Affairs in China.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9294, 23 July 1901, Page 6

Affairs in China.

Friction Among the Allies

Probable French Coup.

Writing from Hong Kong under date June 10th the correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph supplies the following notes of affairs in the East. — The evacuation of North China by the foreign troops, so long off, is now being crystallised into fact. Field-Mar-shal Count yon Waldersee's staff was disbanded at"the end of last month. On the Ist inst. he gave a farewell dinuer to the members of his staff and others in the Winter Palace at Pekin. Ob Sunday, the 2nd inst., he was entertained at tiffin by the Japanese Minister, and in the evening a dinner was given in his honor in the German Legation. The whole off the Diplomatic Corps were present on the latter occasion. On tbe morning V the 3rd inst., the Field Marshal left Pekin for Tientsin, having formally relinquished command of the allied troops in North China. He will proceed first to Japan, thence to Batavia, and on to the Seychelles and Dar-el-Salam. THE INDEMNITIES OF THE POWERS. This important matter has at length bqen settled, and the Emperor Kwang-su has signed an Imperial edict agreeing to pay an indemnity of 450,000,000 taels to the al'.ied Powers, with interest at 4 per cent. This was agreed to after much protestation that so large a sum could not be paid. Among the Powers there is still a great luck of unanimity on several points. Chief among these ie the question of time limit for payment. The Chinese Government are willing to place ihe limit at 40 years for the final payment, but some of the foreign Ministers are favorable to a longer period, while others would like it shortened.

Me Rookbiil, Oln™ d/ Maiws for the United Slates, ir.ais's very strongly on the advisability of opening up the whole of China to foreign trade instead of increasing the tariff. He argues that this will be the best means of opening up trade with the vast interior, and contends that it is also the best method of dissipa' - ing Chinese prejudices agaiost foreigners. The Japanese Minister is believed to favor this proposal. Sir Ernest Satow, the British Minister, vigorously opposes it, on the grounds that difficulties would arise between natives and foreigners at a distance from any Consulate, and that it would be impossible to maintain Consulates at half of even the principal cities.

The question is one admitting of agood deal of debate. Theotetically I shoul■ say Mr Rockhill would have the best of the argument; his proposal seems to spell progress ; but 1 doubt if it could be made to work in a country so saturated with prejudice as China. If. we could keep a gunboat within hail of all our people all might be well; otherwise outbreaks and anti-foreign riots would be frequent. disastrous Vibe at fek^n. Another fire, in which somo* of the most priceless records of the various dynasties that have ruled China were totally destroyed, occurred on the 4th instant. It seems that on the night of 4th, during a thunderstorm, fire broke out in the western division of the Prohibited City, guarded by American aud Japanese troops. Although a heavy rain was falling at the time the flames spread with great rapidity, destroying numerous buildings within the ar4», including the Wu Ying Tien, which is believed Lo have contained the Imperial archives and library. The central pavilions, the ancestral temple, and the Emperor's priva' c apartments were all saved. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained, but it is supposed that one of the buildings was struck by lightning, and thus setitin flames. No lives were lost. Strict orders were issued to kepp back the public, owing to the fact that a large mob, composed of all- nationalities, crowded to the ruins with carts, the r design being to collect loot, if procurable. ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL RIOT AT TIENTSIN. On the 2nd inst. another quarrel between foreign soldiers occurred in the Taku road, Tientsin, with fatal results. A number of French troops c«me into collision with some British and German soldiers, and a general melee ensued, with the result th«t two Germans were killed and five Frenchmen and one British wounded. The French General was much incensed an hearing of the affair, and has now prohibited his moii from entering the British settlement. THE IMPERIAL CHIXKSE CURT. No further information had been received from the north as to the intended movements of the Imperial Court until yesterday, when a telegram from Shanghai announced that an imperial Decree issued ou the 7th inst. fixes the lßt September as the date on which the Court will leave lisian-fu for Pekin The Emperer will probably not leach the capital therefore until some time iti October. This Decree disposes ot all rumors as to the transfer of the Court to some new capital. It is. clear that the dynasi y cling to their owu capital in spi c of all drawbacks. FREPH MASSACRE OF PRIESTS AND CONVERTS. Intelligence ha 3 just reached the Italian Legation at Pekin that in April last a terrible massacre was perpetrated on the borders of Mongolia, when an attack was made upon an Italian mission and 15 Belgian priests aud all their male converts were ruthlessly murdered. This tragic incident supplies an argument against any premature attempt to open up the Chinese Empire to foreign trade and intercourse. China is not at present ripe for such a change, and will not be for some years. Anti-foreign feeling is everywhere rampant-, and it will be long before a peaceable foreign trader will be

welcomed in the interior away from gunboat influence. ANTI-MISSIONARY RIOTS IN KWANGTONG. A missionary trouble has recently occurred at Limchow, near Pakhoi, in Qwangtung. Ou the 24th ult. the natives of that place rose and destroyed the chapel of the German mission, and the German gunboat Jaguai is now at Pakhoi to demand an indemnity and reparation. On the 4th inst. the commander of the Jaguar landed a force of 50 marines and marched them to the yarnen of the civil magistrate. The Perfect of Limchow-fu was at last advices on his way to meet the Germans to arrange matters. The French cruiser Kersuint arrived a* Pakhoi on the 4th irist. to watch the Jaguar. The French are exceedingly jealous of any foreign movements in this part of Qwangtung. FRENCH DESIGNS ON HAINiU. It is believed that this will happen early next month. The French troops in Tonking are, it is said, being mobilised for the purpose (just as they were three years ago for the annexation of Kwong-chow-Wan), and the French squadron will shortly mobolise iv Haloong Bay. The French have long had au itching for the great fat island of Hainau, and only require the very slightest pretext for taking possession of it, pending payment of their share of the indemnity. No doubt this feeling would account for the despatch of the Kersuint to Pakhoi. Of course, the British Government could not afford to look on idly while France played this bold game of dog-in-the-manger once more, but the French authorities hope, doubtless, that when the moment tor action comes British energies will be employed elsewhere. Germany might, perhaps, be squared, or, at least, France probably hopes that she would probably be in that mood. Unless some quid pro quo was given her elsewhere, however, Germany would not be complacent.