Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-08
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

The first opium war with England,
with it's resultant concessions, was
followed by treaties with the United
States and France. Cantonese re-
scented the coming of foreigners, but
as the treaties now gave trading
rights TO other ports there was less
opposition there than in Canton, for
the newly opened ports were glad to
share the profitable commerce.
= x +
In 1856 the Chinese gunboats fired
on a small British vessel bearing a
cargo of opium, which narcotic was
contraband under Chinese decree.
This led to another war, known as
the Arrow War, because the boat was
named The Arrow" This, too, was
won by the British, who exacted 10
more ports and the right to travel on
the Yangtze River and q guarantee
of liberation of Christianity and
opium, the latter having become most
profitable. Missionaries have been
permitted to penetrate the interior of
the country ever since that war. ex-
cept when native antagonism has
risen against their safety.
During the negotiations for ending
the Arrow War the Russian Minister
ator and later collected from China
Russia's fee for those friendly serv-
ices-a long strip of territory south
from the Ussuri River toward Korea,
for Russia was ambitious to find a
seaport for her Traussiberian rail
way which would be ice free. She
therein built Nladivostok, as a ter
minus, and later fought a losing war
with jealous Japan.
= X x
When the British representatives
returned in 1859 with Publications of
the treaty of Tientsin, settling the
Arrow War, they were accompanied
by representatives of France, Russia
and the United States, the latter to
demand most-favOred- treaties.
They We're all barred from the CAPT
tai, Picking. and when the British and
French war vessels undertook to
force passage they were repulsed.
The Chinese Emperor, fearing that
they would succeed, fled from the
capital and sent back his brother 10
offer the British a piece of the main
land opposite Hongkong as the further
price of peace.
The victory of the allies was made
easier by rehellian in South China.
under the leadership of q converted
Christian who proposed to set up
new dynasty 10 succeed the Manchus .
"a dynasty to be called Tai Ping
which means "the great peace
This Tai Ping rebellion enlisted the
support of Englishmen, including Mai.
Charles George Gordon-"Chinese
Gordon who took command of a
corps after its original com
nander, Gen. Ward, had been killed
This rebellion inaugurated for it's
own support the system of tolls, or
provincial tariffs. known as
''llkin. which system has continued
to this day. Recently the powers
agreed to permit Chinese autonomy
as to tariff on imports To be restored
on condition that likin be suppressed
likin has been the means of provin
cial independence from the central
government, and source of graft.
X + X
The later wars of China-the ex-
pulslon of the Manchus and reign of
the queen Dowager for some 90 years
during the infancy of the Emperor.
VINO died, and the later infancy of the
iowager nephew, the Boxer Rebel
ion against foreign aggression. the
war with Japan, the war with Rus.
sla and the establishment OF the
'epublic-all these more modern wars
ana revolutions need not be detailed.
The persistent aggressions by the
British and later by other nations
now eliminate in deepest hatred OF
all foreigners. especially the opium
importers and leaders against the for
ner glory and independence of Cathay.
Today internal anarchy leaves the re-
public powerless to fight foreign ma
tons, but the very condition OF an
archy makes it especially hazardous
Tor foreigners ont of range of the war
vessels of their nations.
Within the last month. the State
Department of the United States has
received a report of the Mixed Com
mission on Extraterritofiality in
1hina, made up of representatives of
the United States, Belgium, the Brit
sh Empire, China, France, Denmark.
Italy, Japan, the Netherlands. Nor
way. Portugal, Spain and Sweden
This investigation finds that 254,005
persons in China are enjoying eX-
raterritorial privileges punishable
)nly by the laws and courts of their
,wn countries, no matter what crime
hey may commit in China.
Downright 1927. By Paul V. colIins-l