uncepturablc
De Wet, it is not doubted here that the
South African war is nearing its last flick
er. The reseJtlemeut OF both the Orange
River colony and the Transvaal on semi
military. serni-civil lines has been quietly
proceeding step by step Much might be
said as to the political expe1iency of Sc
verer measures toward the Transyaaler,
who have broken their oath of neutrality
of which today's news of Inc shooting ~
Lieutenant Cordua is an evidence. But
the military reports from SouGl AFRICA are
emphatic and unanimous as to the eject
which 1t must have upon tle SPEEDY close
of the campaign. Special interest. there
fore. atterhes to some notes as to the Eew
settlement which have reached here this
week from an authoritative British source
in South Africa. 1t will De the first aim o,
the new British administration under Sir
Alfred Miner in the Trsnsvaal to create a
healthy fnancia! and fiscal system. depen-
dent neither upon Johannesburg and he
gold magnates nor upon large gairisons
and military rule. Instead Of a policy COM
ing from without, IL is Sir Alfred Miners
aim TO pursue policy working from with
in. aiming 81 exploiting the country,
stimulating the energies of development
and throwing out inducements and f2c.li-
ties to the encouragement OF an abundant
population keen for progress and grateful
for the shelter Of a tolerant imperialism
This is the ideal, and it merits respect.
though we know what influences there are
in South Africa to mar the best ideals. i he
details can only be sketched, as yet in the
toughest outline, for many points are de-
pendent upon events to come.
Thus the Transvaal as British colony
might be expected to take over twenty
millions sterling of the wars cost. The
Boer in the past depended for revenue en-
tirely on the exploitation of minerals by
the newcomer, and neglected his own
farming industry. Economists consider
that an expenditure of ten millions ster-
ling applied to the irrigation Of land the
rearing of cattle. and colonZing would
convert farming into sound asset. In
order to bring outlying districts together
and place them in touch, markets may be
necessary, and to construct network rail-
ways. Those concerns which have only
benefited the individual must become STATE
properties. The Netherlands Railway Com
pany may be appropriated. The redemp
tion merely Of the company's debentures,
apart from the question G good VIII, de-
mands an outlay approximately of seven
millions sterling. The appropriation Of the
dynamite concession will approximately
add another million; and the amortization
of the Rothschld loan will absorb two and
a half millions. These amounts, with the
sum suggested for agricultural purposes.
will total twenty millions, which. with
twenty millions of war debt. make a total
national debt of forty millions sterling.
The interest on this at per cent will
amount to el 200, 600, apart from the sink
ing fund which might be spread over forty
years, a burden heavy enough without