New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-19
WAR IN CHINA.

WAR IN CHINA.
The storming of the Taku forts emphasizes
the fact that China has become the war centre
of the world. The conflict in South Africa is
near its end and its possibilities of disturbance
are, as indeed they have been from the begin
ming, circumscribed. The insurrection in the
Philippines is practically thing of the past.
The outbreak in Ashantee involves only a few
savage tribes. In all other quarters there is
peace. But in China the world faces unutter
able possibilities, which day by day more and
more assume the aspect of probabilities. The
most populous empire in the world is on the
verge of commnged revolution and collapse,
while half a dozen of the foremost Powers
crowd about it to coerce it. to partition it to
fight with each other about the disposition of IL
Not for many year has there been an outlook
more Ominous
The victory Of the fleets over the Taku forts
was an easy one. A row of mud forts equipped
with cannon that were obsolete a generation
ago. could have offered little resistance TO even
a single modern gunboat. Under the fire Of
half dozen machine guns a single company Of
marines might have taken possession of the
place with little trouble But it was small
affair not only in the task of performance but
also in its promise Of effects upon the war
upon the progress or the safety of Admiral Sey-
mour's forces. upon the rescue Of what remains
of Tien-Tsin and upon the fate of Picking itself
For the Chinese are not as other folks. When
civilized country has a seaport stormed, or the
forts that guard the approach TO its capital
captured, 1t cries for halt Not so the Chinese
They do not regard the rules of the game. They
will keep right on with their campaign in the
interior, just as though there were no such
things as the Taku forts and no such river as
the Pei-Ho.
In this, indeed, it would not be difficult to
Justify them, according to the philosophy Of
Things AS They Are For really the capture of
the forts amounts to little. 1t does not open
the river TO foreign warships. 1t would take an
army Of engineers long time to do that. The
encyclopedias say the Pei-Ho is navigable by
boats up to point opposite Picking. Yes. if by
boats we mean fat bottomed scows or Rob Roy
canoes. It is doubtful If there is a gunboat in
any of the fleets that is of sufficiently light
draught to get up the river even as far as Tien-
Tsn. Steam launches may be able TO do so,
and they may be able TO keep off the enemy
with machine guns, and so carry reinforcements
and supplies TO Admiral Seymour. But that is
the best that can reasonably be hoped. Beyond
Tien-Tsin it is doubtful If even launches can
go. The gunboats cannot hope to go more than
three miles above the forts, and Tien-Tsn is
thirty miles and more above and Picking a
hundred miles.
1t is at once reassuring and ominous to learn
that Admiral Seymour has led his force back
to Tien-Tsin. 1t is reassuring since it shows
that the little band has not been annihilated by
the hostile hordes about them day or two
ago there was actually reason to fear that not
one Of them would ever return But the report
is also ominous, for it shows that all the coun-
try up to Picking is in the hands Of the rebels
or of equally hostile Chinese troops. and that
therefore the worst fears may be realized con-
corning the legations and all foreign and Chris
tan settlements at the capital What now
seems pretty evident is that considerable for
eign army will be needed to march overland to
Picking to rescue all there are left to rescue and
to make settlement with-and perhaps of-the
Tartar Government. It is a curious circum-
stance that the two Powers best able to send in
such a force-indeed. the only ones able to do
so at once-are Russia and Japan, the two bit
terest rivals in that quarter of the globe while
the Power that stands third in such ability is
the that is a rival, but n most friendly
rival, Of them all-the United States
There Is, however, a radical difference be-
tween the attitude of the United States in this
matter and that of every other Power. There
is not another one that has not some Interior
motive, some design to acquire territory or to
thwart the plans Of n rival; and there is not
one that is not proceeding under some sort of a
compact or understanding with the rest. But
the United States has simply the purpose of
rescuing and protecting its own. and is doing
in entire independence of all other considera-
tons of concerts or iDtrigues or spheres of in
fiuence It is a salutary and significant thing
that there should be such factor in such n
war