Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-04

I The signal defeat of the Russian feet In
the Straits of Korea constitutes Japan
barring what appears at this
Japan moment an improbable VIC
Supreme. tory by the land forces Of
1 Gen. Lineviteh-the control
| ling power in the North Pacific. This SIT
| uation brings the question of China to the
| fore and provokes the query as to her fu-
| ture.
| The present relations of the United States
| with China are strained because of the ex-
| clusion act, which has created a feeling of
resentment throughout China, all the more
| regrettable in that 1t may be exploited by
| Japan. anxious to advance her own political
| and commercial interests in China.
| An article in a recent number Of the Re-
vue Bleue, entitled tho "Reveil de FAsie, .
or the Awakening of Asia" says:
| Japan has powerful navy and she will
| increase 1t rapidly. 1t will be easy to land
10000 men in Australia before an English,
| fleet in European waters could act. The oc.
| cupation of the Philippines. badly defended
| by small American garrison will be mere
| childs play for Japan, who threatens the
German Shan-Tung ana the French Indo-
| China. The F.usso-Japanese war
| gives to Japan the preronderance In the far
| east. The era OF European aggressions is
| closed and the hour is near when the Euro
| ance."
| The readers of The Star will be interested
| In rapid resume Of the past and present
| relations of America and Europe with
| China, destined now to become an allah
sorbing topic
| The first treaty made by China with a
| Christian power was concluded at Merit
| chinsk with Russia. September IL. 1859. BY
| this the latter'S advance along the Anur
| was checked.
| The East India Company from 1854 to
| 1894 created great interest in China by the
| establishment of a trade in opium amount
| ing to $5,O00.000 or $500 900 annually. The
| Chinese government assumed to abolish the
| commerce, whereupon Great Britain. 10th to
| surrender such an amount of business, de-
| clared war, seized several ports, and threat
| ened Marking. a treaty was concluded, by
| which Canton, Annoy, F'uchow, Ningpo and
| Shanghai were opened TO British trade. An
| indemnity of S21,000,0W and the Island Of
| Hongkong were included in the concessions.
| Neither the opium question nor the NOR
| atty of the proceeding was mentioned in
| the treaty.
| The British threatened Canton in 1S41 and
| extracted a ransom of $4,000 000 from its
| merchants. The first treaty with the United
| States was concluded by Mr.. Caleb Cush-
| ing, commissioner, in 1914. and France sign
| ed a treaty in the same year. In 1906 Chi
| pese officials seized an English vessel for
| alleged piracy. Restitution and apology
were demanded by Great Britain. China ac-
| corded restitution, but refused the apology,
whereupon Great Britain declared war. and
| Canton was occupied by the British and
French forces December %, 1857, and held
| by them under mixed military commission
| during four years. China was required to
| pay the expenses of the war, and the term
| barbarian was no longer to be applied to
| Europeans in China.
In the interval 1S5S-tO China ceded to
Russia territories on the Amur, Oussuri,
and the cities of Kalgar, Ourga and Kash-
gar
The rebellion of the Tal-pings War of
the Long-haired Rebels commenced In 1880.
The leader, Hung Sien-tseun
Ta1-flng set up propaganda to over
Rebellion. throw the faith of Confucius.
He assumed the title of TEN
| Wang, or Heavenly King, and established
himself in Marking. TIE rebels threatened
| the treaty ports in 1860 and the Shanghai
| merchants raised small army. the organf-
cation of which was committed to an Amer
lean by the name of Ward whose achieve
ments won for his troops the sobriouet of
the ever victorious army Ward was kill
ed at Tseki and the Chinese government de-
creed him god. 1t could not have done
more for Confucius. BIrgevine succeeded
Ward, but having incurred the displeasure
of some influential mandarin, he was dis
missed. Ii Hung Chang, who had the sup
preston of the rebellion. under his charge
ed and Maj. Gordon, subsequently, known
as Chinese Gordon was detached in 1860
and placed in command of the lever VIC
torious army"
Gen. Gordon was appointed by Ismail
I<hedive In 1874 to be the Egyptian governor
general of the Egyptian equatorial prov.
inces. The writer accompanied him to Cen
trail Africa as chief of staff. Whilst en-
route to Gondocoro on an Egyptian vessel
of war. FL Latif. he said, speaking of his
experience in China: IT like Americans;
served with two of them in China, Ward
and Burgevine, both of them superb SOL
ders"
Gen. Gordon told the writer many stories
of his predecessors in the lever victorious +"
and freely accorded the Americans the
greater part of the honors attributed to
him. Ward he said. was presented with
the sum of 10000 for capturing the town
of Tung-Kiang.
"Burgevine," said Gordon. was gallant
fellow, but more rash and excitabe than
his comrade. He fell out with Ii Hung
Chang with whom there was little. SYM
pathy from the first. The immediate cause
Of the quarrel was this: Ii Hung Chang
ordered Burgevine and his men to quit
Shanghai and march to the siege of Nam
king Burgevine called upon Takee, the
banker, to whom he represented that his
men had not been paid their stipend since
several months; that they should be paid
before leaving, etc. The Takee would do
nothing and used all manner of pretexts,
and finally Burgevine. exasperated beyond
endurance, slapped Takee's face and cuffed
him severely. Burgevine carried the money
off and paid his troops, but the Takee re-
ported the foreign DEVIL with the result
that Burgevine was dismissed. He went to
Picking and submitted his case to Burlfn-
game, United States minister, who wrote
Ii Hung Chang, asking that, in view OF his
distinguished services, he might be rein
stated" Lii refused, and Gordons appoint
ment followed.
.'Burgevine," continued Gordon. disgust