The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09

guard the material interests Of the Euro
pean community in the event OF a deter
mined insurrectionary movement, which In
the present state OF unrest in China may be
witnessed at any hour.
However clouded may be the political
future Of Shanghai, there seems to be no
doubt that its commercial eminence is
assured. Col. Murray became convinced
by his observations that whatever indus
trial changes may take place IN China their
effect viii be to increase the activity OF this
particular entrepot. Shanghai has estab-
lished its position as the seaport for the
trade which goes up and down the valley OF
the mighty Yangtse, as that river olow
its course from Tibet 10 the coast through
the heart OF China's richest provinces. That
railways will have a large share in the
further development OF China is not ques-
toned. but her foreign trade will depend
much less on railways than on the incom-
parable network Of internal waterways
which converge on Hangkow. 900 miles
from the mouth Of the Yangtse, and are
causing that town TO be recognized as the
principal industrial mart OF central China
As Hangkow develops, however, so will
Shanghai, the nearest outlet to the sea,
acquire a corresponding accession Of COM
mercial anluence. 1t is further to be borne
in mine that Shanghai's geographical posi-
ton makes it the natural terminus for ocean
going steamers, which use the port for
transshipping their cargoes into the smaller
vessels hat carry on the distributing trade
along the coasts Of China and Japan.
II.
About a third Of the book ia allotted to a
consideration Of the political relations now
existing between Great Britain and japan.
The cha piers dealing with the subject are
interesting as containing the most recently
published account by an eyewitness, OF jap
anese methods Of administration since the
war. The author Of this volume had the
good fortune to meet some of the most in
f~uential men in Japan, among the latter
Marquis Ito, foremost OF the Elder States
men. and Marshal Oyama. who was COM
mander in chief in Manchuria during the
war with Russia. Some OF his conclusions
will he found p~aradoxical. He insists, for
instance, that there is less ~debauohery in
Japan than in England and that the i'm
morality of the Japanese is under better
'OuNlpl lIldu VIC hO-Cdlch iiOldulJ VI 'hc
English. He maintains that the Japanese
are a simpler, harder and more disciplined
race than is the Anglo-Saxon, and that
in respect Of physical endurance and cor
poreal activity the average Japanese sur
passes the average Englishman. Consid-
ering the facts observed by him from the
point of view OF a professional soldier, he
has become convinced that consumption has
v1nxraI harAAn;ol ~ afran dt IA amin thA
sense of patriotism, in promoting disci-
pine and in enforcing self denial.
1t is well known that the Japanese are
often charged with n wan of commercial
reliability, which is contrasted unfavorably
with the probity and p~unotual business
habits of the Chinese. Col. Murray does
not deny that for the moment the charge
may nave some foundation. but he submits
that it is capable of explanation. He re-
minds us that until recent years the trading
class was the lowest in Japan. and as such
was despised by the military aristocracy Of
the country. The farmer. the peasant. the
artisan, were all superior in the social scale
10 the merchant, who never could rise above
the lowest status. no matter how wealthy
he might become. 1t Is doubtless true that
in such circumstances a low tone. Of COM
IllViN iioliVoNy wac e NS
author Of this book admits that as yet som
ground for dissatisfaction on this score
exists. He believes. however, that in due
time the laxity will disappear under the
influence of intercourse with Western people
and tina Japanese merchants will acquire
as good a name for mercantile integrity
as is possessed by those of other countries.
He recalls the fact hat in china for some
. nnn - Il tho nttititHa ~ nphlio nninipn
toward trade has been reversed, the status
of the merchant having been held through
out that period in high honor. and that Of
the soldier correspondingly despised. In
China the merchant class is now, as ii has
long been, composed of the best men Of
the country, whereas in Japan up 10 u few
years ago the opposite was the case.
Our author was not surprised TO find the
Japanese proud Of their alliance with Great
Britain and keenly appreciative Of it's sig
%nifcance. There is no doubt that it has
given them an unshakable position among
the great Powers Of the world. II assured
TO them fair play during the recent struggle
with Russia and made peace possible before
the belligerent resources of the Island En-
pire were exhausted. The Japanese real
lied that without the alliance there would
nave Dttl no guar IipTS abulhnl li' NV
of the war a. soon AZ Russia should have
recuperated her strength. So long, on the
other hand, as the alliance shall last there
can be no question Of Russia's returning TO
Manchuria or recovering the southern half
Of Sakhalin. Japan has now a free hand
for all her contemplated purposes Of polit-
zeal and commercial expansion. Col. Muir
ray willingly comedies that the alliance
confers equivalent benefits upon England,
Though it ties the hands of Britain's states
men to those Of Japan. it ties them with
bonds OF identical interests As long as the
alliance continues il decides the mastery
Of the Pacific and safeguards China from
attack. The future OF China, so far as
it depends on forces outside the Celestial
Empire, now rests with Great Britain and
Japan, and with them alone. In our authors
opinion the alliance represents the natural
rapprochement Of two countries drawn to-
gether by a common policy Of peaceful COM
merciA expansion, which ~repudiates exclusive
advantages for any individual State and ia
based on the principle Of equal opportunities
for all nations. At the back OF his policy