ENGLAND AND CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 28 April 1888, Page 4

ENGLAND AND CHINA.

Our English telegrams last night told us that "Lord Knutsford, Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the course of a private conversation, said that the proposals of the Australian Governments for excluding the Chinese from Australia would probably seriously complicate the relations existing between England and China, and ho thought it was unlikely that the Imperial Government would interfere in the matter." If this is read in connection with our sub-leader of Thursday evening on the subject of tho encroachments of Russia in Asia, whereby it was seen that that power had reached the boundary of the Chinese dominions in the north, and that by the annexations in North Burmah by Britain, that power finds herself on the southern boundary of China, it will be seen that the telegram affects us, that is, the Australian Colonies, very seriously.

The proposals made by the Australian Governments are distinctly and

severely anti-Chinese, and calculated to greatly exasperate that people, whereas it is perfectly clear that Britain is doing all she can to ingratiate herself with that extraordinary and stupendous power, knowing full well that if sha turns her into an enemy instead of a friend, it will give her natural enemy, Russia, such formidable assistance as woufrl very considerably compromise her own Imperial position. England, that is, the people of the United Kingdom, cannot *nd do not know the curse the influx of Chinese is to the colonies, and this question, vital as it is to us and mixed up as it evidently is with matters of great Imperial importance, clearly proves what we said in Thursday's leader, that the time has arrived when a truly Imperial Parliament should be called together, so that every portion of the . Empire should have a say in the guidance of the nation's policy. Look at the present position ! The colonies insist upon some legislation to counteract the Chinese evil. The colonies are determined to have it, but tha national interests, from an English point. of view, demand that at the present juncture of affairs China shall be petted and not insulted. Which ia to give way 1 Those who know the temper of the colonies are fully aware that they will stand out; then what happens ? It is impossible to tell and futile to speculate upon, but with a truly Imperial Parliament the matter would be settled off-hand, as it would be seen and allowed that no matter what the consequences, the empire's interests must be conserved the wide worid over, and that a national injury done to the most insignificant portion of it is detrimental to the interests of the whole, and the representatives of the outlying portions of the empire would be strong enough to carry this view.

The " London Times," in commenting upon the great but hidden. strength of China, and Russia's contiguity to India through Chinese territory, say 3, " We have a strong impression that a generation or two hence, very f«w nations will be in any hurry to fight the Chinese, and that if the Russians can get to India only across Western China, India is tolerably safe." The "Times," however, in thus expressing itself, is arguing in the supposition that the Chinese Government continues friendly to us rather than espousing the cause of Russia, and this the colonies} seem now in a fair way of completely altering. As regards the position of Russia " The Times " speaks very plainly. It says, "Russia occupies the northern portion of the continent of Asia throughout its entire breadth. At every point on her extended frontier she is pressing steadily and ceaselessly southwards. If Russia wero a fluid and the north were always uppermost in fact, as it conventionally is upon our maps, her southward movement could not be more uniform, and incessant. Where obstacles are absent or trifling she moves fast and ,far; where they are more formidable she moves more slowly, but her southward pressure,is never remitted." '

Ib is this serious menace to India which Britain can laugh at when threatened through Afghanistan, but which now assumes a more definite and practical shape through China, and backed up by the armed hordes of that immense Empire, that causes England's statesmen to hesitate before endorsing the actions of the Australasian colonies against the Chinese.