THE ADVANCE OF CHINA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 22 April 1911, Page 1

THE ADVANCE OF CHINA.

A GREAT CHANGE OBSERVED,

Dr G. G. H. Morrison, in ' an interview with Mr i\ A. McKcnzit*, • tin "London" d'eals with the awakeninjr nf China : -

''Perhaps the best evidence of 'the change that, lias come over China is to be scili in Peking itself," said Dr Morrison "Contrast the -city of to-day wil'h ihe Peking oei'ore the Boxer rebellion ten years uigo. Then, foreign houses were> few. The streets were amongst the worst an the world. They were simply made by throwing no earth'from e itheV side of the road way and levelling itV' Sir Robert Mart remembers the case of a coolie who was drowned in the mud of a main street. The broad' thoroughfares were na-rrowed b}y lineis of booth's on either side. As the European walked along he was frequently exposed to insult. There were no police. < To-dny you reach the capital by-.'a comfortable railway, you stay ut/.'a Grand' Motel, you drive! from the heart of the- city to the Summer Palace in a motor-car along a broad iriftcadajnised thoorughfare, lit by electricity, and guarded by uniformed and disciplined police,, who are stationed at regular iutarvals along the line of route, directing the 'traffic. There is no more fear of insult in the streets of Peeking than in London.

He- tells of the* whole vaniety of daily and weekly newspapers, 'of *the new Foreign Office, of the foreign education of Chinese officials, .of the 1 significant change rm the. attitude .of t'lie people to the foreigners, of the ■advance <>l' iChinese women, wjbo are being- educated in Japan, and America of th« high physique and morale of the new army, of the schools .bf all graclrs which have sprung .up, jKpiipped .with admirable books arid ''appliances. There is a widespread desire, to loam English. English >is the lingua, frtfinca of the Far East' to-day.' It is the business language. (Of the missionaries Dr Morrison bad nothing- to say but what' is- favourable. The presemce of the' '.missionaries and their (families brings into China to-day an elemetat of the greatest value for civilisation. There is no decline of Briti'sh' prestige. Tlve EritiPh name is held m greater \re'sp«ct, land British influence is incredjSine politically. . Japan's objection-to the extension of the Northern Ch'iTiese- Railway has changed. China s friendshihn "into suspicion. "'New China comes, not as a menace to the West, but as a peaceful participator in world progress " ' >,