The Washington times., 1903-11-11


the 4O0th anniversary of his triumph.
Prior to the fifteenth century all COM
merce between Europe and China had
been carried on overland by caravans.
The treasures of Cathay had been
brought through Arabia to Egypt. from
which point they We're distributed The
first step by sea was taken by Diaz. who
doubled the Cape of Coed Hope. which
he named Cape Tormentoso. But the
name was soon changed to Cape Boa
Esperanca. or Cape of Good Hope. be-
cause the route around it gave promise
Of realizing a continents prayer.
At last the successful expedition put
to sea. 1t was fitted out by King Eman-
uel Of Portugal who placed a gallant
member of the royal family in command.
Vasco de Cana. The journey around
Cape Boa Esperanca was eventfui So
terrible were the winds and seas that
frightened sailors were put in chains
to avert mt tiny. De Gama's triumph
was worthy OF his high courage The
voyage, begun July 8. 1887. ended safely
in the harbor OF Calcutta, May 20, I49s.
The footsteps Of the passing centuries
have died away. but the great unawak-
ened monster China has ever remained
true TO the policy Of isolation and Sc
clusiOn OF which the great wall is a
monumental symbol. After all these at
temDts of these centuries the outside
world has failed to make a serious i'm
preston China, until few months
ago. was only indented family here and
there with signs OF an advancing clvili-
zation which she has been striving TO
I believe she can scOrn. Sinae forgot the
missionaries sent to her from Europe
Cathay ignored the medieval maritime
messengers. and China has desperately
hoped 10 withstand the age Of steam and
, electricity
A New Era.
She seems in time doomed to faiInre.
The reason OF this outlook and this
promise have found their ground in the
events of the past few months. The
Japan-China war with its many results
variously estimated, may be fairly ad-
judged the beginning of a new era.
Events since the treaty of Shimoseu
have upset most precOnceivsd theories
OF the future of China There can be lit
tie ground for fear of a conquest Of
Europe by hordes from the land Of yell
low races. Perhaps no one viii soon
attempt 10 fancy a China whose citi.
zens shall throng the English turf OF
the salons OF Paris or who would be
fancied as admitted to intermarry com
monty with the white races or borrow
ing the science Of Europe TO develop
their still virgin worlds" The latent
energy theory, also. needs radical re-en-
forcement or 1t will be soon forgotten
This theory claimed that beneath the
sluggishness and incompetency Of China
there lay gigantic powers. which.
awakened, would suddenly prove Of
great ability and consequence. The alb
solute indehniteness OF all knowledge Of
China's real ability lent 20 these and
other arguments weight which they can
not now claim. The Ja2an-China war
proved on the contrary that benef-th
a seeming measure of power lay CHI
NJ better evidence Of rho naeeine, ~
these beliefs and theories regarding
China's ability 70 Withstand impact and
aggression from without can be cited
than the records OF history during the
past two years. The seizure by foreign
powers Of Chinese territory. wha tcver
the excuse or paliiatiOn. pOrtrays in
stantly the change which has tran
spired and the theories which have gone
10 the winds. It is TO be doubted IL
China war were ever Tor once fancied
by all parties interested Such acts Of
aggression on the part of five European
nations as the last two years have wit
Directly. the war terminated the
suzeralnty Of China over Korea. This
was Lf4e QueSllDu that Drought on the
war But Of far greater consequence
the war showed that internally China
WAS rotten TO the core, that her Off
Gals We're plundering traitors, and her
army was a mOustrOus farce, and that
her navy, however bravely manned and
capable, WAS rendered useless because
always under control OF the corrupt and
ignorant officials on shore.
Has Heard Us Knell.
And 50 when the nineteenth century
drew TO a close we knew for an abso.
lutte certainty that the old China-the
China OF the Great WalI-has heard It's
lEnen. The aggressiOus made by fQ9eigu
powers are of such a radical nature
that there can be no going back. And
the logical and irresistible results OF
these aggressions wiz be. eventually.
new China; beyond that the optimist,
even, cannot satisfy himself with proDh-
ecies. These foreign powers will in their
circumscribed areas Of activity do for
China what she could not do for herself
and never wanted done for her They
will open the mines. Increase the area
of cultivated land. place systems Of in
ternal communication on a strong basis.
introduce the machinery and appliances
OF civilization. This they viii do in their
own fields Of influence. And they viii
eventually leaven the whole lump. Nor
will they influence only the Immediate
territory over which they have direct
rule. An inestimabie influence viii be
exerted upon the affairs of the whole
nation and determine greatly its policy.
Take for instance the remarkable
achievement already assured, the open
ing Of inland waters to the commerce /
of the world. Perhaps no one single
concession on the part of China could
be more radical Passing its meaning
10 the world. IL should mean "A great /
deal TO China. III should and VIII mean l
Increased wealth and enlightenment and /