THE CHINESE PUZZLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 51, 1 March 1901, Page 3

THE CHINESE PUZZLE.

tTo the Editor.) Sir,— So doubt the Sew Zealand news- ! papers pay a high price for the cablegrams they serve up to their readers, and while they purvey the best news money will buy they discharge their 'unction; mv the gentle reader cannot but laugh at tlio bunkum which the Press Association sends1, out here now aui then. The latest j news deserving to bfi preserved in a glus»d case, in the Museum was as follows, in last Saturday's auc Monday's papers. It read: "At America's instance tha Allies accepted the principle that no Power shall seek individual concessions in Chinese torn.ory without international assent." Let us look at this curio. It really is worth a microscopic examination.

The following figures will show that three of the great Powers have already

gorged themselves with Chinese territory, and tiie singular thing is that those who do the largest volume of trade with China have taken the. leasj territory.

Tl. Trade. Territory ISO 6. Controlled. bq. Miles.

It will be seen that America is the only

j great Power that has, not seized territory. and that Great Britain has seized only ; what she was forced in self-defence to | seize because of the strategical positions I Russia and other Foreign Powers were ; acquiring. Britain is even being practically ousted from the Yang-tse Valley, ! which she was the tlrst to open to the trade of the work"!. The Chinese merely j undertake that they will not mortgage \ tint territory to any other Foreign Power, and Mr Alexis Krausse ("China in Decay," ! V'--J&1) says: "The outcome of this conve&sion is that a Dutch fishing smack would have equal rights at any of the j Tang-lse ports with a British man-o -war, ""d lhis country, so for from being jusmf><i in regarding the Yung-tse Valley as her own purtieular sphere of Influence, remains the one Power in China whoso effective control of territory is to be recorded p racllcf iily i n acres .»

T have already shown in your columns ■what Russia's promises are worth. Another illustration is her restricting foreign t:\idi: in the Liao-Umg Peninsula after promising not to do so.

Your cable says: "No Power shall seeks individual concessions:" J

Why, sir, Russia, Belgium, France/ Germany, Britain and the United States; have also grot railway concessions, which will absolutely cover China like a network •when they are finished. (See "The Story of the Crisis," p. 136.) Are these Powers goini,' to disgorge? Mr Pickering:, who Sir Robert Hart tells us knows the Chinese better than anybody else, says ("Formosa," p. 207): "Whether China be progressive or retrogressive, her officials pure or corrupt, her intercourse with Western Powers is NOW (capitals are his) entirely in the hands and und.»r the control of Russia, backed up by France, and foolishly encouraged by Ger-| many through insane jealousy of Eng-; land." Mr Pickering spent over 30 years of the best of his life amongst the Chinese in important public positions, and h» considers the division of China inevitable.

Do not let us be lulled to sleep or allured into a fool's paradise by misleading, ridiculous cablegrams. Agreement between the Powers over China is out of all question, and the opinion is growing that the necessities of the millions of toilers in the United Kingdom and the exigencies of the Chinese situation will compel Britain to fight Russia to re-open the Chinese markets she is closing. New Zealand may soon have a strain put upon her compared to which the strain upon lier for South Africa is only child's play. Lord F.eresford considers China the supreme question of the hour, while both Lord Sali.sbury and Lord Roscbery have spoken the most solemn words of warning- to Britain to get ready for a trial that 'Will test her as by fire. War with Russia poems only too probable, and the Japanese are by no means certain to be on Britain's side.

Your Monday's cobles also say: "The Germans have begun to transfer to the British the Pekin-Shanhaikwan railway. The British have assumed control of the Pekin-Tientsin section. The question of the cost of repairs to the line has been reserved for diplomatic settlement."

That is to say, Count Waldersee, as representing" the forces, has "begun" to do it; how long he may bo doing: it is not said. Britain has, however, already assumed control of the Pekin-Tientsin section, so she is beginning1 to re-assert herself. This railway, comprising 310 miles from Pekin down to Tientsin, and then up to Shanhaikwan, is the result of British capital and the energy and plue?< of Mr C. W. Kinder, a young Englishman. The Boxers destroyed this line, but more than half is restored, nnd Britain has resumed working1 it. The Nowchwang railway line dispute is unaffected by this latest move. Russia still holds it, and is buying up the railway bonds in London; and tho bondholders nre compelled to sell them at 20 per cent, premium at three months' notice. —I am, etc., F. G. EWJNOTON.

Russian Empire.. France Germany Srnat Britain United Stated £2,800,000 5,60U,0W 2,700,000 ",''■ "CO 000 17,250.000 Wi,WJ 157,000 53,000 200 nil