Evening star., 1900-08-18
RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA
GENERAL IDEA f1oF THE LATTER's
SIZE AND INFLg1aNCE ERRONEOUS.
An Opportunity for the Russians to
Follow in the Footsteps of
the Manchus.
From Archibald R. colquohqun's Overland to

United States have been in the habit OF
thinking Of the latter as a paltry territory
of no great value. If one considers merely
its geographical position and climate, an
appreciation of its size alone without spe-
cial regard to its natural resources. should
suffice to dispel this view Amid so many
conflicting estimates. and in the absence Of
proper survey. it is difficult to ascertain
the exact size of the country. but 1t is prob
ably well over 1863, 600 English square miles.
1t is more than twice the area Of Japan and
nearly as large as Austria-Hungary, one
fourth the size of China proper, and over
six times the size of England and Wales
Turning for comparison to America, 1t Is
considerably more than twice the size OF
the North Atlantic division Of the United
States, including Maine, Massachusetts.
New York, New Hampshire. Rhode Island.
New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut ana
Pennsylvania.
river, and its tributary the Usuri; southeast
by the highlands and solitudes separating
it from Corea, and by the Yalu river; south
by the Yellow sea; while westward, toward
Mongolia, there are natural frontlers.
The border line here was once delimitateu
by line of palisades, the first Of which
was erected four centuries ago by the Ming
dynasty to keep out the MongolS from Llao-
tung. second was designed to keep out
Manchu and Tartar robbers. They mad,
however, no strategic Importance. serving
simply as SORT OIL magic Circle Lfdceu
round the land. which was thus placed un-
der the protection of the terminal dett1es
These palisades can no longer be traced
only an occasional mound row OF trees
marking where they once stood. and this
region remains a veritable mo Mans
Land"
AT the present moment Manchuria has
arrived at an interesting point in her MS
whereby the Russians, substituting peace
full for warlike methods. may emulate her
own example of two hundred and fifty
years ago. Entering China for the pur-
pose of rescuing Pekin from rebels, OF re-
storing order and generally of preserving
the integrity of the empfre-that is, of pro-
tecting China-the Manchus themselves
ended by establishing their own dynasty on
the imperial throne. The position of Rus
sia. as achieved during the past few years,
is already that of virtual protector of Chi
ma. Whether events will continue to move
in a parallel line with past history until
ultimately a similar goal Is attained re-
mains to be
The ulterior motive of Russia In acautr-
ing Manchuria is obvious. What base
for further operations!' remarked Ger
man officer in Siberia, with a deep-drawn
sigh. And in this connection 1t may be
noted feature of Importance that Rus
sias frontier territories, always a source
of strength by reason of their effective mil
itary organization, generally form center
for further extension of territory, while
Chinese frontier colonists merely settle
down as peasant farmers. constitute no re-
serve of strength for the imperial govern
ment and are. indeed. more than likely to
make terms with the enemy. 1t is. how
ever. recognized fact that there are also
more immediate reasons for Russian ex-
panSion. Hindered in her commercial pro-
gress in Asia by the intense cold of the long
Siberian winter, lasting for eight months
out of the twelve-something unknown in
any other large tract where men live In
civilized state-RuSsia has for no fncon-
siderable time been cUyetDuS of the advau-
tages likely to accrue from enjoyment of
the fertile lands and the comparatively
temperate climate of ALanchuria.
Attainment of the lon1,ed-for prize has
given an added impetus. of irresistible
force. to the ambition and enterprise of
the Russians. Sweeping the hand across
the map southwark as far as the Great
Wall. ''All that is ours!' they exclam, in
astonishment, contemplating their extra
ordinary windfall and they are Fastening
to take full advantage of their good for
tune, is evidenced by the phenomenal
activity recently Witnessed at Port Arthur
Talienwan. and in the Hinterland. where
many thousands of Cossacks and large
bodies of Chinese are employed on fortitca-
tions. harbors and railways. and by the in
creased zeal and energy with which the
construction of the Transsiberian railway
is being carried Many Russians. in
deed more advanced In their views. already
include Tientsin and Chefoo chat is to say,
the whole gulf of ,PechihlD and even Pekin;
and the first Muravieff, who took pos
session Oh tne NdlleS Oi the AInuT. obtained
the title of Amursk Muravieff number
two is already spoken of. only half In jest,
as Muravieff Pekingski.
The effect produced on the Chinese as a
nation by the Manchu conquest has been to
considerably alter their former customs and
practices. Before that time they had been
liberal and enterprising in dealing with for
eigners, and records eXtant which prove
that the advantages of foreign intercourse
and trade We're fully appreciated by them.
With the advent of Manchus. however,
things were altered. Foreigners were as
far as possible excluded. trade being linn
tied to Canton. Anti-foreign feeling in
fact, began when the conquering race found
the foreign trader no longer powerless and
suppliant, but strong ana self-assertive;
and to this day it has been the policy of
the Manchus to represent Europeans as a
race seeking only commercial gain, and
that at whatever cost to others. Many
other exclusive measures We're introduced
all designed with the object of maintain
ing the Manchu power and of upholding the
dynasty. No mandarin for instance was
allowed to hold office in his own province,
nor to remain in one place for any consid-
cradle time. Thus it has come about that
the Chinese as race have unjustly ac-
quired a character for national exclusive
ness and immobility, and many customs
introduced by the conquerors have been
ascribed to survival of Chinese antiquity
This Manchu policy of eXcluSiveneSs can at
the present day be most clearly seen in the
case of Tibet, which is Still closed to the
world 1t is not to be assumed. as is
usually the case, that the lnhdDltantS of
the flowery land submitted tamely to the
Manchus. any more than they accepted the
wearing of the queue. or pig-tail without
murmur. They bowed to fate, as the
Chinese always do when once mastered,
but they opposed the Tartars for many
years throughout China. and for eighteen
years a large portion Of the southern prov
nces was in rebellion before complete sub
mission was enforced.
The Manchus have been SO far successful
in their policy that. even with their small
numbers, they have been able to maintain
peaceful and absolute domination over an
empire which. whether considered from the
point of view of numbers or extent of ter
ritory. is the vastest in the world. But with
the western powers coming into closer and
closer contact such stale of affairs clear
ly could not last. sAs Wrote the Abbe Hue,
in a fine passage :n,'These foreigners, these
barbarians. whom 1he government of Pekin
pretends to despise because 1t fears them
will eventually become impatient before
the obstinately closed doors; one fine day
they will cause them to0hy In splinters and
will find. behind. IA people innumerable II
Is true, but disunited, without power of CO.
hesion, and al the mercy of any one who
chooses to seize aCwhole' or part
Even before the establishment of the
Manchu dynasty III 1644s the Russians had
cast cOyetOuS eyeslOn the rich co,,ntrv Sar