The sun., 1901-03-30
VIEW BOOKS.
General james u. wilson on Ch,nn.

Nsior-(ien Jane Harrison NllS'
hrnletonsl has been recognized ever since
,bc publication OF the first edition in 1887
os one Of the most authoritative works upon
the subject The new edition. which has Just
haen issued, contains several additional
,b,pter comprising about lsO pages, and
brings down the narrative from 1894 TO the
present hour The authors special qualih-
cations for discussing the present Chinese
.risi. are sufnciontly obvious While he
VAS in command Of the Department of Matan-
zg, and Santa Clara, Cuba, In July, 1900.
no wa, appointed second In command OF the
sxpsditionary corps despatched To the Prov
ince of chill under Gen, Chaiiee. On
lIs arrival at Pekin he was assigned 10 the
command of the sections of both the Tartar
and Chinese cities occupied by the American
troop. II was he who commanded the
successful Joint expedition Of American and
British soldiers some fifteen hundred strong,
which was directed against the Boxers al
no Eight Temples We scarcely need
add that during his two months service In
prbin with the China relief expedition he
mad ample opportunity 10 make the acquaint-
,r,a Of the foreign diplomats, the Generals
and the leading officers of the line and stan
-rrying with the allied troops His observa-
tons. which are those Of an expert, will he
found sol down partly in the seven chapters
now added 10 his book. and partly in the in
rcre-tinC preface to the present edition.
II gratifying to note Gen, Wilson's
testimony 20 the fact that, in every respect,
the American soldiers AZ Pedn compared
fnyoraby with those of the other Powers
The rank and file. il Is believed. are SUI
urrior in Intelligence and fighting capacity
20 th, soldiers of any other modern army.
Their armament. equipment and supplies
are fully equal in every respect to the best.
while their horses. mules and wagons are
far superior to those Of any other country
A. the same time. our author admits that
in -obriety. smartness and the details Of
discipline. both in camp and on the march,
they might well profit by the example Of
both the japanese and the Germans" or
Field Marshal Count Won Waldersce. whose
arrival az Prkn after the virtual suspension
nf hostilities, except against the Boxers.
placed him in an embarrassing position,
Gen Wilson writes In q highly appre-
dative way 81 was deeply impressed
he says. with his personal and official amen
ity. intelligence and experience. He il.
certainly, wise and masterful man, whose
hgh sense Of justice ami proprety cannot.
while rejecting credit upon his own country.
tail TO be of benefit to the other Powers
~ Prince Ching. who is nomnally one Of the
two Chinese plenipotentiaries at Pekin, We
read that he is without experience or in
lellectual power, and represents nothing
except the Manchu dynasty and the efete
imperial family. Under these circumstances.
ii Hung Chang may well claim that he is
about all of the Chinese Government there
is left that he is more powerful now than
ever before. and finally. that his course
for the last TWENTY-FIVE years "a the friend
nont should he received az guarantee
~ his capacity and good faith in dealing
aith the present crisis in the history Of his
country" Although III Hung Chang was
plainly suffering from the effects Of advancing
years General Wilson could discern in him
m perceptible diminution Of the lofty self
reliance which had always characterized
h- bearing He boldly announced himself
m the fun representative of the government,
If not all there was left of the government
itself. and siEnihed at once his willingness
10 admit its absolute liability for the injury
done to the foreign legations. the mission
aries and the Chinese coHrerts' That he
Powers for the losses experienced by Chinese
converts is a surprise So far az Gen
VII son could see ii Hung Chang's conduct
was Open frank and statesmanlike through
on, the trying circumstances by which he
was surrounded He showed no disposition
to make delay or to deal unfairly with any
question Neither chCanery nor insincerity
could be anywhere detected in words or con-
tha ba ,NI . 10
foundly impressed with the gravity Of the
situation and with the great responsibility
resting upon him"
With regard TO the important question
touching the limits of Chna's ability to
provide the interest and sinking fund Incl
dental 10 new foreign loan. Gen Wilson
On page lgs eKpresse, the opinion that with
the increase of importations which il steadily
Coinl on and an increase Of duty tn. say, Is
per cent ad valorem in gold, 10 enable the
,hno,e government to indemnify the for
dgnrrs for their losses in the Boxer war.
.hr annual receipts from customs would be
increased 10 si2O 600. 600 in gold az an early
dare simultaneously with this increase
IN customs duties our author thinks that the
hu' or inland transit dues, should be ahol-
i-hal because they greatly retnrd internal
trade and have always provoked earnest
objections on the part Of native rs we'll as
'or"ls0 merchants
We 01ve here been able 70 furnish only a
""rv 'ay Indications of the value OF this
work. Not only the seven additional chap
'er- tlt the whole book. which has been
revised. should he road carefully hv every
ono who desires thoroughly 10 comprehend
'N" a.'ual and proepeo tive state Of things
n China 20 tho hour when this volume
Vor' % pre- Gen Wilson deemed n i'm
rn--.I" 10 stat" with CnnHd"noe what viii
no 'n" ultimate outcome of the "yi~ting com
r..t'.r-. o. when tho foreign Powers viii
4D,." D. -afr - withdraw their troops from
'..nt a0I leave that country 10 work out us
own destiny under the treaties which viii be
eya.rof from them II Is pronounced OBJ
'a.-. I,vovcr, that China is no longer 2
Tee nation. and. because Of her disorganiza-
'.r r3 lack Of effective military power.
".-. necessarily yield whatever foreign
r...r- concur in demanding NJ II
S;arbonrd Lights.
I'or. - a cheerful promise In such a sen
''r.o ... Neyer mind whore this ship was
4 oIri ~ course this ia sea yarn. and
"" or. thing 20 he asked further Is that
s't ha good one What Happened
-. tho caption and the story is one ot
70 u.mn.r collected under m" general title