The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-26
Thirteen Of Eighteen Provinces "Fdr Marked by
Foreign Governments.

They were subjected TO severe superyi
sion and were obliged. not only to hum
bly, knowledge the supremacy of the
Manchus and their officials. but TO dis
tribute wholesale brides IN order 10 get
their goods through the customs. Never
theless profits were considerable and
trade fourfshed'
The disabilities were increased at va
rious times BY different means. as the
Chinese regarded the merchants as legit-
innate opportunities for squeezing" Their
exactions restrictions and hurniiations
at last reached the stage OF the last
straw. and great Indignation was felt
al what was considered the weakness
Of the East India Company. Smuggling
became common. and in consequence the
emoluments of the local officials shrank
in proportion, and the revenue Of the
central government was affected. In III
permission was given TO foreigners to
reside at Canton during the trading sea-
son. and this gave a considerable stifnu-
lus TO the commerce OF that town. which
was practically the center of foreign in
tcrcourse with China
In 1872 the friction between the Chi
nese government and the foreign traders
had become so acute that collision was
inevitable. and an edict was issued d.
recting that the coast defenses and ships
OF war should be placed In state Of
repair. with view TO securing the
sea and driving away European vessels"
Irsoient Chinese Gfpen Lesson.
Up TO this point the Chinese entertained
the utmost contempt for Europeans,
coupled with complete ignorance OF any
country but their own. which they deem
ed to be vastly superior to all others,
and to occupy about two-thirds Of the
hahitnbe globe The fact that most OF the
foreigners who came to their shores were
traders was 10 them a sign Of greed.
low standard and vulgarity OF other ma
lions, for they regarded commerce as
a pursuit unit for gentlemen and were
still further shocked by the foreigners
ignorance Of their own elaborate ETH
auette. The appearance OF British gun
boats on their seas somewhat increased
their respect but the determination OF
the Manchus to exclude foreigners from
their ports terminated In ls4l In the
Anglo-Chinese war The result Of this
was the session of the island OF Hong
kong and the opening of five treaty ports.
Canton. Annoy. Fuchan, Ningpo and
Shanghai In is4s Hongkong was consti-
tuted British crown colony, which IL has
ever since remained.
In 1856 another Anglo Chinese war broke
out. In consequence OF the seizure of the
Arrow. lorcha flying the British flag.
Canton was taken by Lord Elgin and the
treaty of Tientsn was signed In 1858, hut
the mission to Peking for the ratifica-
tfon OF the treaty was stopped on its
way. and II was only after the Anglo
French expedition, the capture OF the
Taku forts and the seizure of Picking In
1850. that the convention of Picking ratify-
ing the Tientsin treaty was signed. BY
this treaty and convention. which opened
additional ports. provided for the rest
dence Of British emissary in Picking.
and ceded KauIung. the basis OF the rela-
tta,. k.tx Ip.at
tablished. which continued up to the pres
ent time
Russia Profits BY Diplomacy Alone.
Russia, after her rebuff In the Amur
province. and her subsequent partial sue
cess In establishing relations with Picking.
took no very active measures In China,
but bided her time. The Reorganization
OF tho empire and the weakness OF the
Manchu government which eliminated
in the Anglo-French punitive expedition
to Psking gave an opening to the enter
prsing Slav. Mouravieff. by diplo-
matte stroke. obtained for Russia the
Amur province, and few years later
Ignatieff. by another bloodIess conquest.
acquired several hundred miles of the
Manchurian coast line stretching from the
Amur river TO the north frontier Of Korea
This gave them ice-frec ports on the Pa
clic Httoral and the great stronghold of
Niadivostok. when they have most ef-
fectuaily fortified.
France Of all Western powers had
most intercourse with China, and that not
by means OF trade but Of religious propa-
ganda and political emissaries. Some
half dozen treaties have been executed
between France and China I'm fhe last
sixty years. but the initiation OF the mod
ern Franco-Chinese policy dates from the
expedition of I.agree through Tndo-China
in 1851 when the first steps were taken
toward the acquisition ~ Tongking which
was contaminated In 1854
Germany Demands Sphere Of Influence. 3"
The relations ~ Germany with China
are comparatively recent, dating from
ISL Immediately after the Anglo French
occupation % peksng when a Prussian
expedition was sent with the object OF
founding a German colony la some part
of the Chinese empire. No active steps
were. however. taken until. in 1871, to