New-York tribune., 1901-08-03
CHINA.
4 GUIDE TO THE RECENT BOOKS ON
THE SUBJECT.

CHINA AND THE ttyAEtNS- os tHc
Charles Beals l2no. PIP. Vi. 2SR Casseh q 60
THE STORY OF THE CHINESE CRISIS. BY
Alexis Krausse svo. pp. VI Z@ CasseIl q 90
THE CRISIS IN CHINA BY George T. smgyth myth
and Others Reprinted by PERMISSION, Ia M IRON on
Harper & Bros.
THE WORLD CRISIS IN CHINA. BY Allen $
VIII l2mo, PIP Wifi. IS Baltimore: 'ohh
Murphy Company
cHINAs ONLY HOPE An Appeal ys,o BY Her Great; CIR Il,
Samuel L Woodbridge. 'l2mo PIP l5l Fleming
II. ReveI Company.
Holcombe. Emo, PIP. NAll $50. Douu' Meau
Co.
CHINA AND CHRISTIANITY BY e1S5S3 Alexander
Niche. l2mo' PIP XIV %. Boston; Nhish' q
CHINA. TRAVELS AND INyEsTIGATIoNs IN
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM" BY James Har;
sos W5on yo9ncers q NJ and nd BrcTt m efe
L S Army. Third Edition, Revised. ENLARGED
& Co
CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS. BY joseph
Walton. NJ. T. Svo. pp. XII, Sl9. Charles Scrlb-
ner's Sons
THE ATTACHE AT PEKING. BY A. b. Free
man-Mitford. l2mo, PIP. Kiii, $50 The Mac
milan Company.
Since the situation in China became acute
many writer's have undertaken to explain the
causes Of the crisis and 10 narrate the episodes
n the relief Of the legations. Much of the
literature thus produced is ephemeral in char
acter hut some Of the volumes that have ap-
peared have considerable value Several OF
the latter are included in the above list
A very interesting little book is Dr. W. A. p
Martins story Of The siege in Picking" 1t
was written. as its author tells in the preface.
hastily and entirely from memory; but ii is a
vigorously drawn sketch Of the tragic event.
and contains many suggestive comments upon
the general situation Of affairs. DR.. Martin has
labored for a full half century in China, and as
is well known. was appointed in 1898 president
OF the Imperial University in Pekng. He was
IN that city when the legations were attacked
and shared all the perils and labors or the be-
sieged until the allied forces effected their relief
No one had a better opportunity to observe the
events Of the memorable siege. or is better
fitted 10 comment upon them. The attack upon
the legations was, DR.. Martin says as unex-
pected to him as 10 the ministers. Up TO the
very beginning of the hostilities he regarded
PelSing as the safest place in China" For the
failure TO foresee the rising in the capital he
blames no one more than another Yet" he
adds (and in this one perhaps hears the voice
OF the missionary MILITANT, may the French
Minister fairly be held culpabe for neglecting
20 take effective measures TO stay the scourge
which destroyed the fiourishing missionary work
carried on by his countrymen. Had he seized
the Chinese gunboats and laid an embargo
on the seaports Of China. the government would
soon have been brought 10 its senses" on May
%. however the tearing up of the railway to
Pao-Ting-Fu forced the ministers 10 take &C
ton for their safety Guards were sent for and
on their arrival the siege practically began DR..
Martin believes emphatically in the completely
of the Chinese Government from the begin
ming and In its entire responsibility for the
siege after the capture Of the Taku forts
Mr.. BeaIs's China and the Boxers covers
much the same ground as Dr. Martins volume.
but in a very sketchy way He has something
10 say Of occurrences outside Of Peking, espe-
cially OF the sufferings Of foreigners I'm inland
China: but for the details of the siege itself he
relies upon the diary Of the Rev. Gilbert Reid
published in The Shanghai Mercury" OF the
Boxer movement he says little, and that little
is not particularly enlghtening.
The Story of the Chinese Crisis" by Mr.
Alexis Krausse Cweu known from his Russia
in Asia'D is a useful book It deals concisely.
but I'm a cleaf and interesting way. with the
history Of the relations OF China with Euro
pean powers. and in particular with the politi-
cal events which directly occasioned the recent
conflict. No better brief statement Of the main
historical facts which are essential 70 the ex-
PLANTATION Of the existing political situation in
the Far East has been written. In the two
most notable chapters-"The Struggle for the
Empire and The Brewing Of the Trouble'-he
gives an excellent account Of the gradual en-
croachment of certain European powers upon
Chinese territory. and OF the growth of the
spirit Of resistance in the Chinese. He sums up
the policy pursued by the various nations by
saying: England and America have directed
their efforts solely 10 the development Of com
mercial relations with the Chinese; Russia in the
north and France in the south have striven TO
flch as much Chinese territory they could
absorb from the control OF the Chinese" He
further says: The course pursued in relation 10
Kiao-Chau by Germany is probably the most
extreme instance of political highhandedness on
record" 1t stimulated Russia and the other
powers TO increased predatory activity, and be-
came more perhaps than any other event, the
cause OF the recent troubles. China. convinced
that she had fallen among robbers. began TO
think Of means OF seIf-defence. That she adopt
ed the wrong measures was due chiefly 10 her
weakness and ignorance. This seems to be the
substance Of the whole matter. In the conclud-
ing chapter, on the outlook" Mr.. Krausse
takes a pessimistic view Of the future of Eng
lands political and commercial interests in the
Far East Russian control of Northern China
he regards as certain, with a consequent re-
striction of British trade. The open door policy
can, he thinks be maintained only by force of
arms, and this policy England is not willing
20 adopt. The Only alternative for her is 70
assume control Of the great Yangtse Valley. but
even here promptness Of action is necessary II
disaster is 10 be avoided. In other words. he
regards the actual or practical division of China
among the European powers as the only possible
outcome OF the present crisis.