The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-01

v
parties would disciaim any intention Of
Remembering China, yet, like hungry
wolves. they hang now about the borders
of the empire, watching and eager to rush
in and tear IN pieces.
With raw recruits for her army, with
disabled, poorly-equipped men OF war for
her navy. with q corrupt court. with dis
honest. intriguing officials in high positions
Of State, with embarrassing financial bur-
dens, China appears helpless in the pres
cncs of dangers now threatening her. Thus
far the concessions secured, except IN the
case OF Russia, affect only the coast line,
leaving the vast interior still under Chinese
control, but further forcibe annexations
are prevented, apparently, only by the
jealous rivalries that exist among the con-
testing nations themselves.
A glance at the map of Asia shows that
the western nations have secured naval
stations and made settlements along
China's entire sea coast. Commencing at
the extreme south and going steadily
northward we find Leichau, French; Ma
Gao, Portuguese; Hong Kong, British; San
nun, Italian: kiao-Chao, German; Wei
hai-Wei, British, and Port Arthur, Russian.
In November, 1897, Germany seized the
port OF IGao-Chao, on the Shan-tung pro-
monto-y, assigning as her reason for this
action the desire to obtain satisfaction for
the murder Of certain German missionaries
in the adjacent territory. The seizure was
legalized a few months later through a
treaty, by which this port and the ada
cent territory were leased to Germany for
term of ninety-nine years with the right
10 construct railways, establish fortitca-
tons. sta ton troops, and undertake va
rious enterprises throughout the whole pro-
vince Of Shan-tung. Russia Immediately
followed Germany's move, and first OBJ
tanning permission in December, 1897, to
winter her squadron at Port Arthur, in the
Liaotung peninsula, she shortly effected an
with China by which Port Ar
thur Talien Wan and the adjacent terri
tory were leased for a term OF twenty-five
years, with the understanding that the
lease could subsequently be extended
longer by mutual consent. England then,
under the plea of the necessity of main
tanning the balance OF power in China, oo
cupied the port of Wei-hai-We!. which
faces Port Arthur on the other side OF the
Gulf Of Pechili, and in addition secured
from China the pledge that no portion OF
the Yang-Tze pasn should be mortgaged,
leased or ceded to another power. Later,
in order to strengthen and the better de-
fen6 her settlement at Hong kong, Eng
land insisted On the lease Of a strip Of
mainland in the province of Kuang-tung.
FRANCE FOLLOWS SUIT.
France now followed suit, and demand
ed as an offset to concessions to Eng
land, as well as in compensation for the
murder of some of her missionaries, the
cession Of a port near the northern boun-
DAIRY of French Indo-China. on the
Kuang-Chao Bay Then Japan. noting
these foreign aggressions on the CONT
nent opposite, was forthwith disturbed
with uneasy forebod!ngs, and to make
secure her influence ana power in Asia,
at once demanded and obtained from
China the promise that the latter would
not ALLEVIATE except TO Japan. any of her
territory in the province of Fu-Kien,
which faces the Island Of F'ormosa. Italy,
the last on the scene, has been attempts
ing to gain q naval station in the bay of
Sun-Mun
Leaving the coast and looking inland
we find that the three European powers
chiefly concerned have also claimed gen
eraI zones of influence-France. the
southern provinces; England, the Yang
Use Valley, and Russia. Manchuria. Or,
to state more specifically present political
Influences that indicate the most prob
able future developments. Chinese
Turkestan, Mongolia and Mdnchuria may
be said to be Russian; Tibet and the
Yank-Tse Valley, British; the Province Of
Tukien Japanese; Korea, Russian and
Japanese, and Shantung, German. In
the respective spheres of influence the
several nations named apparently have
secured first rights and privileges relating
to trade, mining, commerce, prospective
railway, etc. Should the partition OF
China ever occur it would probably fol-
lowe these dividing lines. With refer
ence to the dismemberment of China, the
European powers, though united in their
professions, are divided and opposed in
The policies pursued. Mr.. Vladimir
Hohnstrem, political leader, writing for
the st, Petersburg Viedmosti, says: I'm
selfish Christian love has been one of the
chief motives that has actuated the Rus
slams in their expensive policy in Asia. and
that the work of partitioning China is
left entirely to the English House of
Commons Yet Russia, has not hest
tated to take advantage OF China's weak
ness to advance her border to the south
east q thousand miles and to enclose the
Amur Valley anG Northern WarchuTia
down to Korea. When the Russian war
ships arrived a Port Arthur at the end
OF 1897 the powers were assured by the
Russian Prime Minister that their ar
rival was ocCasioned only by the con-
yenierce of wintering there. But the
port had soon been leased, and ultimate
~, in spite Of a promise to leave open
the port to foreign trade. it was made
exclusively Russian. Posing as China
protector, Russia ousted the Japanese
from the Ilaotung peninsula, ana then
seized the peninsula herself, on which IS
situated Port Arthur. the only naval
fortress owned by the Chinese.
Thus having advanced to the Gulf of
Pechi9i and rendered Pektn Insecure. she
now threatens the unity and permanence
of the Chinese Empire itself. The Trans
Siberian Railway shrewdly termed in
China by the Russians the Chinese East
ern Railway though there is not
Chinese shareholder in the company, in
stead of terminating in an ice-free port
on the Pacific. as was originally intended.
is now to be extended southwark over 800
miles into Chinese territory to the Gulf
of Pechiii. BY means OF the Russo
Chinese banks at Pekin. other railways
have also been financed by the Russians,
notably the already half-completed line
from Pekin to Chens-1ing, and also con-
cessions of a line to tap the Yang Use vail
ley and one TO tap the rich mining province
of Sha1rsi
RITSSIA'S EXCLUSIVE POLICY.
Almost every advance Russia has made
in Asia mas resulted in the relentless ex-
clusion Of British and American manu-
factures, and greater restrictions upon the
movements of their missionaries from each
fresh area annexed. With these facts in